Saka Goal Seals Arsenal Win at Aston Villa

Bukayo Saka scored the only goal as Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park on Monday, extending their flawless start to the Premier League season. The win marked the champions' second successive victory without conceding a goal, providing a strong statement in their title defense. The decisive moment arrived in the 59th minute. Following a pass from substitute Eberechi Eze, defender Riccardo Calafiori delivered a low cross from the left, which Saka poked in from close range. The goal capped a tightly contested match where Arsenal's defense proved resilient against a Villa side undergoing significant summer changes. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, celebrating his 250th league game in charge, named an unchanged side from their opening 3-0 win over Coventry. The visitors initially struggled to find rhythm, with Villa's Emiliano Buendia striking the crossbar early on. Arsenal's pressure grew after halftime, aided by the introduction of Eze, who replaced the ineffective Christos Tzolis at the interval. A key moment occurred shortly after the restart when Ian Maatsen fouled Saka just outside the penalty area.