Arsenal arrived at Villa Park with added momentum after falling just short against Liverpool midweek, and despite their winning streak coming to an end, it was evident that the confidence remained at an all-time high.
For large parts of the game, Mikel Arteta's side comfortably controlled play and made it difficult for Aston Villa to produce any clear cut chances throughout.
As the BT Sport commentator highlighted during the first half, it often looked like Arsenal had an extra man on the pitch due to how well they were closing down space.
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To highlight some key moments from the match, here is the good, the bad, and the ugly from Arsenal's 1-0 victory.
The Good - Leno softens Ramsdale blow
Prior to kick-off, Arteta revealed that Aaron Ramsdale picked up a muscle injury against Liverpool which is set to sideline him for a few weeks.
After what was of course a big blow, Bernd Leno reminded his manager just how valuable he can still be as the second-choice between the sticks.
The German looked sharp and even got Ramsdale on his feet after bravely coming out to claim an airborne ball under pressure. His most important contribution of all was undoubtedly his save from an Aston Villa free kick in the final seconds of the game, palming the ball away from danger before the final whistle was blown.
It wasn't a performance that will keep him in the starting eleven next time around, but it was a reminder that we have a solid option available for when Ramsdale is out of action between now and the end of the season.
The Bad - Second half deja vu
Not for the first time this season, Arsenal took their foot off the gas during patches of the second-half following a dominant first 45. Villa saw more of the ball and got themselves in dangerous areas which saw Ollie Watkins' deflected effort strike the post.
As we have found out before, the inability to see out games and maintain focus can be costly. The Villans have several players that can hurt the opposition and on another day, the outcome may have been different.
As the Gunners look to secure Champions League qualification, they will need to ensure they control larger parts of the game better and continue to offer a lethal threat in front of goal to increase protection over their lead.
The Ugly - Villa play a dangerous game
An increased injury risk had already presented itself to the Gunners after playing just a few days ago. So when several Aston Villa players conceded fouls by flying into challenges, there was a sense of concern for the welfare of Arsenal's stars.
In particular, Tyrone Mings' sliding challenge on Bukayo Saka could have been a lot worse. Granted, the defender got the ball but the reckless nature of the tackle meant he caught his England teammate on the Achilles in the follow-through
Fortunately for Saka, he was able to continue after receiving treatment before being replaced by Nicolas Pepe in the second half. But that unnecessary challenge was one of many from the Villa side and now it remains to be seen if anyone will be joining Ramsdale in the medical room as a consequence.
