Bukayo Saka praised Arsenal’s work without possession after his goal secured a 1-0 away win over Aston Villa in the second round of the Premier League.
The Arsenal winger scored the only goal of the match in the 59th minute, giving his side three points from their visit to Aston Villa. Reflecting on the performance, Saka said: “We played brilliantly without the ball.”
The victory leaves Arsenal among the four clubs with a perfect record after two matches. Manchester City, Arsenal, Hull City and Chelsea all have six points at the top of the Premier League table.
Saka’s goal proved decisive in a tight away fixture, with Arsenal’s defensive contribution highlighted by the forward after the final whistle. His assessment focused on the team’s ability to perform when it did not have possession, rather than solely on the moment that settled the contest.
The result continues Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the league campaign and places them level on points with Manchester City, Hull City and Chelsea. Each of the four sides has won both of its opening matches.
Arsenal’s next Premier League fixture will bring them together with Chelsea in a meeting between two of the teams currently at the top of the standings. Chelsea also have six points after the opening two rounds, meaning the match will be an early contest involving two sides with identical records.
For Arsenal, the win at Aston Villa was secured by Saka’s finish 14 minutes after half-time. With no other goals recorded, the England international’s effort was enough to separate the teams and maintain Arsenal’s position in the leading group.
Saka’s comments also underline the importance Arsenal placed on their performance away from the ball. Although the winger supplied the winning goal, he selected the team’s collective defensive display as the central feature of the match.
Arsenal therefore leave the second round with a narrow victory, six points and a place alongside Manchester City, Hull City and Chelsea at the top of the table. Their next opportunity to extend that start will come against Chelsea in the following round.
