Wow. This game had everything a football fan could possibly want. Passion, desire, technique, swings of momentum, and a last-minute winner that shook Villa Park to its foundations. It was unbelievable.
I do not think there was a single player on either side who failed to contribute to the spectacle. It was one of those matches where everyone played their part.
In the first half, I felt Villa just shaded it. Arsenal were never far away, but Villa deserved their lead at the break, earned through a brilliantly taken goal from Matty Cash.
The opening spell of the second half belonged to Arsenal. They equalised with a well-worked goal from Leandro Trossard, and for a few minutes, they looked ready to take control. But the moment they scored, it sparked Villa back into life, and suddenly the game tightened again into a fierce, balanced contest.
And then came the moment that will live long in Villa Park folklore. Emiliano Buendia, with the last kick of the match, fired in a winner that sent the home crowd into absolute bedlam. I have already watched that goal back on repeat. It gave me the rush of a World Cup final moment. There is nowhere in England that can produce that atmosphere. Villa Park remains a magical place.
Unai Emery was, as ever, the master general on the touchline, living every second of the contest. There is a wildness to him at critical moments, a passion that pours out, but behind it is pure tactical precision. His substitutions changed the match again, and they were central to the winning goal. Credit to Malen, Sancho, and of course, Buendia, who celebrated like a mad man, I love it!
Picking a Villa man of the match is tough, but I am giving it to Morgan Rogers. He was involved in the build-up to the winner, and he continues to be such an intriguing player. Just when you think he has drifted out of the game, he appears with a killer pass or a decisive contribution. It is no surprise Emery never leaves him off the team sheet. He is fast becoming an iconic figure, not only at Villa Park but in the wider game. UTV