Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened | Premier League

Ben Fisher was at Villa Park tonight to witness the home side making club history. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!

Unai Emery talks to Sky Sports. “I am really happy … it was a tough match … we started very well … the players were excited and motivated … our goalkeeper was amazing … we defended very well … we competed, because we needed to compete today … it was a tough week … after these three points we have to be happy but as well try to keep balance … two days off and rest, and I want to forget the players for two days!” Is he proud of the 15-win record? “I’ve never achieved it [before] and will never again! … it’s amazing and brilliant … this week was the most difficult week … we are competing well … the next challenge is Sheffield United and will be the same again … I will speak again when we are in day 30, 32 and we are in the same position, maybe we can speak about it, but now we are not a contender, it is only week 16 … of course we have to try to keep it but we have to play in Brentford and it will be a difficult match.”

Mikel Arteta speaks to Sky. “A really good performance … we were the better team and didn’t deserve to lose the game … but this is football.” What did he make of the Havertz handball? “I prefer not to comment.” Or the Jesus penalty claim? “I think that’s even clearer.” You have an opinion but are cautious not to say anything? “I do. A big opinion. Yes.”

The very cheery McGinn, who can hardly stop smiling, is also asked if he considers Villa to be genuine title challengers. “I’m banning the T word! … it’s game-week 16, so there’s a long way to go … we respect everyone round about us who have been in these positions for years … they’re so experienced … we’re newbies, can we keep it up? I dunno, we’ll see … hopefully … the targets have been revised … whether that’s as ambitious as what you’re trying to force out of me I don’t think so … we have to try and improve our away form, which isn’t horrendous but can be improved.”

John McGinn speaks to Sky Sports. “It could have been better if we beat Bournemouth! It was actually a really tough spell, Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday, and I think it showed in our performance tonight … it wasn’t our best but I’m certainly not complaining … the second half was about character and grit … what a monumental week it’s been for us … we had the best of the first 20 minutes and I don’t know what happened after that … they had a lot of the ball but not too many clear-cut chances … a clean sheet against the two best teams in the league in my opinion … [Unai Emery] is determined to take this club to the next level.”

Villa Park roars as one. Unai Emery celebrates with a huge smile. Aston Villa had to dig in to hold onto the lead John McGinn gave them early doors, but they did so staunchly. Arsenal were blunt in the final third, and pass up their opportunity to go back to the top of the Premier League. Villa meanwhile close in on them, just a point behind in third now, and two off Liverpool’s lead. We’ve got ourselves a title race this season all right! Over to Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow.

First Villa beat the champions, now they’ve seen off last year’s runners-up! It’s 15 consecutive home wins for Unai Emery’s men: a new club record!

90 min +9: Up in the stand, Mikel Arteta has seen enough. He storms off up the stairs and through a door, out of sight.

90 min +8: Rice crosses from the right. Nketiah can only send a diving header miles over the bar. Turns out he’s offside anyway.

90 min +7: Martinez claims a long pass on the edge of his own box. Havertz crashes into him late. Martinez springs up and squares up. The referee splits them up. All the while, the clock ticks on; that’s daft by Havertz to get involved.

90 min +6: Havertz dribbles into the box from the left. He’s hounded off the ball. McGinn counters down the right and wins a throw that’s celebrated almost as loudly as his goal was nearly two hours ago.

90 min +5: McGinn romps after a long pass down the right. He enters the box but waits too long before shooting and his effort is blocked. The ball rebounds to Dendoncker, who opens his body and aims for the bottom left. That one also fails to get through. The tension in Villa Park is palpable.

90 min +4: Nelson comes on for Zinchenko. You’d imagine there are still five minutes at least to play.

90 min +3: During the melee, Martinez took a stud in the face from his own man Cash. On comes the physio to stem the flow of blood.

90 min +2: Five added minutes. The first two are taken up with VAR rock-and-rolling the footage. Eventually it’s announced that the on-field decision will stand. That’s a great call in real time by the referee. Some old-school decision-making, right there!

90 min: Havertz bundles Odegaard’s right-wing cross into the net from close range! But the referee blows up for handball! The cross was brought down by Havertz, who was challenging for the ball with Cash. It hit his hand before he poked home. VAR will double-check, though.

88 min: Carlos is booked for swinging an arm into Nketiah’s startled coupon. VAR checks to see if an upgrade to red is in order, but the on-field decision stands.

86 min: Dendoncker shovels a pass down the right and nearly releases Watkins, but Saliba holds his line confidently to ensure the striker doesn’t take up possession.

85 min: Trossard has taken a whack to the ankle. Cash the culprit on the follow through after a slide tackle. A brief pause as he gets some treatment. “I’m trying to work out how I feel, as a Liverpool fan,” begins Matt Dony. “Should I simply be pleased that Arsenal are losing? Or do I think Villa could genuinely be in for the long-haul, in which case a draw would be the best outcome? Starting to lean towards the latter.”

83 min: Arsenal slip into Patient Probing mode. They’re going nowhere fast.

81 min: Jesus is replaced by Nketiah.

79 min: Trossard drives in from the left, then Odegaard nearly releases Jesus down the middle with a first-time flick. Moreno, fresh out of the box, comes across to intercept. Had he not read the play, Jesus was clear on goal.

78 min: Digne is swapped out for Moreno. That’s Villa’s last change.

77 min: Cash nicks the ball off Rice’s toe. Rice sticks out a leg to stop Cash making off with it upfield. Into the book he goes.

76 min: The corner’s whipped towards the near post. Gabriel heads clear. Villa come back at Arsenal through Cash, who sends a speculative daisy-cutter wide right from the best part of 30 yards.

75 min: Ramsey probes down the left again. This time he wins a corner off Rice. Luiz comes across to take.

74 min: Watkins and Ramsey take turns to win throws down the left flank. Villa don’t rush to take them. A 15th home league win in a row is within sight now.

72 min: Dendoncker has the opportunity to set Diaby free down the middle, but clanks a poor pass into the nearest defender. McGinn, frustrated, then lunges at Odegaard in an overly ambitious attempt to win the ball back. He goes into the book.

71 min: Rice squirts a witless free kick through the wall. Martinez claims with ease.

70 min: Saka dinks a ball in from the right. Jesus is free on the penalty spot, but can’t control. Villa half clear. Cash then skittles Odegaard just to the left of the D, and is bollocked by his captain McGinn for his error. Before the free kick can be taken, Martinelli makes way for Trossard.

68 min: Diaby makes good down the right and crosses low for Watkins, who flippers a first-time shot straight at Raya.

67 min: VIlla make a double change, replacing Kamara and Konsa with Dendoncker and Cash. “How much of Villa’s relative lack of sharpness in the second half is down to Bailey having been forced off, do you reckon?” wonders Peter Oh. “I wonder if Villa without him is like a Baileys Coffee - without the Baileys. Still strong, but not at the same level of heat.” He’s here all week, ladies and gentlemen. Try the bargain liqueur.

66 min: Saka dribbles his way down the right and out of play for a goal kick. He then batters the ball away in a huff. He’s lucky not to go into the book. The referee in a good mood tonight.