Watkins at the double to sink Arsenal
OLLIE WATKINS hit a quickfire double as Aston Villa stunned Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium to return to winning ways.
Dean Smith’s side recorded a famous victory over Premier League champions Liverpool earlier in the season and proved that it was more than a one- off as they outclassed the Gunners to leave north London with a 3- 0 win.
Watkins, who had helped himself to a hat- trick against Liverpool, scored a second- half double to add to Bukayo Saka’s own goal – with Villa also unlucky to see a first- minute strike ruled out as Jack Grealish and Ross Barkley shone in midfield.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had been calling for consistency after winning at Manchester United last weekend but will be left scratching his head over the international break following the worst performance of his tenure to date.
Earlier in the day, Brendan Rodgers vowed that Leicester will fight to maintain their challenge at the top of the Premier League.
Jamie Vardy’s penalty sealed a 1- 0 win over Wolves as the Foxes went top of the table.
The striker also had a second spot- kick saved by Rui Patricio but the Foxes have now won six straight games in all competitions – three in the league.
They go to Liverpool next and while Rodgers urged caution he insisted his squad will keep pushing.
He said: “It’s been an incredible start, I’m so happy for the players.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better start. I have always said failure is learning and if anyone says us not getting into the Champions League last season was failing then, OK. For us it was about learning and developing.
“It’s going to be tough to sustain that with the injuries we’ve had but we have played 12 games and won nine in all competitions. It has been an incredible focus. Our idea is to sustain that but I can’t promise.
“We had to show a different side to the team. The first half
we were very good without the football and in the second half we had to show real resilience.
“We have seen that this season, the players are developing and to show that mentality and desire is so pleasing.”
Elsewhere, Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has reiterated how hard it will be to win the Premier League title after his side briefly went top of the table with a 1- 0 win at West Brom.
Harry Kane’s 150th Premier League goal two minutes from the end sent Spurs to the summit for the first time since August 2014 for a short time, before they were displaced by Leicester later in the day.
Spurs are now unbeaten since the opening day of the season and, with four successive away wins, appear to be contenders for the title.
“When a team is champion or plays for the title, there is always a direct relation to your direct opponents,” said Mourinho after edging a tight game at the Hawthorns. “I would say that this team could be champions in many European countries.
“The Premier League is the most difficult one to be, because in the Premier League you can do a good season, can have lots of points, but in the end: Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Man United, Leicester, Arsenal. So you can have a good season and not be champion.”