Match Report: Aston Villa dig in to keep Arsenal at bay It had been a good week for Arsène Wenger's team, through to the knockout stages of the Champions League on the back of a thumping scoreline in the north London derby, but this was a result to offer some perspective to the talk of a title challenge. This was a Villa side who have only once had as poor a start to a Premier League season and who came into this match having lost to both Manchester clubs. Arsenal had them under the cosh at the end and had their chances, three of them to Aaron Ramsey, but Villa had enough to push them hard for much of the match. Villa's season has been characterised by bright starts that have faded, so much so that were points to be awarded for positions at half-time, they would have started this match in fifth place, not 18th. So the pattern of last night's opening exchanges would have been familiar to manager Paul Lambert, albeit seen from a different angle as a result of the touchline ban he received for comments made after last week's 5-0 defeat at Manchester City. Ashley Westwood and Barry Bannan generated much energy in central midfield, with Andreas Weimann's pace testing Carl Jenkinson on the right of Arsenal's defence, with the physical power of Christian Benteke subjecting Per Mertesacker to a battle. Villa's early positivity created chances. Weimann, trying to catch out Wojciech Szczesny at the near post, won a corner, Benteke had an opportunity from a poor header by Jenkinson but could make nothing off it. Arsenal found it hard to gain a foothold until almost 30 minutes in, when Ramsey's deflected shot brought a good save from Brad Guzan. There was no Theo Walcott for Arsenal because of a shoulder injury and Jack Wilshere was on the bench after his midweek return. That attempt prefaced a recovery from the visitors but Villa came back at them and had the ball in the net after 38 minutes only for Weimann's effort to be ruled out for offside. Again, therefore, Villa could claim to have had the upper hand in an opening half, although Arsenal missed an opportunity to turn round in front when Laurent Koscielny scooped the ball over the bar. Santi Cazorla went close to bursting Villa's bubble at the start of the second half with a 20-yard shot that was only narrowly off target. Had the Spaniard's effort gone in, it would have inflicted a double blow on the home side, who were forced to reorganise at the back following the loss of Ron Vlaar, the skipper, who was injured with still 40 minutes remaining. Matthew Lowton moved across from full-back to begin what would always be an unequal contest against the much taller opponent Olivier Giroud. For the minutes that followed, the visitors began to look as if they could take control. Twice there were chances for Ramsey, the first from a right-wing cross, delivered to the near post by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the second from a Giroud flick-on. Both went begging. The game became stretched and the crowd appreciated the excitement on a wretched, rain-swept evening. With a quarter of it remaining, after Szczesny had got down well to keep out a Gabriel Agbonlahor effort, there was nothing between the sides which, given that Villa's ambitions currently stretch little beyond getting out of trouble, probably said much about how far Arsenal are still from being regarded as serious title contenders. Indeed, Villa, with only one win in their last 11 home Premier League matches, were agonisingly close to finishing this one in front. Brett Holman, whose appearance in place of Karim El Ahmadi for the last half hour ensured at least one set of legs would not tire, hit a terrific shot from 25 yards with 12 minutes left and it was only Szczesny's finger tips, pushing the ball on to the bar, that saved Arsenal. Aston Villa (4-4-2): Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar (Lichaj, 51), Clark, Stevens; Westwood, El Ahmadi (Holman, 63), Bannon, Weimann (Albrighton, 89); Benteke, Agbonlahor. Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Arteta, Ramsey; Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arshavin, 77), Cazorla, Podolski (Gervinho, 69); Giroud (Coquelin, 85). Man of the match: Bannan (Aston Villa)