EPL: Arsenal StumWble, Aston Villa Bounce Back After Gerrard Sacking

Arsenal dropped points for only the second time this season as Stuart Armstrong’s equaliser forced the Premier League leaders to settle for a 1-1 draw against Southampton on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta’s side went in front through Granit Xhaka’s first-half strike at St Mary’s. But Armstrong levelled after the interval as Arsenal paid the price for failing to convert several chances to increase their advantage.

It was a rare slip from the Gunners, who had won nine of their 10 previous league games this season, with their only defeat coming at Manchester United.

The end of Arsenal’s eight-game winning run in all competitions leaves them two points clear of second-placed Manchester City with both having played 11 games.

Meanwhile, Danny Ings scored twice in the opening 14 minutes as Aston Villa bounced back from the sacking of manager Steven Gerrard with a dominant 4-0 Premier League win over Brentford at a jubilant Villa Park on Sunday.

Villa, who fired Gerrard after Thursday’s 3-0 loss to Fulham left them 17th in the table, took the lead just over a minute into the game when Leon Bailey hammered home a first-time shot from a well-worked corner.

Bailey turned provider a few minutes later, sliding the ball into the path of the unmarked Ings for him to rifle it into the net, much to the delight of caretaker boss Aaron Danks.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Norwegian defender Kristoffer Ajer pulled on the shirt of Tyrone Mings to concede a penalty in the 12th minute, and Ings slammed the spot kick straight down the middle to make it 3-0. Ollie Watkins got the fourth in the 59th minute for Villa to complete the rout.

Villa’s third win in 12 league games lifts them to 14th spot in the table on 12 points, while Brentford, who held Chelsea to a scoreless draw in midweek, are 10th on 14 points.