Arsenal were made to sweat for their third goal against Aston Villa, enduring an agonizing wait as the folks at Stockley Park pored over the monitors. Leandro Trossard had finished things off with absolute aplomb, sweeping the ball home, but the build-up was immediately bogged down by twin offside checks. Bukayo Saka was the initial suspect, followed swiftly by an investigation into Piero Hincapie’s positioning. Ultimately, the Premier League Match Centre put the debate to bed on X, releasing a fresh angle that vindicated the officials. Both players were perfectly legal, and the goal rightfully stood.
That wasn’t the only talking point from the clash, mind you. Villa were up in arms over Arsenal’s opener, adamant that Gabriel had fouled Emiliano Martinez while bundling home Saka’s corner. Sky Sports’ Alan Smith was having absolutely none of it, laying the blame squarely at the feet of the Argentine stopper. Martinez made a complete hash of the delivery, flapping at a ball he really ought to have punched clear into the stands. There was a bit of shirt pulling – Martinez seemingly grabbing Gabriel first – before the keeper dramatically clutched his face. Smith rightly pointed out that any contact was nowhere near enough to chalk off the goal, noting the keeper simply “got done”. With Martin Zubimendi and Gabriel Jesus grabbing goals either side of the chaos, it was a solid, if tempestuous, day out for the Gunners.
The grit shown against Villa is even more impressive when you factor in the growing casualty list. Mikel Arteta had to shuffle his pack after Declan Rice picked up a nasty knock to the knee in the Brighton game. The boss admitted the swelling was massive, leaving the midfield lynchpin sidelined for the time being, though he’s keeping his fingers crossed for a swift return once the inflammation settles. Riccardo Calafiori was another notable absentee from the squad, forcing a bit of a defensive reshuffle. Gabriel Magalhaes was slotted back into the starting eleven, leaving the likes of Kai Havertz and Ben White to cool their heels on the bench.
That squad management is going to be absolutely crucial as Arsenal pivot back to their European ambitions. The tie against Atletico Madrid is dangling on a knife-edge following a gritty 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital. Viktor Gyokeres smashed home from the spot to put the visitors ahead, only for Julian Alvarez to return the favour after a Ben White handball. Arsenal arguably had the rub of the green stolen from them when Danny Makkelie pointed to the spot for a foul on Eberechi Eze, only for VAR to intervene and overturn the decision. Still, having dismantled Diego Simeone’s men 4-0 at the Emirates earlier in the campaign, Arsenal will fancy their chances of booking a first Champions League final ticket since 2006.
To get over the line next Tuesday, Steven Gerrard reckons Arteta needs to unleash his heavy hitters. Speaking on TNT Sports post-match, the former Liverpool skipper was adamant that both Eze and Saka need to be drafted back into the starting lineup after sitting out the first leg. He argued that Eze brings a much-needed spark and danger in the final third, while benching a talent like Saka in a European semi-final is a gamble too far. Freshening up the squad is one thing, but as Gerrard bluntly put it, you simply have to play your big-game players when the stakes are this high.
Gerrard also took a moment to single out the tactical tweaks that kept Arsenal ticking over in Madrid. Highlighting a dominant midfield display – a player stepping in to dictate the tempo and dropping between the centre-halves to outmanoeuvre Atletico’s two-man press – he praised the sheer physical profile and ground coverage on show. It was the sort of immense, off-the-ball graft that goes unnoticed by the highlight reels but ultimately wins you European ties. If Arsenal can replicate that level of control with their star attackers back on the pitch, that ticket to the final looks all but stamped.
