Three players who stood out in Arsenal's win over Aston Villa

Arsenal FC are sitting second in the Premier League table, just behind Manchester City on goals scored. With two wins from two, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with how his squad has started. 

Arsenal played out a nervous 1-0 win against a vastly changed Aston Villa, but there were still standout players from the Gunners. Here are three players who shone in Arsenal's Matchweek 2 win. 

1. Bukayo Saka

Saka already has two goals on the season, having scored a goal in both fixtures of Arsenal's early season. He sits just behind Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, who opened his account with a hat-trick against Ipswich. 

Saka finished off a neat move from Arsenal, and while it may not have been a wonder goal, the young Englishman kept his composure in front of goal. Saka's goal came as one of six touches in the opposition box, which was the most of any player on the pitch. 

While not in front of goal, Saka had 11 defensive contributions, putting in a shift for Arteta's side. 

2. Riccardo Calafiori

The Italian left-back continues to perform for Arteta, with the lone assist of the night's match. The assist to Saka came as Calafiori's second assist of the season. 

Calafiori has become a key player in Arteta's squad, both for his offensive and defensive contributions. The Italian defender has an air of unpredictability about him, making him hard for the opposition to track. 

While the season is still young, Calafiori is making his case for being the best left-back in the league. 

3. Martin Odegaard

Odegaard has started the season off strong in Arsenal's first two wins. The Norwegian midfielder had an injury-riddled 2025-26 season, but if he stays fit this season, Odegaard will continue to dominate on the pitch for the champions.

The 27-year-old controlled the midfield against Aston Villa, while sparking dangerous attacks for Arsenal. Odegaard's passing accuracy remains one of the best in the league, with 93% accuracy in the win over Villa.  

Despite being a standout player for Arteta, the manager should remain cautious with the midfielder given his injury history.