Arsenal 3-1 Burnley: 10-man Gunners return to winning ways as Zinchenko scores sublime SCISSOR-KICK volley after goals from Trossard and Saliba either side of a Brownhill equalizer

Stubbornness and the will to compete.

Having worked closely with Vincent Kompany as assistant manager of Manchester City between 2016 and 2019, Mikel Arteta would have expected these traits to be evident in each side under the Belgian’s leadership.

And they were. Burnley, who remain in second place with just four points, threw almost as many punches as they had received after having five shots on target to the home side’s six.

It was two corners in the second half that paved the way for Arsenal.

Despite the result, Arteta brought up VAR straight after the match after seeing Fabio Vieira sent off for catching Josh Brownhill high on the shin.

Leandro Trossard rewarded Arsenal’s dominance by breaking the deadlock just before half-time

Trossard opened the scoring on the edge of half-time with a header from the back post that caused him some discomfort

He said sharply: ‘And with the red card… yes, the VAR was right. The referee was right. Really good decision, really positive of Mikel to talk about that. Good decision.

‘I hope I say on TV that the referees are so good and that I fully support them and am very constructive.’

William Saliba powerfully nodded home the Gunners’ second goal from a Leandro Trossard corner in the 57th minute, before Oleksandr Zinchenko finished the match with a third via a karate-style kick. The ball had initially bounced off the crossbar following Dara O’Shea’s header from another Trossard corner.

A lack of physicality and imposing character are accusations that have been leveled at Arsenal for some time, an area that many a team has focused on when facing the club in recent years.

Yet it was these elements that emerged when they were needed most. A telepathic understanding between Trossard and Bukayo Saka, who now assisted all seven of the Belgian’s goals, secured the opener. That was the club’s thousandth goal in the Emirates.

Burnley certainly had the chance to cause a big scare.

David Raya, who produced an excellent save from Johann Gudmundsson in the first half and spread wide to spray the ball clear, was later found in no man’s land by Luca Koleosho, with Saliba saving his keeper with an almighty sliding tackle.

In many ways it encompassed Raya: sparks of brilliance, but with the knowledge that a moment of trouble might be just around the corner.

Kompany said: ‘I thought we could have momentum, have moments in most phases. So it was a very disciplined and mature performance.

‘But of course the disappointment about the timing of the goals and the way we conceded the second goal. Even near the top, it’s something that I think will make us even sharper.”

Arsenal have made it two wins after beating Sevilla, having lost the previous three

Josh Brownhill gave Burnley an unlikely equalizer in the 54th minute with a deflected goal

But Arsenal regained their lead almost immediately thanks to Saliba’s close-range header

Two of the five players Arteta had said were doubtful, Saka and Takehiro Tomiyasu, started. You could say it was a surprise beyond what was seen, given his track record on injury news.

The Clarets had lost their last six league games and already looked dangerously adrift going into this match.

Yet Burnley at the Emirates were the only Premier League team Arteta had faced and failed to beat or score.

Gudmundsson took advantage of a rare Arsenal mistake at the back and broke through with three defenders in tow. The midfielder fired a shot towards the right post, while Raya pulled off an extended diving stop to deny it.

A reasonable effort from Gudmundsson, but he should have scored.

Before the first half was over, Trossard broke the deadlock. Gabriel Martinelli’s cross reached Saka in the penalty area and he headed the ball to Trossard at the back post.

The striker jumped into the air, beat Dara O’Shea and headed home past goalkeeper James Trafford, but it also clattered against the post.

It looked horrible and painful. Instead of celebrating, Arteta was worried on the touchline. Especially since he was still on the ground a few minutes later.

Trossard stood up with his arm in an awkward position but was nevertheless able to muster a smile for the crowd and, crucially, carry on.

Immediately after the break, Koleosho broke forward and went around Raya, with Saliba saving his teammate with that tackle. There was no room for error, the goal was wide open.

Vincent Kompany (left) spent a lot of time with Mikel Arteta when the two were together at Man City from 2016 to 2019

Oleksandr Zinchenko extended the Gunners’ lead with a brilliant scissor kick after 74 minutes

Arsenal substitute Fabio Vieira was immediately sent off for a dangerous tackle on Brownhill

Burnley boss Kompany’s team showed signs of promise, but remain rooted in the relegation zone

It was a sign of more to come, with Koleosho teeing up Tomiyasu on the edge of the penalty area. The ball fell to Josh Brownhill. His shot hit Gabriel in the goal in the 54th minute.

That equalizer would not last long, three minutes later Saliba scored from Trossard’s corner.

Zinchenko put the game out of reach with the third after Fabio Vieira, who came on in the 59th minute, was sent off 14 minutes later for a poor high challenge on Brownhill.

But in the end, Arteta took the win, escaping a potential injury from Trossard and witnessing a physical advantage. Any results.