On Sunday night, Aston Villa produced a superb away performance to beat Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium. In season’s gone by this may have been a majorly shocking result.
However, considering some of Villa’s performances this season and the way the league has been so unpredictable, the result wasn’t that much of a shock.
What was a surprise was how poor Arsenal played after several good recent results, including winning 1-0 at Manchester United in their last away game. The home side’s poor display should not take anything away from Villa’s performance.
Dean Smith’s side could have taken the lead as early as 47 seconds, but John McGinn’s effort from a Jack Grealish cross was ruled out as Ross Barkley was ruled to have been standing in an offside position obstructing the view of Gunners goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Villa did take the lead on the quarter mark through an own goal from Bukayo Saka before Ollie Watkins scored a second half brace to sink Mikel Arteta’s team.
Watkins has now scored six goals for the season in just seven top-flight appearances after his summer move from Brentford. The 24-year-old has made a massive difference to the Villan’s team this season. They finally have a capable striker to finish off the chances they create.
In the aforementioned Grealish and Barkley, Smith’s team have two highly creative players who just seem to be getting better. Grealish was Villa’s key player last season, as they avoided relegation narrowly.
He has just continued his good form from the last campaign, while Barkley seems to have found a new lease of life at the Midlands club after an underwhelming Chelsea career.
The summer arrival of Emiliano Martinez in goal has added calm to a defence that has looked much improved from last season’s. All-in-all Villa look like a different team and the evidence suggests that they will be well clear of the relegation dogfight this season.