Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa
by Layth Yousif
at the Emirates Stadium

VAR denied Arsenal a last-gasp victory over Aston Villa, on a bitterly cold afternoon in north London.

There was frustration all-round after Mikel Arteta’s side blew a two-goal lead, prior to the Video Assistant Referee disallowing a late Gunners strike for Kai Havertz’s handball.

VAR contentiously overturned referee Christopher Kavanagh’s on-field decision — despite the initial award of the goal seemingly not being a “clear and obvious” error, when the ball struck the Arsenal forward on the way into the net from Mikel Merino’s shot.

To underline Gunners grievances, Arteta’s side saw Villa come back from 2-0 down after the break, to grab a point, that once again stalled the north London side’s momentum in challenging Premier League table-toppers Liverpool, who had earlier beaten Brentford 2-0 with a brace in injury time.  

Yet, if we look away from away disputed VAR calls, the glaringly obvious fact is that Arsenal desperately require a proven centre-forward in this January transfer window, while also needing to cut errors and basic mistakes that lead to goals.

Worrying for Arteta, the Gunners only lost nine points from winning positions last term, the second-lowest total in the division — yet their collapse against Villa means their total for the current campaign already stands at 12.

Injury problems are mounting up for Arsenal boss Arteta, who made two changes from the side that beat Tottenham 2-1 in the north London derby in midweek.

William Saliba missed the match with an unspecified issue picked up in training this week — with boss Arteta conceding after the match he was “worried” about the possibility of a long-term injury for the talented French centre-back.

Jurrien Timber moved to partner Gabriel in the heart of defence, while Raheem Sterling dropped to the bench, with Gabi Martinelli and Mikel Merino drafted into the starting XI.

Villa, fresh from their win against Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday, made one change with former Borussia Dortmund defender Ian Maatsen replacing Lucas Digne at left-back.

After the pre-match fireworks had subsided, the home side nearly provided pyrotechnics of their own, when Martinelli tested former Gunner Emi Martinez shortly after kick-off, but the Argentina World Cup winner was equal to the task.

In a lively opening, captain Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice dovetailed well to force Villa’s Tyrone Mings into a powerful block, that saw his header fly narrowly Martinez’s near post.

Moments later Thomas Partey —playing in his unfavoured position of makeshift right-back, fired over when well-placed in a crowded box as the Gunners piled on the pressure.

On 17 minutes Leandro Trossard hit an effort from near to where the Belgian attacker successfully struck the winner against Spurs earlier in the week. There was to be no such jubilation this time around as Martinez palmed the ball away to safety. Nor was there, when the misfiring Kai Havertz drilled a low shot across goal shortly before the half hour mark.

Moments later Villa’s Ollie Watkins missed a glaring chance, when lifting Partey’s errant throw-in back to David Raya over the keeper, and the woodwork.

Arsenal’s dominance eventually told, when Martinelli forced the ball past Martinez and over the line from Trossard’s cross 10 minutes before the interval put the Gunners 1-0 ahead, much to the delight of the home crowd on a freezing Saturday evening in Islington.

The lively Trossard nearly doubled the lead three minutes later, but his powerful drive angled over the bar. It was Mikel Merino’s turn to shoot wide moments before half time, as Arsenal went into the break deservedly ahead.

Ten minutes after the break, the hard-working Havertz struck to make it 2-0, for his 13th goal of the season, finishing Trossard’s cross with a fine, left-footed effort, as the home support erupted in joy, for the beleaguered striker.

However, as is Arsenal’s habit when making situations unduly difficult while in a dominant position, Villa pulled a goal back five minutes later, when Tielemans guided the ball past Raya in off the post, for 2-1 on the hour mark.

Eight minutes later Emery’s side equalised, when Watkins guided the ball past Raya after Havertz failed to meet Matty Cash’s cross to make it 2-2, prompting wild celebrations in the away end.  

On 73 minutes Rice nearly beat Martinez with a long-range effort that went inches past the far post.

That was before VAR intervened to deny Arsenal a last-gasp victory they so desperately craved.

Reflecting after the match, Arteta said: “It was an immense performance, but we can also fault ourselves.

“Defending in the way we conceded the goals cannot be part of our game.”

The result leaves Arsenal six points behind table toppers Liverpool having played an extra game more than Slot’s side.

While Villa ease into seventh spot, two points shy of fourth-placed Newcastle in the final Champions League slot, leaving boss — and former Gunner — Unai Emery to praise his side.  

“We showed resilience, we showed mentality today,” Emery rightly said.