LONDON (Reuters) – Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins proved a thorn in Arsenal’s side again as he completed his side’s comeback with the equaliser in a 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Saturday.
Arsenal looked on course to erase the memory of last season’s home defeat by Villa — the last time they lost in the league at The Emirates — when Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz scored from close range either side of halftime.
Victory would have put Arsenal back to four points behind leaders Liverpool but Villa burst into life when Youri Tielemans headed them a lifeline on the hour and Watkins met a Matty Cash cross with a volley to level after 68 minutes.
It set up a frantic finale in which Arsenal thought they had won it when Mikel Merino’s effort deflected off Havertz into the net but it was ruled our for handball.
Arsenal have 44 points to Liverpool’s 50 having also played one more game. Villa moved up a place to seventh.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)
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