FA PREMIERLEAGUE 

ARSENAL 0

VILLA 2 (Bailey 84, Watkins 87)

THE inevitable collapse has happened.

Arsenal played brilliantly in the first half but in the end were lucky to only lose by two goals.

There was a familiar feel at the final whistle with crushed players bent double or crouching down heads between their knees.

Gloomy fans filed out of the stadium with words of advice to reporters including: “That’s *hit with a capital S.”

Manchester City are back at the top for the first time since November – and with the fixtures the way they are few would bet on them slipping up or Liverpool and Arsenal being able to keep pace with them.

There was an expectant atmosphere going into the game with a spring time feel and the tie coming right after the surprise Liverpool defeat to Palace.

But as Arsene Wenger sides showed so many times over the years, any match following a late stage Champions League clash is always a potential banana skin.

In the end, the Gunners were lucky to be still in the game going into the final stages.

In the first half, Oli Watkins saw his shot come back off the inside of the post and arc back over the face of goal narrowly missing the other post and rolling out harmlessly for a goal kick.

In the second half, a Youri Tielemans rocket hit the underside of the crossbar, crashed down onto the inside of the post, before bouncing off the line and back into play.

Had the result gone Arsenal’s way, fans would have been feeling as if some sort of divine intervention was guiding Arteta’s side to glory.

Martin Odegaard had had what must have been his best half in an Arsenal shirt.

He is master of the first time weighted through ball..

Three times in the first fifteen minutes he laid in Bukayo Saka with a perfectly executed pass.

He can also bamboozle defenders pressing him with his jinking body swerves and suddenly switching control of the ball from the inside or outside of his boot.

Saka almost put the Gunners ahead in the first half but the winger was having a slight off day, skewing another good chance wide and also overhitting a cross.

He was crunched early on by Matty Cash with replays showing a slight foot stamp that went unmissed, before hobbling about for a few minutes in a worrying sight for an already nerve-shredded stadium.

Kai Havertz forced a strong save from Emi Martinez and wasted a a second chance, both chances that seemed to confirm the general line on him: that he isn’t a natural finisher.

In many ways more worrying is the form of Gabriel Jesus.

He nodded a header well wide of the near post in a decent chance to put the Gunners ahead.

The Arsenal number 9 looked way off the pace and sluggish.

Leandro Trossard – the super sub started ahead of Gabi Martinelli – saw what should have been a certain goal blocked by Emi Martinez.

Arsenal’s former third keeper who went on to win the World Cup, was punching the air at the final whistle.

There had been some outrageously high level football in the first half.

Arsenal’s close control and passing was superb, and there was one breathtaking moment when Saka brought down a skied ball in his own box while on the turn with balletic grace.

But football is impossible to enjoy at this stage in the season and the stadium did not feel like a healthy place to be.

Fans’ rage at the end was saved for Arteta’s decision not to remove the dilly-dallying Zinchenko.

The left back who loves to hold onto the ball had a nightmarish 20 minutes after half time.

He lost the ball several times and was caught out of position in a difficult period just before the two goals.

But it was Ben White who was replaced by Tomiyasu by Arteta.

Leon Bailey slotted in at the back post, and Oli Watkins clinically lifted the ball over David Raya.

With few fans expecting any result against Bayern or City to slip up, it felt like April 14 was the day Arsenal’s season ended.

Arsenal: Raya, Saliba, White (Tomiyasu 67), Gabriel, Zinchenko (Nketiah 84), Rice, Trossard (Martinelli 67), Havertz, Jesus (Jorginho 80), Odegaard (Smith-Rowe 80).
Subs not used: Ramsdale, Partey, Nketiah, Kiwior, Vieira.

Villa: Martinez, Carlos, Konsa, McGinn, Tielemens, Watkins, Digne, Pau, Diaby (Baiiley 60), Zaniola (Moreno 80), Rogers
Subs not used: Olsen, Cash, Chambers, Lenglet, Duran, Haydem, Iroecbunam