Unai Emery runs along the sideline exhilarated because that Aston Villa that has been chiseling for just over three years, when he took command of a team that was a pariah in the Premier, has settled in Europe and is now challenging the leadership. On Tuesday they visit Arsenal at the Emirates and if they win they will tie with the team that dominates the competition. The classification is in a fist in England, where yesterday the first three won, led by three Spaniards, Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery. Arsenal have 42 points, Manchester City, 40 and Villa, 39 after winning at Chelsea’s home (1-2) to add 11 consecutive wins in all competitions, a milestone they had not reached since 1914.
1
Robert Sánchez, Marc Cucurella (Malo Gusto, min. 68), Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Benoît Badiashile, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, Alejandro Garnacho (Jamie Gittens, min. 68), Cole Palmer (Estêvão, min. 71) and João Pedro (Liam Delap, min. 68)
2
Emiliano Martínez, Victor Lindelöf, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Ian Maatsen (Lucas Digne, min. 82), Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendía (Ollie Watkins, min. 58), Boubacar Kamara (Lamare Bogarde, min. 82), John McGinn (Amadou Onana, min. 58), Donyell Malen (Jadon Sancho, min. 58) and Morgan Rogers
Goals
1-0 min. 36: João Pedro. 1-1 min. 62: Ollie Watkins. 1-2 min. 83: Ollie Watkins
Referee Stuart Attwell
yellow cards
Matthew Cash (min. 29), Reece James (min. 56), Morgan Rogers (min. 56), Trevoh Chalobah (min. 67), Liam Delap (min. 70), Moisés Caicedo (min. 70), Boubacar Kamara (min. 77), Enzo Fernández (min. 93)
It was a sweet comeback for Villa at Stamford Bridge, a turnaround after a first half of withdrawal in which they did not shoot on goal and conceded a goal from João Pedro on a poorly defended corner. Everything pointed to a rout by Chelsea until Emery made a triple change at the hour mark to give Ollie Watkins, Jadon Sancho and Amadou Onana the field, and reposition Morgan Rogers behind the first, in the midfield. It was one of those decisions that gives value to a coach. Or not, because you could also be criticized for not adopting that startup strategy. The fact is that in half an hour, with two goals from Watkins, he turned it around and launched Aston Villa’s bid to win a League that they have not won since 1981.
In front is Arsenal, leader of a Premier that evaluates its ability to handle pressure. Yesterday he had an unexpected test because, after dominating an hour and leading a lukewarm Brighton by two goals at the Emirates, they closed the gap in an episodic action and he went through an ordeal to take the three points (2-1) in his London fortress. The Gunners have received fourteen visits and City barely managed a draw.
Arsenal fights against everyone and everything, struggling with a series of injuries that was evident in the moments before the game when left-back Calafiori announced that he could not play. The team was already in its infancy on the right flank, where Declan Rice had to act. “I asked him if he was willing and he told me of course, that it was a challenge and he was going to give it his best,” explained Mikel Arteta. Rice, exuberant in a double role that sometimes took him into interior positions, was one of the best in the game and from his boots came the second local goal, a corner kick that Georginio Rutter, Brighton forward, headed into his own goal. Arsenal already had the advantage after a goal from Odegaard. But with half an hour left, Paraguayan Diego Gómez closed the gap. Shortly after, David Raya made one of the stops of his life. And he already has a few huge ones. Arsenal shot on goal 24 times, touching the ball 55 times in the rival area. “We dominated individually and collectively. We shouldn’t have finished 2-1, but this is the Premier,” Arteta summarized.
On Tuesday (21.15, Dazn) they host Aston Villa while Manchester City, winners this day in Nottingham (1-2), host last-place Wolverhampton and hope to benefit from the duel between Mikel Arteta and Unai Emery.
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