Arsenal can win the Premier League, and 11th minute moment vs Aston Villa proved it

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Arsenal faced off against Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon in what was a huge game for their title chances.

Villa came into this game in red hot form, and after 18 months of being almost unbeatable at home, the Villans would have fancied their chances against the Gunners.

Villa did manage to come away with all three points, but it’s not all doom and gloom for Arsenal.

Arsenal remain in pole position to go on and win the Premier League, and one moment in the 11^th minute of the match showed exactly why Arsenal are still on course to become Premier League champions.

David Raya save showed Arsenal are champion quality

It’s no secret that Arsenal have the stingiest defence in the Premier League.

Yes, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are out injured at the moment, but when everyone is fit and firing, the Gunners’ back four is almost impenetrable.

However, on very rare occasions, a big chance does slip through, and in the 11^th minute against Aston Villa, Arsenal conceded their biggest chance of the season.

Ollie Watkins had a clear look at goal, and this strike was valued at 0.65 expected goals – the highest xG tally of any shot Arsenal have conceded this season.

This moment perfectly encapsulated why Arsenal will win the Premier League. The Gunners have a defence that doesn’t give up many chances, and even if you can create a massive chance against Arsenal, the fact that David Raya is in goal means you’re not likely to score in any case.

Arsenal put hurdle after hurdle against any opposition side trying to score against them, and behind all of those barriers, they have the insurance policy of David Raya, and that makes this team so difficult to beat – albeit they lost today.

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Of course, football is an unpredictable game, and losses can happen, but across a 38-game season, if you’re not conceding chances and keeping out the rare chances you do concede, you’re going to win the title.

This is a team that is ready to be Premier League champions, and while this defeat is a blip, the big-picture is still incredibly positive for Arsenal.

Arsenal’s incredible defensive record analysed

As the old saying goes, attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.

Arsenal may not have won at Villa Park, but if you take a step back and look at the season as a whole, this defensive record that Arsenal have is the bedrock of a title charge.

Yes, Arsenal will slip and stumble along the way, but the underlying numbers, growing trends and sheer defensive grit prove that this Arsenal team aren’t just capable of winning the Premier League, they’re favourites to win it.

It’s easy to be negative after a loss, but let’s not forget what a good position Arsenal are in. They’ve got the bedrock of a fantastic defence in front of a world-class goalkeeper, and that can be enough to carry a team to a title.