Beaten at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday (AEDT), the Gunners slipped to a 10th Premier League defeat of the season as they made it three losses in a row to the Villans for the first time since 1993.

Mikel Arteta's men came into the weekend nine points outside of the top four and this result is another blow, while Dean Smith's Villa side has now reached 35 points, matching its tally from the whole of last season.

Debutant Mat Ryan conceded his first Arsenal goal before even touching the ball, Watkins' shot on the turn deflecting in off Rob Holding after Bertrand Traore pounced on a mix-up between Cedric Soares and the returning Gabriel.

At the other end, Emiliano Martinez, facing his former club, had to make a fine one-handed stop to claw a Granit Xhaka free-kick away from the top-right corner.

Traore then had a great chance to double Villa's lead, spinning into space in the box and trying to chip Ryan, but the Gunners keeper stood up to save.

Ryan twice denied Watkins early in the second half before Nicolas Pepe skewed a shot wide with his weaker foot, and John McGinn stung the palms of the Arsenal keeper as the game began to open up.

Substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang glanced a looping header wide and Martinez saved from Pepe with his legs as Arteta's men began to build more concerted pressure, but Jack Grealish and Watkins each came close to a late second for Villa.