Ian Maatsen proves Unai Emery right after what happened with Bukayo Saka
Ian Maatsen won his battle with Bukayo Saka during Aston Villa’s dramatic 2-1 win over Arsenal at Villa Park.
Emi Buendia’s 95th-minute winner against Arsenal ensured Villa moved to within three points of the league leaders on Saturday.
Villa signed Maatsen from Chelsea in 2024 for £37.5million, and the left-back is beginning to make his mark under Unai Emery this season.
The Dutch defender had a huge task in facing Saka at Villa Park, and he came out on top as Aston Villa won their sixth Premier League home game in a row.
Ian Maatsen handles Bukayo Saka threat superbly
Maatsen excelled against Brighton, and he was rewarded with a start against one of the most dangerous wingers in the Premier League.
Against Arsenal, the Netherlands international was excellent at both ends of the pitch, providing a real threat for Villa’s attacking play, while nullifying the Arsenal star’s threat throughout the match.
According to FotMob, Maatsen completed 100 per cent of his dribbles and 100 per cent of his long balls.
Maatsen was also accurate with 77 per cent of his passes and won half of his ground and aerial duels, while touching the ball 51 times.
| Stat | Maatsen |
| Pass accuracy | 77% |
| Ground duels won | 50% |
| Aerial duels won | 50% |
| Touches | 51 |
In the 4-3 win over Brighton, Maatsen also became the second Villa player to win 10+ duels in a match this season after Boubacar Kamara.
As the season progresses, the 23-year-old may be afforded more opportunities, and his performances in Europe could bear weight over his minutes in the Premier League.
However, being trusted to play in such a big game shows exactly why Maatsen has the left-back spot nailed down for the future, and he certainly shown Emery what he is capable in big games.
The whole of Aston Villa’s defence performed admirably, with Emi Martinez once again coming to the rescue in several crucial moments.
Aston Villa have Emi Martinez to thank vs Arsenal
Martinez was initially a doubt for the clash at Villa Park, but fans will be grateful that he stepped up to produce a monumental performance against his old club.
The 33-year-old made seven saves against the league leaders, registering a total of 0.88 goals prevented.
The pick of the bunch was a superb left-handed save to deny Martin Odegaard’s long-range strike, and he kept the Villans in the match during periods of the second half.
Martinez’s future in B6 was uncertain over the summer transfer window, and Villa fans will be more than thrilled he hasn’t left the club.
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