Once Bukayo Saka put Arsenal in front just before the hour mark, the result felt almost inevitable.
Villa did not manage so much as a shot on target. They tried to rattle Arsenal in the challenges and turn this into a fight but it was one the Gunners relished.
The ten days between the win over Coventry and this trip to Villa Park have been filled with transfer speculation and talk of what could be done.
Arsenal flex muscles amid transfer wait
This felt like more of the same from Arsenal for much of the night, a continuation of the formula that won them the title last season.
The first-half was almost a non-event. Arteta’s side were rock solid at the back and gave up almost nothing, but there was not enough in the way of attacking thrust.
He will complete his move to Al-Hilal before Tuesday night’s transfer deadline and it remains uncertain whether the Gunners will reinforce in attack before the window shuts.
Arsenal’s defensive might remains their greatest strength
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Arsenal relied on their defensive superpower last season rather than a superstar in attack and that was the case again here. Questions over the lack of a marquee signing in forward areas will remain.
Eberechi Eze came on and immediately improved the left wing. Bruno Guimaraes changed how Arsenal played with his progressive passing, sliding in Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz.
Mikel Merino won fouls and twisted out of trouble, Martin Zubimendi was introduced late on and got a crucial foot in to stop a counter, and bringing on a £50million signing in Ezri Konsa after Cristhian Mosquera limped off was another flex of the Arsenal muscles.
For Christos Tzolis, the opening weeks of life at Arsenal could hardly have gone any better.
He has quickly earned the trust of Arteta and has immediately hit the ground running with his goal contributions.
However, this was the toughest outing in an Arsenal shirt so far.
Tzolis’ frustration built in the opening half an hour when twice he had appeals for a foul waved away, with one of those incidents leading to Emi Buendia crashing an effort off the bar.
Learning the hard way: Christos Tzolis
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Shortly after, the winger’s mood was not improved when he took a heavy touch and brought down Matty Cash, earning a yellow card.
He was loose in possession and struggled to get involved. Arsenal’s best moments all came on the opposite flank.
There was a scare for Tzolis that it could have got even worse, as Villa appealed for a second yellow card after John McGinn went down.
Tzolis survived that as the referee played advantage but Arteta’s mind was made up. He made the half-time change to bring Eberechi Eze on and end Tzolis’ tough night.
This was a reminder that it is unfair to expect him to deliver week in, week out as he adapts to a new club.
Eze back at the scene of the crime
It was at Villa Park last season where Eze started at left wing and was then brought off at half-time.
He lost Cash at the back post for Villa’s goal and there was a sense that he never truly regained Arteta’s belief in him as a winger for the rest of the season.
But with Tzolis struggling here and Martinelli on his way to Saudi Arabia, Eze’s chance for a more positive Villa Park experience came.
Eberechi Eze changed the game after his half-time introduction
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It is one he took full advantage of. Just before the hour mark, Eze found space just inside the box, slid a clever pass through to Calafiori, and Saka got on the end of his cross to open the scoring.
Eze continued to look sharp, bringing down an awkward ball over the top brilliantly to burst away from his man and very nearly pick out Kai Havertz.
There were moments late on that might concern Arteta. When Arsenal were looking to control the closing stages, Eze was not always as secure in possession as his manager would have liked.
However, there was enough here to suggest Eze deserves plenty more minutes out wide this season.
