Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal: Player Rating as Martinez own goal inspires Gunners to dramatic comeback win

arsenal

Emiliano Martinez’s late own goal proved the turning point as Arsenal came from behind twice to beat Aston Villa 4-2 and boost to their Premier LeaguePremier League title hopes.

The Gunners, who were replaced at the summit after losing to Manchester City in midweek, looked to be heading to another underwhelming result at Villa Park before luck went their way in stoppage time.

Ollie Watkins’ clinical finish put Villa in charge early on, and although Bukayo Saka soon equalised, the visitors trailed at the break thanks to Philippe Coutinho’s sensationally worked team goal.

Oleksandr Zinchecko levelled again and that appeared to be as good as it would get for Arsenal, but Martinez inadvertently put into his own net late on and was then caught up the other end of the pitch as Gabriel Martinelli completed a dramatic turnaround.

Arsenal player ratings (4-3-3)

GK: Aaron Ramsdale – 6/10 – Beaten by the pace and precision of Watkins’ opener and unsighted as he dove the wrong way when Coutinho rolled Villa back in front, Ramsdale kept Arsenal level with a brilliant reactive stop at the death.

RB: Ben White – 5/10 – Scampering forward to overlap Saka far more often than normal, trying his best to unbalance Villa’s disciplined rearguard.

CB: William Saliba – 4/10 – After such an imperious start to his Premier League career, Saliba has looked more like a 21-year-old in their first season of English top-flight football every week.

CB: Gabriel – 5/10 – Unsettled when isolated against Watkins.

LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko – 5/10 – Took his set-piece goal well but was less convincing from open play. Guilty of turning over the ball for Villa’s opener, Zinchenko’s trademark drifts infield invariably saw him wander into a crowd of claret and blue

.

CM: Martin Odegaard – 7/10 – Grew into the game as the lines between Villa’s setup widened.

CM: Jorginho – 4/10 – Amid the midfield swamp, Jorginho struggled to keep his head above the surface.

CM: Granit Xhaka – 4/10 – Managed to get nutmegged by Buendia’s dummy in the buildup for Coutinho’s goal. Tightly shackled by Luiz going forward.

RW: Bukayo Saka – 6/10 – As ever, Arsenal’s go-to option in possession but the 21-year-old can’t always do it all on his own – even if he gives it a good go.

ST: Eddie Nketiah – 4/10 – Not for the first time in recent weeks, Nketiah was guilty of passing up more than one sight of goal.

LW: Leandro Trossard – 3/10 – Shunned by his teammates for much of the match as Arsenal leaned towards the right.