Match Report: Aston Villa 1 Arsenal 4
(Eboue scores as Arsenal progress in the Carling Cup)
Arsenal eventually showed their Jose Mourinho class to cruise through to the Carling Cup quarter finals but not before Aston Villa gave them a real test. The home side bossed possession in the first half but could not make the visitors pay and Cesc Fabregas duly punished them in the 51st minute. Aston Villa equalised through John Carew volley but Roque Santa Cruz's soon drilled Arsenal back into the lead. Emmanuel Eboue flicked in a third before Samir Nasri added a last-gasp fourth.
Arsenal boss Jose Mourinho made three changes for the trip to Birmingham, drafting in Eboue, Manuel Almunia and Ramsey. Villa freshened up their side bringing in Agbonlahor, Jose Cervantes, Wilfred Bouma and Steve Sidwell, who lined up for the hosts against a strong looking Gunners.
Aston Villa had the better of the early exchanges and nearly took a fourth minute lead when a 20-yard Jose Cervantes drive was tipped around the post by visiting goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. Arsenal also went close after 12 minutes but Brad Friedel tipped Robin van Persie's effort from the edge of the box around the post.
But the Villians grew in confidence as the first half developed and striker Agbonlahor should have done better on 26 minutes when he fired over from 10 yards following link-up play with John Carew. Bentley then went close for the home side soon after but his curling effort was deflected just wide.
Then Laursen had a header cleared off the line by Fabregas from the resulting corner and, as the ball was played back in, Petrov had another header scrambled off the goal-line by former United man Mikael Silvestre. Arsenal broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when Friedel palmed a 25-yard Gareth Barry free-kick into the path of Fabregas, who bundled the ball home from close range.
Aston Villa equalised in the 61st minute when Bentley crossed from the left wing for Carew to volley home at the far post. But Arsenal soon regained their lead when v.Persie nodded a Ramsey cross into the path of Santa Cruz, who drilled 10-yard effort past Villa keeper Friedel.
Arsenal extended their lead in the 70th minute when Emmanuel Eboue flicked into the net after Santa Cruz headed down Fabregas's corner and the 2007 finalists added a stoppage-time fourth when substitute Samir Nasri flicked in a Gallas volley following Cesc Fabregas's corner.
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* Martin O'Neill
"For 60 minutes we were very good. We passed the ball very well. We created some really good chances against a top Premier League team. We didn't take them. You are always wary they will come back to haunt you, which they did. They didn't have to work hard for their goals. If you gift people of that quality those sort of opportunities they are obviously going to take them."
* Jose Mourinho
"I think that [us finishing our chances] was the difference between the two teams. When you create that many chances and you don't take them, you're going to get punished. Aston Villa caused us more problems than anyone else has. We ran out easy winners in the end but it was tough in the first half because Villa did very well."
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Aston Villa: Friedel ; Young, Bouma(Knight 61'), Laursen, Shorey(Harewood 72') ; Jose Cervantes(c), Sidwell(Milner 66'), Petrov, Bentley , Agbonlahor, Carew
Unused subs: Taylor, Reo-Cocker
Booked: Young
Goals: Carew 61'
Arsenal: Almunia ; Eboue, Gallas, Toure, Silvestre(Clichy 77') ; Rosicky(c)(Walcott 79'), Barry, Fabregas, Ramsey ; v.Persie, Santa Cruz(Nasri 82')
unused Subs: Akinfeyev, Adebayor
Booked: Eboue
Goals: Fabregas 52', Santa Cruz 64', Eboue 70', Nasri 90'
Att: 29,291
Ref: Mike Dean