Can't really legislate for the result in matches like this. VAR shocking as usual, but from what I've seen on the replay this morning, there were at least two other incidents where we could have had a big decision go our way but it didn't.
Arteta will need to find a way to control the damage from playing Zinchenko in defence, as he is inevitably targeted by confident opposition, particularly when we play away. Yes, I realise Zinchenko's important to our attack, but he's not that important. And I realise he wasn't solely at fault for anything—both White and Gabriel could've done far better as well—but the issue's less whether he's demonstrably to blame and more that he has a target on him.
Secondly, we need to take the presentable chances we earn. We really should have had two or three goals, one or two in the first and another after halftime.
To my eye we did alright and certainly didn't cop a flogging, but it felt as if the ref wanted to give this one to Villa. On we go.
