Great save from Emiliano Martinez but Aston Villa really should be two down.

Nuno Tavares capitalises on a poor touch from Ezri Konsa to get clear down the left. He slides a ball across the face of goal but Bukayo Saka can't convert from point-blank range.

Image source, Getty Images

Kyle Utterson: Great start from Arsenal and they deserve their lead like on Monday. However they cannot afford to sit back like they did on Monday after the opener. You know with the Arsenal defence they will give away chances and probably concede goals to.

Thomas Partey scored his first goal for Arsenal in his 40th appearance in all competitions, and from his 49th attempted at goal for the Gunners.

Some wait that.

Meanwhile, Tyrone Mings goes in the book for a foul on Bukayo Saka.

Lee Dixon
Former Arsenal and England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

It's a lovely competitive game of football, with both teams really wanting to win. At the moment Arsenal are imposing their game onto Aston Villa.

Arsenal have started with real energy and intensity.

Villa on the other hand are really struggling to get out and their wing-backs are pretty much playing as full-backs at the moment.

Mikel Arteta will be delighted by what he has seen so far.

JChesterUnited: So, what's that? 4 incorrect decisions in a row in favour of Villa. Wrongly disallowed goal. Arsenal penalised for a Targett dive. No yellow for Mings foul on Lacazette. Clear foul on Lazette breaking not given.

Dan: anyone wanna explain how that's not a red card for Lacazette? Studs straight into Luiz's shin/ankle, VAR didn't even look at it. The inconsistency of VAR is infuriating.

How did that not end up in the Aston Villa net?

The visitors struggle to clear Bukayo Saka's free kick and Thomas Partey volleys against the bar.

That's a wild effort from Arsenal right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu.

The Japan international must have seen his name up in lights...he balloons a long-range effort at goal well over.

Aston Villa really need to stem the tide of players in red and white running towards their goal. If they could just get hold of the ball it might take some sting out of Arsenal.

Thomas Partey winds up for a 35-yard shot....that's blocked.

Arsenal in complete control at the moment.

Arsenal go straight up the other end and win a corner of their own. The ball is headed clear but only as far as Emile Smith Rowe, who is lurking on the edge of the Villa box.

He connects cleanly but the ball deflects to safety.

Arsenal defender Benjamin White, who charged out on a run up the pitch a few moments ago like a Franco Baresi or Rio Ferdinand in their pomp, concedes a corner.

First chance for Villa to put some pressure on. Nowt doing.

Matty AFC: It's taken 8 minutes for an incorrect decision against us. Never a foul from Lacazette. The ref could have easily played on for 5 seconds and let VAR intervene if they saw it as a foul.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has the ball in the net for Arsenal but that's not going to count.

The ref had long blown for a foul by Alexandre Lacazette.

Lee Dixon
Former Arsenal and England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

One of the things you have when playing at home is the energy from the crowd, You give them anything and they will get behind you. You have to use that and Arsenal have started so well.

Image source, Getty Images

fire in the lake: Tavares and Auba on the left, both very attack minded, is Tavares gonna push up as a wing back and Tomiasu swing round into a back three?

Good start this from Arsenal. Nuno Tavares skips down the left and goes past Aston Villa's Axel Tuanzebe with ease.

The former Benfica man then blasts over when composure is required.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goes for a spectacular overhead volley from Bukayo Saka's curling cross.

But the Arsenal forward doesn't connect properly.

Bit of early confusion in the Arsenal penalty area, or just outside, sees Ollie Watkins throw Gabriel to the ground. The Gunners defender was trying to shepherd the ball back to his goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

The Arsenal players don't like that and neither does referee Craig Pawson, who gives Watkins a yellow card.