Arsenal analysis: Job done for Arteta's side
Arsenal were never likely to have it as easy as they did in the 3-0 opening-day win over Coventry City, but they did more than enough to merit the three points here. Shots and clear chances were at a premium - they only had two shots on target, which was two more than Villa. Gabriel Magalhaes and Bukayo Saka had efforts off target in the first half.
Arsenal's victory over Aston Villa proved a relatively straightforward task for Mikel Arteta's team, despite the challenges posed by the competition. The Gunners managed to secure all three points with limited opportunities to score, netting just two shots on target compared to Villa's two. Gabriel Magalhaes and Bukayo Saka both had efforts miss the target in the first half, with Saka seeing a potential penalty disallowed by VAR and Kieran Tierney's foul on the Villa man instead resulting in a free-kick. This opportunity was wasted as Martin Odegaard's attempt was cleared off the goal line.
Eberechi Eze, brought on as a half-time substitute for the booked Christos Tzolis, proved decisive in the win. He fed Riccardo Calafiori, who laid the ball off for Saka to score his third Premier League goal at Villa Park. The win was not without its setbacks, however, as Cristhian Mosquera suffered a second-half injury and was replaced by the newly-sign Konsa. The 28-year-old was making his first appearance for the club against the team that signed him from, a first since Petr Cech faced Chelsea in August 2015.
Declan Rice also left the field late in the game, though it was unclear if this injury would keep him sidelined.
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