Villa were left counting the cost of a string of first-half misses as they fell to their first defeat of the season.

Kevin MacDonald's young side should have been well ahead by the interval and were favourites to claim all three points as Arsenal were reduced to ten men four minutes after the break.

But the hosts rallied to claim the points on a frustrating night for Villa's second string.

Villa made a bright start and Clark fired wide inside the second minute as he met an inviting cross from Earls.

Herd was denied by Arsenal keeper Mannone as he met a Mikaelsson through ball. Hogg fired wide from the rebound.

Lund produced a timely challenge to deny Gibbs on nine. Moments later Merida rattled the underside of the Villa bar with a 25-yard piledriver.

Villa responded well and Forrester curled a 25-yard free-kick narrowly wide two minutes later.

Mikaelsson had the ball in the net on 18, but the flag was already up for offside.

The Swede went close again on 21, but saw his low drive from a Forrester through ball saved by Mannone. The keeper again denied Mikaelsson on 22.

Bevan was almost left red faced by Gibbs on 26 as the Arsenal man intercepted a weak ball forwards. But the Villa keeper recovered to clear the danger.

Lowry met a Forrester free-kick on 30, but was unable to keep his header down.

Arsenal keeper Mannone denied Delfouneso with a point-blank save on 38 after good work down the left from Bellon.

Mannone was once again the hero on 43, somehow saving from Mikaelsson as the Villa striker looked sure to score from close range.

Herd headed over the bar in stoppage time as he rose to meet another well placed Forrester free-kick.

Arsenal were reduced to ten men on 49 as Dunne clashed with Hogg and appeared to headbutt the Villa man.

Bevan palmed a low drive from Barazite around the post two minutes later as the hosts responded to the dismissal.

Villa struggled to find the rhythm of the opening 45 in the early stages of the second-half.

Barazite opened the scoring for the hosts on 61, firing low past Bevan to round off an Arsenal breakaway.

Bannan fired high over the bar as he met Lund's angled ball on 64.

Mannone cleared a Banan corner on 70 under pressure from Earls and Herd.

Opportunities were at a premium as the second-half continued and Villa looked for a way back into the game.

Forrester fired high and wide after a mazy run into the Arsenal box on 77.

Arsenal: Mannone, G.Hoyte, Rodgers (booked 13), Steer, Ogogo (booked 45), Gibbs, Dunne (sent-off 49), Lansbury (booked 32), Merida, Barazite, Randall. Subs: Shea, Bartley, Emmanuel-Thomas, van den Berg, Fonte.

VILLA: Bevan, Lund, Earls, Herd, Lowry, Clark, Forrester, Hogg (booked 84), Delfouneso, Mikaelsson, Y.Bellon. Subs: Lichaj, Boyle, Hofbauer, Weimann, Bannan.