BirminghamLive brings you the talking points from Aston Villa's win over Premier League leaders Arsenal
Emi Buendia scored the winner for Aston Villa against Arsenal
Emi Buendia scored the winner for Aston Villa against Arsenal(Image: SmartFrame/Pro Sports Images)
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For the first time in 106 years, Aston Villa have claimed nine top-flight wins in a 10-game spell after beating Premier League leaders Arsenal 2–1 on Saturday.
Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens were both in attendance, as was Dean Smith, to watch Unai Emery’s side inflict only a second league defeat of the season on Arsenal, who are now just three points ahead of Villa.
Matty Cash opened the scoring for Villa 10 minutes before half-time, but Leandro Trossard equalised early in the second half.
Emi Buendia, who came off the bench after the interval, then secured all three points with the final kick of the game, guiding the ball past David Raya in front of the Holte End.
Villa can beat any team in B6
The manner of Villa’s victory was surreal and caused bedlam inside Villa Park, but the result itself - was it a shock? No.
Villa are now unbeaten in all three of their Premier League home games against sides starting the day top of the table under Emery, with both wins coming against Arsenal.
They defeated the Gunners nearly two years ago at Villa Park, just days after playing Manchester City off the park - exactly 24 months before yesterday’s latest win over Arsenal.
Saturday’s result means Arsenal have now lost six Premier League games to Villa under Mikel Arteta, their second-most defeats to any opponent during the Spaniard’s tenure.
Villa have also now won 13 of their last 15 matches in all competitions, and nine in a row at home.
There’s no team in world football who would relish a trip to Villa Park - perhaps aside from Crystal Palace. The Eagles are the only away team to have won there in over 15 months, meaning Emery’s side have lost just one of their last 26 Premier League home games.
Given the staggering turnaround since that 1–1 draw at Sunderland, talk of entering a title race isn’t as wild as it might initially seem.
The truth is that Villa can’t be ruled out of a title race in December. On the other, can they truly be in one this early? The second half of the season will present its own challenges, but also significant opportunities.
Emery is right to play down his side's chances, knowing that one poor result in the coming weeks could give sections of the media an excuse to use the title discussion as a stick to beat them with.
Since the start of March, no team has won more Premier League games than Emery’s Villa, with Manchester City also winning 17 in that period.
Emery wasn’t accepting just the one point
After an excellent first half from Villa, Arsenal certainly had them on the back foot after the interval. But credit to the hosts - and to Emery - who refused to settle for a point, fully aware that the power of the Holte End was capable of sucking the ball into the back of the net.
“We wanted before the match to play to win,” Emery said on talkSPORT. “With the opportunity we had in the table, we wanted to show our form but energy and trying to connect with our supporters and feel something special at Villa Park. Through it we tried to win the match.
“Getting emotions are important and the emotions are here at Villa Park. We must stimulate those emotions and show our energy. We showed our energy and our wishes. Our wishes were that we were not accepting the result at that moment in 1-1.
“We were pushing to get another goal and when we subbed some players, it was the objective we were trying to find in that moment.”
Asked about his bravery, Emery said: “I was feeling after their goal that progressively we were getting more control. I felt it. Through it, I was trying to replace some players to add energy and wishes and quality.
“The goal we scored was an example in everything. How we wished to win. I’m so proud how we did everything together. We are happy because we closed this week getting the ambitious target we had.”
Buendia celebrates 'incredible feeling'
Buendia probably enjoyed the highlight of his career so far when he scored the last-gasp winner, reacting quickest in a crowded box to secure the victory.
At 94:03, his strike was the second-latest winning goal scored against Arsenal on record (since 2006–07) in the Premier League, behind only Neal Maupay’s in June 2020 (94:26).
He has already won several crucial points for Villa this season, with goals against Fulham, Feyenoord, Bournemouth, Tottenham, and now Arsenal.
Of course, it was Arsenal who rivalled Villa for Buendia’s signature back in the summer of 2021, before the Argentine made the move to B6 from Carrow Road.
"Incredible, the feeling to score that goal and help the team get the win, an important win against the table leaders,” Buendia said on TNT Sports. “Really proud to help the team and score that goal. Very happy.
“It shows the character of the teams in this league, because they did well to try to block the shot with three players on the floor. I saw the space and had the opportunity, really happy.
"We have to keep doing our job and stay focused on us and prepare every game. The season is long and we need to work hard, game by game. Every match is difficult and we have to keep this mentality until the end."
His comeback at Villa has been nothing short of remarkable, considering the ACL injury he suffered, followed by a loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen, and then the expectation that he would depart permanently over the summer.
The 28-year-old is - or rather, has - made up for lost time at Villa, and is playing the best football of his career. What a story.
Matty Cash: Villa's player of the season so far
Before the start of the season, some sections of the Villa fanbase were adamant that right-back was an area in need of improvement.
Cash was certainly scapegoated during the rocky periods Villa endured last term, but there can be no debate about his importance to the team now.
He is arguably the club’s player of the season so far, delivering high-quality performances on a consistent basis.
Even during Villa’s slow start to the campaign, Cash was their standout performer, scoring the club’s first league goal against Sunderland as well.
He has been given more licence to drive forward and the space to make an impact, allowing him to boost his numbers - already scoring three goals this season, along with a couple for Poland.
Denied first by a brilliant Declan Rice block before firing past David Raya moments later, Cash put Villa ahead before the break and continued to impress as Emery’s side battled their way to a huge three points.
“Fantastic. Obviously, we knew it was going to be a really demanding game, but I thought we were fantastic,” he said post-match. “The crowd here today helped us really, right at the end, and honestly, that was the craziest it’s ever been. And I am so happy for Emi [Buendia].
“We’ve got to take it game by game and just keep working hard and taking it in our stride. At the minute, we’re on a great run, but we know it’s not even Christmas yet. We have to keep being demanding, keep being consistent, and we’ll see where it takes us.”
Asked about his goal, Cash said: “It’s what we spoke about, to be fair. In the first half as well, having John McGinn a little bit more inside and then me on the overlap. There was a chance I had right before as well that I maybe could’ve done a bit better [with]. I just saw it and hit it first time. It was nice.”
Claret & Blue verdict
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