Arsenal Beats Aston Villa 1-0 as Saka Scores Winner Before Transfer Deadline

BIRMINGHAM, England —

Bukayo Saka scored in the 59th minute to give Arsenal a 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park on Monday, extending the Premier League champions' perfect start to the season to two wins from two, according to the BBC, ESPN and Al Jazeera.

Substitute Eberechi Eze set up the goal with a pass that found Riccardo Calafiori racing into the box. Calafiori's low cross was poked home by Saka from close range, Al Jazeera reported. It was Saka's second goal in as many league games, ESPN noted, something he had not done since November 2024.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made wholesale changes through the game, bringing on Bruno Guimarães, Mikel Merino and Martín Zubimendi as Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly and captain Martin Ødegaard came off, ESPN reported. Rice limped off late with what Al Jazeera described as a potential injury.

Villa Still Without a Goal

Villa have now lost their first two matches of the season without scoring or managing a single shot on target, a feat matched in the last 20 years only by Swansea City in the 2017-18 season, a team that was later relegated, according to ESPN. Villa managed just seven shots in total against Arsenal, Channel NewsAsia reported, and none forced a save from goalkeeper David Raya.

Villa's struggles follow a summer sell-off that saw the club move on Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Martínez, Lucas Digne and Youri Tielemans, according to Al Jazeera, which reported the club was under pressure to comply with Premier League financial rules. Konsa, who joined Arsenal for 51 million pounds ($69 million) on August 21, came off the bench to make his Arsenal debut against his former club, drawing a mixed reaction of boos and applause from Villa fans, Al Jazeera reported.

Manager Unai Emery told Sky Sports his team was "rebuilding" and pointed to positives despite the result. "To lose one match is painful, but after feeling pain we have to get positive things," he said, according to Al Jazeera.

Deadline Day Looms

Arteta called the win "massive" and praised his substitutes for finishing the game, according to Channel NewsAsia. Saka credited Arsenal's defense for the result, telling reporters, "One goal is normally enough for us because we're so solid at the back," per ESPN.

Arsenal have faced just 11 shots across their first two league games, allowing the lowest expected goals total of any Premier League team so far, ESPN reported. Striker Viktor Gyökeres was an unused substitute for the second straight match, with ESPN noting reports in Spain that he could be used as part of a deal involving Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez before Tuesday's transfer deadline. Arsenal have also been linked to Vinícius Júnior, Bradley Barcola and Lyon's Malick Fofana, according to ESPN.

Arsenal host Chelsea on Sunday, while Villa travel to Hull City on Saturday.