ARSENAL are facing Aston Villa RIGHT NOW – and Oleksandr Zinchenko has scored a crucial equaliser!
Thomas Partey misses out again for the Gunners, while Leandro Trossard is making his first start in place of Gabriel Martinelli.
The Gunners could briefly jump back to the top of the table with a win – but they haven't won in their last three Prem games following the 3-1 loss to Man City on Wednesday which saw Pep Guardiola's men leapfrog them to the summit.
City take on Nottingham Forest following the match at 3pm this afternoon.
- Kick-off: 12.30pm
- TV channel: BT Sport 1
- Live stream: BT Sport website and app
- Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Alex Moreno; McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Kamara, Coutinho; Buendia, Watkins
- Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Trossard, Nketiah
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
- Lloyd Canfield
64. Aston Villa 2-2 Arsenal
That's another great goal from Arsenal, this time courtesy of the Ukranian.
It came from a short corner, and found it's way out to Zinny on the edge of the box.
He smashed it low and hard into the right hand corner from outside the box.
- Lloyd Canfield
62. Aston Villa 2-2 Arsenal
Another fantastic goal at Villa Park!
It's a great equaliser from Oleksandr Zinchenko! - Lloyd Canfield
60. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Excellent defending by William Saliba to stop Ollie Watkins from beating him this time.
Villa look dangerous on the break, and it is Douglas Luiz who starts it at the base of midfield.
- Lloyd Canfield
58. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Cash is down with an injury now for Villa, he was caught in the crossfire of the previous chance for Nketiah.
- Lloyd Canfield
56. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Off the bar from Nketiah!
A great cross from Ben White picks out Nketiah in the middle, he does really well to win the header, but he can only divert it onto the crossbar.
- Lloyd Canfield
54. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Martinelli is warming up for Arsenal following that knock on Bukayo Saka.
The English star is going to carry on for now…
- Lloyd Canfield
52. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Saka looks to squeeze a shot through a group of players following a corner, but it goes wide.
He looks like he is struggling still after a tackle from Moreno in the first half, and he hobbles before sitting down on the turf to receive some medical attention.
- Lloyd Canfield
50. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Villa will be happy with the low-key start to the second half.
An early goal would really lift Arsenal, and you'd back them to go on and win it if they can get a goal in the next five or ten minutes.
- Lloyd Canfield
48. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Saka gets a chance to shoot on the edge of the box and does so, but it flies over the bar to a huge cheer from the Villa Park faithful.
- Lloyd Canfield
46. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Back underway at Villa Park!
We had three goals of high class in the first half, and we are hoping for a couple more in the second!
- Lloyd Canfield
Half-time stats
This is how the half-time stats look.
It was Ollie Watkins who opened the scoring with a great strike, but Bukayo Saka had something to say about that with a stunning half-volley.
The Villa lead came from a wonderful team goal, that was finished off by Phillipe Coutinho.
The half-time stats between Aston Villa and Arsenal - Lloyd Canfield
HT. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
The referee calls the first half to a close, and a word on Emi Martinez.
The Villa keeper caught the cross, and then held on to the ball for about 30 seconds!
How has he not been booked for that?
- Lloyd Canfield
45+1. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
All kicking off at the end of the first half, after a Mings catches Odegaard with his studs.
It's then Saka who kicks off and gets a yellow card after a shove on Coutinho.
- Lloyd Canfield
45. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
There will be two minutes added on at the end of the first half.
- Lloyd Canfield
42. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Saka skips away from Moreno, before giving the ball to Odegaard.
He finds Jorginho, who plays the ball back to Saka, but the English star-boy can't quite get on the end of it.
- Lloyd Canfield
40. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Really good defensively from Emi Buendia, who stops Bukayo Saka in his tracks.
Aston Villa win a goal kick.
- Lloyd Canfield
38. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Naughty tackle from Bukayo Saka there, as he leaves a boot on Alex Moreno.
The Spaniard screams as he goes down, but gets back to his feet and the game goes on.
- Lloyd Canfield
36. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Arsenal have a corner, which is poorly crossed by Saka.
The ball rolls across the floor, and the Villa fans cheer it.
- Lloyd Canfield
34. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Aston Villa have scored a goal from the Arsenal textbook!
That was sublime football from The Villains.
They work it down the left hand side with Kamara and Moreno, the latter plays the ball into the middle towards Buendia.
It is the Villa number 10 who injects some magic into the game, with a dummy that sends the Arsenal defence to the shops.
The ball rolls through to Coutinho, who slots it into the bottom left corner.
- Lloyd Canfield
30. Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
What a goal and Villa have the lead!
Phillipe Coutinho! He's back!
- Lloyd Canfield
28. Aston Villa 1-1 Arsenal
The free-kick is struck from distance by Douglas Luiz, but it is another poor effort from the Brazilian.
Moreno picks up the rebound, but the left back is dispossessed well and Arsenal drive forward with Saka.
- Lloyd Canfield
26. Aston Villa 1-1 Arsenal
Great footwork by Buendia in the middle of the park, before the ball finds its way to Ollie Watkins.
Watkins drives through the middle and is surrounded by three men.
One of them is Granit Xhaka, who brings him down for a free-kick to Villa.
- Lloyd Canfield
24. Aston Villa 1-1 Arsenal
Arsenal win a free kick on the left side of the pitch, in the attacking third.
Odegaard is the player who will whip it in.
He does so, and it is easily cleared by Konsa.
- Lloyd Canfield
22. Aston Villa 1-1 Arsenal
Arsenal trying to make the pitch as wide as possible at the minute, with Trossard and Saka hugging the touchline as much as possible.
That was a tactic that was highly favoured by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City with the likes of Sterling and Sane, and it is one that Arteta seems to have developed here.
- Lloyd Canfield
20. Aston Villa 1-1 Arsenal
Arsenal are definitely on top in the game now.
Zinchenko tries to whip a cross into the box, but it is well over the crossbar.
Source: Read Full Article
