No one should doubt that Arsenal look a more cohesive side than the last time they faced Burnley, but neither should anyone doubt their ability to self-destruct. In December, they lost catastrophically to the Emirates thanks to an own goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Granit Xhaka’s unnecessary broadcast. This time, Aubameyang quickly scored his personal goal, but Arsenal, who were completely in control, threw it away after an astonishing Xhaka error drew Chris Wood. Dani Ceballos hung a pole with the final action of the match, but Mikel Arteta will wonder how the match was not won long ago.
It only took six minutes before Aubameyang suggested it could be a cruise. Arsenal started smoothly and although the goal of the goal underscores how fluently they are able to work through the third when Thomas Partey is fit, their opponents may wonder how easily they were appreciated. Partyy’s slide series from one side of the half to the other invited Willian to devour space, thus continuing his recent renaissance. Aubameyang still had a lot to do when he received Willian’s pass on the left side of the area, and Matt Lowton, apparently blinded by the attacker’s goal scorers, led him to his preferred foot. Now there was room for a low, drilled shot to the near post. Nick Pope got his right hand on the ball, but watched it curl into the corner.
Pope probably should have done better, but his teammates, who started in the same way as the defeat of Tottenham last weekend, offered little protection. They looked sharper when they moved here with Leicester in the middle of the week, but they received little response early on from Arsenal, who had a rare six-day window to prepare for this assignment and from the start had clarity.
This match is traditionally tight, but by the 22nd minute Arsenal could have scored at least once more. An unbalanced Aubameyang found the sideline after Lowton, who initially responded well to Partey’s posh ball at the top, made his clearance. After that, Bukayo Saka, whose attempt to reach a comeback pass, inspired such a panic that three defending Burnley defenders just bundled the ball in his half.
These two episodes spoke of Burnley’s brilliance and at that point there was no danger that any abuse would be punished. Arsenal kept coming. Partyy made his feet from 19 yards out and Saka, who would have been clean, could not take an Aubameyang pass in his pass.
There was no threat from the hosts, but that does not tend to prevent Arsenal from imploding. An attempt to build from behind seems inconspicuous until Xhaka receives possession of Bernd Leno before taking a touch and trying to elevate a pass over his own box to David Luiz that is no longer on, without Wood’s presence. You have to be there to score them: the ball hit Wood, rolled, and so total was Arsenal’s control that the reaction mixed disbelief with true joy.
Burnley may feel anxious the second half: if they are 5% short of full tilt, they may look completely ordinary, but here was the chance to re-wrap themselves up. Initially, they did not live as dangerously, although James Tarkowski was conveniently positioned to prevent a Saka strike. If the direction of traffic had not been exactly reversed, the flow of Arsenal would have been much less intrusive and by the hour the defense of the house was in something more comfortable.
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Arteta instructed Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pépé to ignite his team’s attack. The latter was strongly involved in two decisions, one wrong and ultimately indisputable, which ensured that parity remained. Arsenal were furious when neither Andre Marriner nor VAR official Kevin Friend awarded a penalty after Matt Lowton let out an arm and handled when Pépé tried to hit the ball around him. It appears that Lowton was deemed too close to withdraw his limb, which seemed very generous. Six minutes from the end, Pépé hit the bar, which looked through Erik Pieters’ shoulder at the back of the stands, and Marriner awarded a penalty and a red card this time. A VAR check confirmed to little surprise that the decision should be reversed.
Between these two flash points, Leno excelled at Pieters and
Wood for Pépé somehow flickered from 10 meters away. It has become a gripping match, but Arsenal and Xhaka will kick themselves for squandering.