Gary Neville named the Aston Villa player he believed was immense in the first-half as Unai Emery’s men put a massive dent in Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes.
The Villans have strengthened their grip on a top-four spot. Goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins in the second-half left the Emirates stunned and saw Villa secure a huge three points.
It was remarkable how much better Villa looked than Arsenal in the second-half. But they did come under pressure during the first-half from Mikel Arteta’s side.
When it was needed, Emiliano Martinez made some big saves. But the two centre-backs were exceptional. They were brave on the ball, and they restricted Arsenal to very few chances after the break.
Gary Neville says Aston Villa star was immense against Arsenal
No Villa player completed more passes than Pau Torres, according to Whoscored. But it was the man alongside him who particularly impressed Gary Neville.
Speaking on Sky Sports (broadcast on 14/4; 17:17), Neville was full of praise for the display of Diego Carlos as the half-time whistle loomed.
“He has been Villa’s best player in the first half Diego Carlos. They have had a lot of defending to do but he has been immense,” he said.
Huge statement from Unai Emery’s side
It has been a stop-start season for Diego Carlos. Today marked the first time since 2023 that the 31-year-old has featured in four league games in a row.
But it was superb how confident the Brazilian and Torres looked. Arsenal are usually outstanding at pressing. And they put the visitors under so much pressure.
And yet, Villa did not panic. That led to some fantastic moves further up the pitch. And it definitely gave Arsenal something to think about given how dominant they have been in 2024.
That result could be a massive moment for this Villa side ahead of some really exciting times for the club. Clearly, they can go toe to toe with anyone in the division.
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