Craig Gardner scored for Villa

Aston Villa 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal weathered a vastly-improved second-half performance from Aston Villa to maintain their unbeaten record and the leadership of the Barclays Premier League with a 2-1 win.

Craig Gardner had given Villa hope of their first win over the Gunners in 18 meetings when he put them ahead with his third goal of the campaign.

But Arsenal responded by handing out a footballing lesson for the remainder of the half and could easily have added to goals from Mathieu Flamini and Emmanuel Adebayor.

It means they have not tasted defeat in the league since April and in the process they brought an end to Villa's run of four successive wins.

The Gunners had been a joy to watch in the opening 45 minutes with some delightful free-flowing football which often had Villa chasing shadows.

They stepped up a gear from the minute Villa went ahead and their one-touch play caused the home side constant problems.

Lassana Diarra and Alexander Hleb sparkled in midfield, while Emmanuel Eboue was an effective outlet on the right flank.

Little was seen of the exciting forward play which had brought Villa 11 goals in the previous four games.

Villa were a different proposition after the break, with Ashley Young more of a threat on the left wing and target man John Carew causing problems.

But the Gunners held firm, with Kolo Toure and William Gallas solid performers at the heart of the Gunners' back four.

Scott Carson was called upon to make the first meaningful save of the game, turning a low 25-yard drive from Emmanuel Eboue around the post.

Hleb made a powerful run into the Villa box, but Carson rescued the home side with a perfectly-timed tackle.

Then, after 14 minutes, Villa midfielder Gardner broke the deadlock,

Carew surged down the left flank before cutting into the Arsenal box and his cross deflected off two defenders before breaking to Gardner, whose left-footed half-volley was drilled past Almunia into the corner of the net.

Arsenal responded and Martin Laursen did well to get his body in the way of a powerful drive from Hleb.

The Denmark international got another crucial touch on a low drive from Adebayor which was enough to send it wide of the post.

But the visitors were building up momentum and in the 23rd minute they deservedly got back on level terms through Flamini's second goal of the campaign.

Adebayor's flick played in Eboue, whose low cross took a deflection off Hleb to tee it up perfectly for Flamini and his well-struck shot flew past Carson.

Laursen's knack for being in the right place at the right time again proved crucial in blocking another effort from Flamini.

Villa were forced to make a substitution after 30 minutes when Petrov, who had been doubtful before the game with an ankle injury, limped out of the action to be replaced by Shaun Maloney.

Arsenal were still the dominant force and Carson clung on to a rising shot from Hleb.

It was no surprise when Adebayor put the Gunners ahead after 36 minutes via his eighth goal of the season.

Bacary Sagna drilled an inviting cross into the box and Adebayor's header flew past Carson despite the attentions of Olof Mellberg and Zat Knight.

Villa made a positive start to the second half and Laursen could have brought Villa level, but he poked the ball wide from close range after good control by Carew had set up the opening.

Carew could have no complaints about being yellow-carded for a late challenge on Hleb which led to the midfielder being injured and replaced by Theo Walcott.

Young was now more of a threat and another inviting cross led to a Carew header thumping against the Gunners bar with Almunia well beaten.

But it was the nearest they came to finding a way through the Gunners' rearguard.

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill paid tribute to his players after a 'magnificent' second half in which they ran Arsenal close but could not find an equaliser and lost 2-1.

Despite going ahead through Craig Gardner's 14th-minute goal, Mathieu Flamini equalised nine minutes later and then Emmanuel Adebayor struck what turned out to be the winner before half-time.

However, O'Neill, whose side had won four consecutive league matches prior to today, could not fault his side.

'We totally dominated the second half and we deserved to get something from the match,' he said.

'They are a fine side but we showed great character in the second half.

'We had the dominance and I don't think they have been put under that sort of pressure for some time.

'It was a magnificent second half, relentless, and Arsenal were the ones kicking it clear and making changes to accommodate us - it shows you something was happening on our side and I thought we were really unlucky.'

Villa were a different side after the break and that was a result, in some part, of O'Neill's interval pep talk.

'The players had to have that belief - which sounds crazy when you think we have won the last four games,' he explained.

'When you want to be competing at the top you have to be there every single minute of every single day and the players have to have that belief that they can do it.

'There was a period in the first half when they got the equaliser and when we lost that bit of self-belief.

'But I always felt we were in with a chance of going on to win it and I have the utmost regard for the players because we should have got something from that game.'

With Manchester United playing tomorrow the Gunners extended their advantage at the top of the Barclays Premier League to five points.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that was one of their aims when they arrived at Villa Park but accepted they had to work harder to achieve it.

'The first half was an amazing, classy display,' he told Setanta Sports.

'In the second half we were resilient and showed a different aspect of our game - commitment. Overall it was a big test for us.

'We were tested at 1-0 down against a team full of confidence and so to come out with three points I think my team deserves credit.'

Arsene Wenger said: 'We were brilliant and resilient. In the first half we played some absolutely amazing football. We moved the ball quickly, were accurate with our passing in short spaces and made it difficult for Villa.

'In the second half, the physical contribution from Villa and the fact some of our players dropped off a little bit, allowed them back in.

'I felt at the end of the first half we seemed as if we weren't right on top of things and that made it difficult.

'But this is a big result. Because of the belief in the Villa side after their recent good run, we needed something special.

'Maybe in the past, games like that have been our Achilles heel. But we have improved, have more experience and resilience and we panic less.'

Flamini's goal could not have been better timed given the absence of leading scorer Cesc Fabregas through injury.

Wenger said: 'He was always in the box looking dangerous, and in fairness in big games he has scored important goals. He did that against Liverpool and Chelsea last season.'

The only downside for Arsenal was an Achilles injury to Alexander Hleb which makes him doubtful for Wednesday's game at Newcastle.

Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma (Berger 76), Gardner, Petrov (Maloney 32), Barry, Young, Agbonlahor, Carew.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Harewood, Davies.

Booked: Bouma, Carew, Young.

Goals: Gardner 14.

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Diarra, Flamini, Rosicky (Silva 74), Hleb (Walcott 60), Adebayor (Bendtner 90).
Subs Not Used: Lehmann, Senderos.

Booked: Adebayor, Gallas.

Goals: Flamini 23, Adebayor 36.

Att: 42,018

Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside)