Arsenal’s best and worst players from the statement win against Aston Villa

Arsenal put to rest the ghosts of their loss to Aston Villa last season by securing their second Premier League win at the start of the 2024/25 campaign on Saturday night.

The Gunners lost two important games against the Villans last season but struggled before being beaten by Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey who helped secure all three points away from home.

There were many impressive performances from Mikel Arteta’s side, although some players failed to make their mark in the game.

With the help of 90 min player ratings, here are Arsenal’s best and worst players in their win on Saturday night.

William Saliba – 8/10

William Saliba endured dark days early in his Arsenal career but has fast-forwarded a few years and is arguably the best defender in the Premier League right now.

The Frenchman was called into the box every Saturday as the likes of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers came forward, but he always seemed to come up with an answer to the home side’s nagging questions. Whether it was the important title or the last ditch challenge, there was no going past Saliba at Villa Park.

Arsenal’s strength is built on an incredibly strong defense and the 23-year-old showed against Villa why he is so highly regarded among defenders across Europe.

Honorable mentions

David Raya – 7/10

Ollie Watkins may have had a hard time sleeping after his performance against the Gunners. The England striker had a few good chances but was unable to take advantage, first missing from close range before seeing the rebound cleared from danger by David Raya.

The Golden Glove holder got back to his feet after Amadou Onana’s shot deflected off the crossbar and into the path of Watkins, putting out an impressive hand to keep the score at 0-0 just before Trossard fired home the opener.

Leandro Trossard – 7/10

Leandro Trossard has established himself as Arsenal’s super sub and made it even bigger as he scored a goal soon after being introduced at Villa.

Gabriel Martinelli was out of action on the left wing and was shown by the Belgium international, who was cool enough to find a corner on the edge of the box to assist Bukayo Saka.

Trossard has been in good form towards the end of the 2023/24 season and will be looking to start next week when the Gunners face Brighton & Hove Albion, having been benched for the first two games of the season.

Kai Havertz – 5/10

Kai Havertz looked as sharp as anything in Arsenal’s Premier League opener, scoring and assisting as the north London giants beat Wolves 2-0. His link-up play was precise and his finishing cool at the Emirates Stadium, but he wasn’t quite as strong on Saturday night.

The German deflected his only shot and lost possession several times. It was a quiet night for the 25-year-old, but he deserves a chance to stay in Arteta’s starting XI who has turned things around after a poor start at his new club.

A disappointing statement

Gabriel Martinelli – 5/10

While Havertz may get a chance to improve on his performance next week, Gabriel Martinelli may not be so lucky.

The Brazilian was on the edge of the game before he was withdrawn in the 65th minute. Trossard, in his direct position, scored a few seconds to strengthen his first claim at the expense of Martinelli.

The 23-year-old has not conceded goals in the first two games and could be cut from the squad next week as a result of this performance.

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