Bukayo Saka scored the decisive goal as Premier League champions Arsenal secured a 1-0 away victory over Aston Villa and maintained their perfect start to the season.
The breakthrough came when Riccardo Calafiori reached the attacking area and delivered a cutback for Saka, who guided the ball into a largely unguarded net. It was Arsenal’s first effort on target and proved enough to settle the contest.
Villa had produced one of the better chances of the first half through Emiliano Buendia, whose attempt struck the crossbar. Any resulting goal could have faced further scrutiny, however, because of a possible foul during the build-up.
Arsenal thought they had been given an opportunity from the penalty spot shortly before taking the lead after Ian Maatsen challenged Saka. VAR determined the contact had occurred outside the penalty area, leading to the penalty decision being reversed and a free-kick awarded instead.
The visitors looked for a second goal after moving ahead, with Kai Havertz testing Villa debutant Zion Suzuki and forcing the goalkeeper into a save.
Mikel Arteta also introduced Ezri Konsa during the second half for his Arsenal debut. The England defender was facing his former club only 10 days after leaving Villa and received a warm reception from sections of the home support.
The result takes Arsenal to six points from their opening two Premier League matches. Aston Villa, meanwhile, have started the campaign with consecutive defeats after undergoing significant changes to the squad that competed last season.