Jamie Carragher pinpoints key Unai Emery tactic that saw Aston Villa beat Arsenal

Former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher has identified the tactic that enabled Aston Villa to beat Arsenal.

Villa recorded a 2-0 win over the Gunners in the Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins secured the well-earned victory for Villa in North London to maintain their advantage in the race for the top four.

Carragher was on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football show where he analysed Villa's performance against Arsenal. The former centre-back was particularly impressed with the tactics employed by manager Unai Emery, especially the decisions that led to Villa beating Arsenal's press.

Carragher analysed a passage of play that saw Villa play out from defence to eventually get a free-kick on the halfway line. The former Liverpool defender explained how Villa were able to beat Arsenal's press on their home turf.

"Initially you are thinking what is the build-up and what is the set-up," said Carragher on Sky Sports. "You have the goal kick and the normal back four in place.

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"Two holding midfield players but high up the pitch, three holding the back four and one player occupying Declan Rice. That is the set-up from Aston Villa. It is almost two separate teams if you like.

"When the ball goes there, we always know that he [Martin Odegaard] always starts the press. They [Arsenal] like to bring it this way. The problem you have is Declan Rice and because he’s the holding player, we have seen it in the past when Jorginho plays if he goes, 'I can go there and I can jump' and then Gabriel would jump in here. Maybe Gabriel thinks that distance was too far to go there and Declan Rice, as you can see, is looking over his shoulder and he is not sure.

"So, the quality from Aston Villa, yes, fantastic as it comes to the goalkeeper [Martinez] and this again highlights the goalkeeper. He pops it into [Youri] Tielemans, he turns. How often have you seen this against Arsenal this season? Then before you know it, Declan Rice is in no man's land and it’s actually [Leandro] Trossard, your left winger who comes across and makes the challenge."

Carragher went on to discuss another passage of play that saw Villa play out from Martinez in goal with Torres in defence. Carragher was left impressed by the ability of Torres on the ball to help beat Arsenal's press in Villa's own penalty area.

He added: "The goalkeeper [Martinez] waiting and bringing people onto him, [Pau] Torres waiting. But look, he can now jump. When you talk about Jorginho not playing, that gives him the chance to jump because he knows he’s got the protection behind him.

"Zinchenko is now giving him that there and that is a big part of Declan Rice’s game with his physicality, he bullies players around the edge of the box. Again, Aston Villa are just making passes and bringing them onto them, not getting worried.

"That is the whole point of this, bring them on to us and we will play through and then get it forward. But this guy Pau Torres, most defenders are going forward with that, knocking the ball into the front players but that football is fantastic. Brilliant football."

Carragher added: "For me, Arsenal were not their normal selves in terms of pressing, but Aston Villa were absolutely brilliant at bringing them on, enticing them and then going after them."