Two second-half goals were enough to give us a well-deserved and hard-fought win at Villa Park on Saturday, and Mikel Arteta was understandably delighted at full time.
We lost 1-0 away to Aston Villa last season, one of only three away defeats we suffered all campaign - and the manager said that was at the forefront of the players’ minds in the build up to this clash.
“I’m really happy,” he said afterwards “(This is) a really, really tough place, a great team with great collective organisation and great individuals that they can hurt you in any moment. I could sense all week that there was something in our tummy, still from last season.
“And I loved it because it was there and it needed to be there. We had to show it and we did it in a way that, when the collective was needed, it was there. But when the ‘me’ was needed, it was there.
“The action of David is unbelievable in the most crucial moment of the match.”
David Raya’s incredible save came while the match was still scoreless, and the boss admits he had expected the net to bulge as Ollie Watkins headed goalwards.
“I thought the ball was in because the moment they hit him, he makes the save and I see our defenders watching the ball. I thought ‘no reaction’ and then David does something unbelievable. He did it last week. We haven't conceded much in two games, but those are two big, big chances that we conceded and he made a difference.”
Arteta also praised the impact of Leandro Trossard, who scored with virtually his first touch after being introduced as a second-half sub.
“Incredible. I know he's so good and obviously he's not happy not to be starting but he shows on the pitch what he's capable of doing and he has a huge impact for the team. So I'm really happy with that.”
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