Gary Neville was impressed with Arsenal’s performance in their narrow win against Aston Villa and believes the Gunners were in control for much of the game, despite the scoreline suggesting a closely fought contest.Mikel Arteta’s side remains one of the top teams on the continent, and they have started this campaign in the same manner in which they ended the previous one. The Gunners continue to establish themselves among the teams to beat in the competitions they will contest this season.Villa proved to be tough opponents and were determined to make a statement with their performance against Arsenal, meaning it was never going to be an easy match for the visitors.Arsenal worked hard to secure the victory, with Bukayo Saka scoring the only goal of the game. Despite the narrow margin, Neville believes the Gunners were in control and always looked likely to win.Neville praises Arsenal performanceAccording to BBC Sport, Neville praised Arsenal for restricting Villa and controlling the match. He highlighted the maturity shown by Arteta’s players as they worked towards another important victory.He said:“Aston Villa are just building after losing a lot of players. For Arsenal, that is a statement win, where you just restrict the other team from having any shots on goal. Patient, present, mature. They were just in control.“Arteta will be happy because his team is consistent.”Neville’s assessment underlines how Arsenal managed the game despite not producing a wide margin of victory. Their ability to prevent Villa from creating shots on goal demonstrated their defensive strength and discipline.(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)Arsenal maintain strong startThe result also continues Arsenal’s impressive start to the campaign. Arteta’s players have shown that they can win difficult matches, even when they are unable to dominate the scoreline.Villa’s determination made the contest challenging, but Arsenal remained composed and continued to control the match. Their patience allowed them to find the decisive goal through Saka and then manage the remainder of the game.For Arteta, the consistency highlighted by Neville will be particularly encouraging. Arsenal are continuing to show the qualities expected from one of the leading teams in Europe, while their ability to control difficult matches could prove important as the season progresses.The narrow victory may not have reflected the Gunners’ control of the contest, but it gave them another valuable three points and maintained their strong momentum._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…More Stories / Latest News“In control” Gary Neville impressed with Arsenal’s performance against Villa1 September 2026, 9:00Arsenal weren’t at their best at Aston Villa, and that’s exactly why this win matters1 September 2026, 6:09Who Can Take Advantage If Arsenal’s Attack Is Made Weaker?31 August 2026, 23:00The post “In control” Gary Neville impressed with Arsenal’s performance against Villa appeared first on Just Arsenal News.