Aston Villa beat Arsenal 1-0 for club record 15th straight home victory

Aston Villa beat Arsenal 1-0 for club record 15th straight home victory

BIRMINGHAM, England, Dec 9 (Reuters) – John McGinn’s early goal led surging Aston Villa to a club-record 15th consecutive home Premier League victory on Saturday, a breathless 1-0 win over Arsenal that prevented Mikel Arteta’s Gunners from reclaiming top spot in the table.

Unai Emery’s Villa, who shocked champions Manchester City in a dominant 1-0 win on Wednesday as part of what McGinn called a “monumental week,” are now third on 35 points after 16 games in a jam-packed title race. Arsenal, who were overtaken by Liverpool earlier on Saturday, are second with 36.

“I’m banning the T-word,” a laughing McGinn told Sky Sports, when asked if Villa were title contenders. “It’s game week 16, so there’s a long, long way to go, and we respect everyone in front of us who have been in this position for years. We’re newbies. Can we keep it up? Hopefully.”

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Emery also cautioned that the season was young.

“I will speak when we are in (week) 30, 32, and if we are in the same position then as we are now, I can speak about (the title race),” he said.

Villa Park was rocking in the seventh minute after Leon Bailey sprinted down the right wing before cutting back the ball and picking out McGinn. Villa’s captain took one touch, turned sharply and fired past keeper David Raya.

Arsenal thought they had equalised in added time before VAR determined Kai Havertz had handled the ball while firing it past keeper Emi Martinez from a goalmouth scramble.

Delighted fans sang “Hi Ho Aston Villa” at the final whistle.

Aston Villa beat Arsenal 1-0 for club record 15th straight home victory