• last year
Birmingham World reporter Charlie Haffenden's reaction from Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal in the Premier League.
Transcript
00:00 Aston Villa have won Arsenal 0 and Unai Emery's team have just completed the perfect week here at Villa Park.
00:07 They've made it two 1-0 victories in a row. It might not sound glamorous on paper, but when you consider the opposition's Manchester City and Arsenal,
00:14 it's just an incredible time to be an Aston Villa fan and a reporter as myself.
00:19 Now just within two points of league leaders Liverpool, this isn't August, this isn't September, we're approaching Christmas.
00:26 We've played 16 matches now in the Premier League and Aston Villa are within two points of top spot.
00:31 It's incredible really what Unai Emery's doing here. That is now a record 15 home Premier League wins in a row.
00:38 That is a club record not just in the Premier League era but ever in the club's history.
00:42 It is quite literally the greatest time for Aston Villa fans right now, apart from potentially the European win obviously in the 1980s.
00:49 But the game itself today, John McGinn scoring quite early on, I think seventh minute it was, a very good finish after Leon Bailey was sent down the right by Boubacar Kamara and Uri Tielemans.
00:59 A really good run from Bailey down there, cut it back to McGinn, a really nice turn and then put it into the far top left-hand corner on his left foot.
01:07 A very good composure from McGinn. But it wasn't really the goal itself I think that decided today. Technically yes, but I think just the effort levels of Villa throughout.
01:16 Their energy levels were completely gone, their legs were shattered, they looked knackered from midweek and all the other games before that.
01:23 An unchanged Leven today from Unai Emery. He had to stretch his squad in the second half, Leon Bailey went off injured and then had to make quite a few substitutions around the hour mark as well.
01:32 But they got there, they dug in. Arsenal created so many chances. Emi Martinez tested probably four, five, six times in his net.
01:39 There was a mix-up between Martinez and Watkins as well, hit the post after a Pikaio Saka corner that Veronelli went in.
01:47 Diego Carlos made two goal-line clearances throughout the match. Really, I don't think Arsenal could have done much more to score in this game.
01:53 But Villa fought so hard. It wasn't pretty, but it doesn't really matter. And I don't think any Villa fan will care at all.
02:00 That is now six points out of six against Man City and Arsenal. Job done for Unai Emery's team.
02:06 it's going to carry the momentum now and see how far it can take them.

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