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Gunners extend two-goal lead as title hopes suffer another blow

Rachel05 mins


Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes were dealt another blow as they blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa.

The Gunners were in command for the better part of an hour thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz either side of half-time, but Villa scored twice in eight minutes to level the game.

Youri Tielemans headed home moments after Havertz’s goal before Watkins’ sixth career goal against Arsenal put the visitors back in the game.

Mikel Merino thought he had scored the winner with five minutes to play but the goal was disallowed by VAR after hitting Havertz’s hand in the way.

The draw leaves Arsenal six points behind Liverpool at the top of the Premier League after the Reds grabbed a late 2-0 win at home to Brentford, with Villa climbing above Manchester City in seventh.

Arsenal vs Aston Villa

Arsenal started on the front foot but it was Villa who proved the bigger threat on the counter attack with Watkins stretching the centre-backs at every opportunity.

Hearts were collective when Thomas Partey played the ball straight to the Villa striker, who couldn’t find the net with his effort to lob David Raya.

But it was the Gunners who celebrated moments later when Martinelli put the finishing touch on Leandro Trossard’s cross, the ball just over the line after Emiliano Martinez did well to save the initial shot.

The home side continued to dictate proceedings after the break and confirmed full control in the 55th minute when Trossard again fed the ball from the left for Havertz to find the net despite Martinez’s best efforts in the Villa goal.

Villa return stuns Arsenal

But Villa responded immediately as the brilliant Lucas Digue was headed home by Youri Tielemans but put the visitors right back in the game.

And the Belgian midfielder thought he had leveled moments later when he hit the post after another slick break with Watkins and Jacob Ramsey.

But moments later, Villa were level as Matty Cash’s left-footed cross found Watkins who volleyed home a first-time finish to silence the Emirates.

Merino thought he had scored a huge winner for the title chasers but, much to the dismay of most inside the Emirates, the goal was chalked off when the ball slipped out of Havertz’s hand.

Shortly after, Emiliano Martinez made two excellent saves to deny Trossard and Merino as the game entered extra time.



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