Arsenal 0 Aston Villa 2
Nov 17 2008 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail
FIFTEEN years of hurt snuffed out in an instant.
Martin O’Neill’s braves battered sorry Arsenal into submission with a performance of breathtaking brilliance.
It was a commanding afternoon where his side hunted in packs, fought tooth-and-nail for one another and dominated to such an extent that all thoughts they might not be good enough to mount a top-four charge should now be quashed.
Villa have come on leaps and bounds in the O’Neill-Randy Lerner era.
This was their finest hour.
Just two-and-a-half years ago Villa were battered by five goals at Highbury under David O’Leary.
There was as big a gulf between the sides then as at The Emirates on Saturday – except this time it was Villa in the ascendancy.
Villa had not won at any of the big four since May 2002 at Chelsea.
Last season they had come away from Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool with draws and given all three major frights.
But this was different.
Only Gareth Barry had ever tasted victory over the Gunners in a Villa shirt – way back in December 1998.
Even then he had gone off the pitch in the second half with Villa trailing 2-0.
Fitting that Ron Atkinson, the manager who last led a Villa team to victory at Arsenal in November 1993, could be here to witness this humilation.
How Villa love the Emirates.
Three trips have garnered two draws and this monumental victory.
Two seasons ago they were clinging on for their lives when Gilberto Silva broke their hearts with six minutes to go.
Last year they got closer still until Nicklas Bendtner fired in an equaliser in stoppage time.
But here there was just no way back for an Arsenal team who were thoroughly outplayed for 70 minutes until Emmanuel Adebayor’s introduction offered them a little hope.
But even then Arsenal had to resort to flinging almost aimless balls into a crowded box.
Goalkeeper Brad Friedel saved twice from Cesc Fabregas in either half but has not had a quieter afternoon in a Villa shirt.
Carlos Cuellar looked at ease on the right, Curtis Davies – his head bandaged after needing five stitches early on – and Martin Laursen were giants in the centre and Luke Young looked like he had played his entire career at left-back rather than a handful of matches.
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