IF this was the night when Arsenal’s title dreams ended, Ollie Watkins would once again play the role of their gravedigger.

Yet the fatal blow may have been delivered by Stockley Park. With just under two minutes left, the Emirates erupted as Mikel Merino’s speculative strike from the edge of the box took a huge deflection, slipping past Emi Martinez to restore Mikel Arteta’s men’s lead in a game they seemed to have let slip.

Still, Merino notably refrained from celebrating.

He knew what Jon Brooks, in the VAR booth near Heathrow, would inform referee Chris Kavanagh – that the crucial deflection, though accidental, had come off Kai Havertz’s right arm.

 

The referee had no option but to chalk off the goal – and despite Merino striking the post in injury time, there was no salvation.

Ollie Watkins struck a brilliant volley to equaliseCredit: Reuters

 

Kai Havertz had put Arsenal 2-0 upCredit: AFP

 

Mikel Merino’s late strike was disallowed after it hit Havertz’s arm on the way in

The Gunners were made to rue missed chancesCredit: Rex

Once again, Watkins was the agent of a devastating blow – to put a smile on the face of Unai Emery.

 

Back in April, his late second condemned Arsenal to the defeat that meant even a perfect six-game finish was not enough.

And as the Emirates mood switched from delight to despair – TWICE – it was Watkins who inflicted another potentially fatal dagger into those dreams of a first crown since the Invincibles of 2004.

Watkins’ close-range finish exposed all the flaws of an Arsenal side without their defensive kingpin.

Throughout the last two seasons, what Arsenal might do if they lost William Saliba has been one of the big questions.

When the Frenchman is in the team, Arsenal tend to win – 1 victories out of 85 Prem matches, with just 10 defeats. Without him, it is now five wins in 13.

 

Surely, if Saliba HAD been on the field, he would not have allowed Youri Tielemans to get on the end of Lucas Digne’s cross.

That let Villa back into a match that seemed lost when TWO Emi Martinez moments to forget had seemingly gifted Arteta and his side the three points they needed after Liverpool’s last-gasp win at Brentford.

Watkins took full advantage when Havertz was caught underneath Matty Cash’s ball in from the right and Thomas Partey and Saliba’s centre-back replacement Jurrien Timber went walkabout.

But it is utterly inconceivable that Watkins would have been unmarked to volley home with Saliba on the pitch.

For Arsenal, who had been four minutes of Gtech Community Stadium stoppage time away from the chance to close the gap with Liverpool, that six point deficit may look cavernous – especially as Arne Slot’s side have a game in hand.

 

When the story of this season is finally written, this feels like it will be a pivotal day.

If you want to win the league and know you can’t afford any slips, you have to win from two up.

The Emirates fans have never forgiven Martinez for his claim that Arsenal “didn’t deserve me” following his 2020 departure after a decade on the club’s books.

Martinez has since lifted the World Cup and the Argentine loves playing the pantomime villain. The ceaseless boos would have been water off a duck’s back.

He produced a “Hollywood” dive to hold Leandro Trossard’s early curler, following a gather at the second attempt to deny Gabriel Martinelli.

 

 

 

Which was why the home fans revelled even more at the opener – after Villa’s own best chance of the half.

Partey unaccountably threw the ball into Watkins’ path as he looked for Gabriel but the early volley dropped too late.

Almost instantly, Martinelli caught Ian Maatsen dawdling when Leandro Trossard – who missed TWICE in the final frantic moments – created space outside Boubacar Kamara and cross from the left.

Maatsen, booked earlier for a cynical foul on Martinelli, should have dealt with the situation but was caught on his heels and while the goalbound prod hit Martinez’ chin it had enough momentum to travel a crucial few inches over the line before the keeper clawed it away.

Maatsen, a red card waiting to happen, was hooked at the break by Emery, who had already seen Amadou Onana limp off in the immediate aftermath of the goal.

Digne, on for Maatsen, was involved almost instantly, hooking away after Myles Lewis-Skelly – who must have impressed England boss Thomas Tuchel – drilled across the six yard box.

It did not seem as if it would matter when Havertz doubled the advantage, firing an eight-yard volley from Trossard’s centre in off Martinez’ left shin – the keeper really should have saved it.

But from nowhere, Villa responded.

Tielemans threw himself head-first to meet Digne’s ball while Merino only stuck out a leg.

Seconds later, after scrambled brains at the back, only the foot of David Raya’s right-hand upright denied Tielemans another from 1 yards.

There was no let-off as Watkins grabbed his big chance.