ARSENAL will have to settle for a point after a thrilling 2-2 draw against Aston Villa.
Gabriel Martinelli broke the deadlock on 35 minutes despite Emiliano Martinez’s best efforts to stop the ball from crossing the line.
After the break, Kai Havertz ended his bad streak in front of goal with a shot from close range to make it 2-0.
But Arsenal’s two-goal advantage didn’t last long as Youri Tielemans headed home for 2-1.
And things went from bad to worse for the Gunners after Ollie Watkins slammed home a stunning equaliser on 68 minutes.
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If this is the night the hopes of the Arsenal name died, then Ollie Watkins was once its gravedigger.
But the death knell may have been pronounced simply through Stockley Park.
With less than two minutes remaining, the Emirate broke through when Mikel Merino’s hopeful attempt from the edge of the area deflected wide past Emi Martinez and gave Mikel’s men back to Arteta leading an attack they had repulsed.
However, Merino, evidently, did celebrate.
He knew what Jon Brooks in the VAR booth near Heathrow was going to tell referee Chris Kavanagh: that the final and important touch to lie to Martínez had come, albeit accidentally, from Kai Havertz’s right arm.
The referee still had no option to annul the goal and, Merino hit the post in added time, there was no respite.
Opta report that Arsenal have scored more goals than any other Premier League side from CROSSES this season.
And Trossard’s assist double both came from crosses – only the second time in the league that’s happened this season.
They tweeted from OptaJoe: “Arsenal have scored more goals with crosses than any other Premier League team this season (11), while Leandro Trossard is one of only two players to have contributed more than 2 goals with crosses in a match this season (also Damsgaard).
Both groups turn their attention to the Champions League in midweek.
Then next weekend it’s back to the league with some very winnable games, with the Gunners at Wolves and Villa hosting West Ham.
Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli says his side need to improve for upcoming games after their second half collapse.
He told Sky Sports: “It’s a disappointing day. We were looking to win the game but we have to move on. “
“We trust in ourselves, and we have to keep going and improving – it is a long journey to go. We have to focus on ourselves.
“It’s football, it’s the Premier League, the toughest league in the world. We have to take a look at the game and see what we did wrong and for the next games.
“We know our qualities and we have confidence in ourselves. ”
Youri Tielemans believes Aston Villa was his opinion.
He told the BBC: “From our point of view, [a smart result] is deserved. We took the point and moved on. They had a lot of chances but we defended with our bodies on the line.
“2-2 is a smart result for us. In the first half we had some counterattacks, some misplaced passes from me that may have brought in Ollie Watkins.
“We fought hard to get back in the game. “
LEANDRO TROSSARD – 8: The deflected effort was comfortable for Martinez, but his very good cross made life much more complicated for the Villa goalkeeper to prepare Martinez for the first game before bursting into flames. The Belgian got his fifth help of the season. at this time he leaves for Havertz.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 8: Threatened at the far post from the start, but earned praise from the same position in the 35th minute with a shot past Maatsen.
KAI HAVERTZ – 8: Once again the lack of a decent serve left him living on scraps, however when he was given a scrap he fired an effort straight at Martinez from close range. The German more than made up for it after the break with a clinical finish, Martínez deserved to have done better. This will do wonders for your confidence.
MIKEL MERINO – 6: Functionality of a worker – won his duels and worked well, but the small main points were missing, leaving a good chance in the first half. He then lost his marker and allowed Tielemans to take the lead and make it 2-1. He could have won it in the end with a Havertz effort that VAR scored and also hit the post.
DECLAN RICE – 7: He’s an integral part of all things Arsenal and came close with a long-range clearance in the second half.
MARTIN ODEGAARD – 6: A fake functionality, but he actually misses his partner in Saka. He created everything he could, but he has to be more egocentric to push his team to the limit.
Here’s how SunSport’s Jordan Davies scored the Gunners players tonight, starting with the defenders:
DAVID RAYA – 6: Let down by those in front of him for both goals, a duo of close range efforts he had no chance with.
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 8: With performances like this, suddenly it’s the first call on Arteta’s team. He is very calm and collected for such a young man, and his strength in the face of greater opposition is sometimes terrifying.
GABRIEL – 7: Made a one-on-one matchup with Watkins and some other block on a quick counterattack.
JURRIEN TIMBER – 7: Alert to thwart counterattacks opposing Watkins’ speed and does it well. It’s not his fault he doesn’t have Saliba’s defensive presence.
This is what the most sensible thing in the Premier League table looks like after today’s results.
Liverpool finished the day with a four-point lead and a game in hand; They now have six clear points with this match still to play.
Nottingham Forest with the chance to move level on points with Arsenal if they beat Southampton at home tomorrow.
The war for the most sensible four also looks promising!
This spot, around the stadium, bouncing at 4:45 p. m. when it seemed that Liverpool were wasting points.
Incredibly, Arsenal go to bed tonight even further behind Liverpool in the title race.
Seeing Liverpool score two goals in injury time would have been enough.
So bottling a 2-0 lead is inexcusable in extreme circumstances. After today’s events, this is even more true.
Just one win in their last few games now too. . . .
Extremely costly Arsenal COLLAPSE. Boos at the whistle too.
Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa
Odegaard is terrible. Tall, augmented and straight into the arms of Martinez.
Neither from him nor from the set piece coach.
Here it is: the set-piece coach is in the foreground!
Arsenal have a loose shot, 15 meters from Villa’s line on the right. Odegaard sent him to swing.
WHAT A CHANCE FOR TROSSARD!!!
Ohhh Arsenal and their fans can’t believe it. Arteta is almost on his knees, HE can’t believe it.
Trossard seems to have damaged the offside with a wise pass to him on the left.
It’s just Martinez striking with his left foot and he drags his shot a foot wide of the post. Agony!
Now, Rogers is booked for temporarily preventing Arsenal from proceeding with their throw-in.
Sterling in comfortable possession gives the ball away at the edge of the Villa box.
It’s up to Jhon Durán and Villa with no one to hit, but they get their way when Sterling hits him to give away the free kick.
Sterling is booked for it too.
Up the other end now and Villa work it well to get Youri Tielemans on it at the edge of the box.
He drags his shot slightly wide and it seems that Raya has hit it. This is not the case, according to the referee, as Arsenal receives the goal kick.
SEVEN MINUTES ADDED!
Nothing comes out as Villa is fouled in the middle.
MERINO ARRIVES IN THE MAIL!
He turns the box as Merino gets space in the box and shoots from the post.
He recovers and remains alive, he worked towards Trossard on the left from an angle and shoots low and strong at goal and Martínez rushes to keep him out.
Now, Trossard is the cheerleader who cheers the home crowd on when they win a corner.
Merino has a shot from the edge of the field towards the goal and hits Kai Havertz in the process.
It wrong foots Martinez and ends up in the far corner.
The first replay obviously shows him touching his arm as he enters. He’s pointing fingers at his team, but unfortunately for him, there are replays in football that prove he’s not telling the truth.
The house boos as the replay airs, but it’s not entirely clear why.
Close for Aston Villa!
It is an immediate counterattack led by Rogers, who bursts into the center of the park unopposed.
He passes it to Bailey on the right edge of the box and when Arsenal try to block the cross, it’s casual to Bogarde who hits low and hard through the bodies and Raya manages to keep it out.
Aaaand another change for Aston Villa.
All a bit stop-start at the minute, just as Villa want it at the minute.
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