ARSENAL END POOR VILLA RECORD

North London giants Arsenal have ended their recent poor record against Aston Villa in the Premier League in emphatic style after the 3-1 win recorded at the end of their latest meeting. The Gunners delivered their best performance of the new season till date toend a run of three straight defeats in the league. Aston Villa had defeated Arsenal in three of their first four meetings since they secured promotion back into the Premier League two seasons ago.

The Gunners had not beaten Villa since they won the first meeting between the two teams at the Emirates Stadium when the Midlands club returned to the top flight after some seasons in the Championship. Arsenal were able to secure an impressive 3-2 win at home to Villa with a man down after England international Ainslay Maitland-Niles was sent off.

In the latest league meeting between hosts Arsenal and Aston Villa, Thomas Partey, Pierre-EmerickAubameyang and Emile Smith-Rowe were on target for the Gunners, while substitute Jacob Ramsey scored the only goal of the match for the visitors.

Ghanaian national team vice-captain Partey scored his first goal in the colours of Arsenal since his big money transfer from Spanish La Liga champions Atletico Madrid to give the home team the lead midway into the first half. Partey glanced his header into the back of the net after good work from the impressive Emile Smith-Rowe. Partey had hit the post a few minutesbefore he opened his account for the Gunners via a Smith-Rowe corner kick.

Arsenal doubled their advantage at the end of the first half after VAR called centre referee to the monitor to check the monitor for a foul on Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette by Villa left-back Matt Targett. Craig Pawson was the man at the centre and he awarded the spot kick which was saved by Emiliano Martinez in the Arsenal goal before takerAubameyang scored the rebound for his fourth goal of this Premier League season.

In the second half, Smith-Rowe scored a third goal with eleven minutes on the clock and substitute Ramsey scored in the last eight minutes with a fantastic finish to pull a goal back for Villa. In the end, Arsenal maintained their two-goal advantage until the final whistle to end a run of three games without a win against their Midlands opponents.