Villa stun Arsenal on the opening day

Aston Villa have made a stunning start to the new Premier League season, coming from behind to beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium on 17 August.

Christian Benteke scored twice and Antonio Luna marked his debut with a goal, as Villa became the first team to beat Arsenal on the opening day of a season in 13 years.

How the game unfolded

Olivier Giroud gave Arsenal an early lead, but Villa hit back. Benteke, who signed a new four-year contract last month after withdrawing a transfer request, scored twice, and Luna, a summer signing from Sevilla, added a third to complete a memorable afternoon for the thousands of travelling supporters.

Arsenal also had a player sent off in the second half, and the home crowd turned on their team as the result slipped away.

A statement of intent

The win is a huge boost for manager Paul Lambert, whose young side struggled for much of last season before pulling clear of relegation in the final weeks. Lambert has added several young players from abroad this summer, and the victory suggests his team could be more competitive this season.

Last season, Villa spent much of the time near the bottom of the table, suffered an 8-0 defeat at Chelsea and were knocked out of the League Cup by Bradford City of League Two. They eventually finished 15th.

Benteke the hero

Benteke's goals will delight supporters who feared he would leave in the summer. The Belgian striker was the club's top scorer last season, and his decision to stay has already paid off.

A tough week ahead

Villa face a tough start to the season. They play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in midweek, before their first home game against Liverpool next Saturday, meaning three games against top sides in the space of a week.

A repeat fixture

Coincidentally, Villa also opened the 2006-07 season away at Arsenal, when the two sides drew in the first league match at the Emirates Stadium.

Hope for the season

The result will lift spirits at Villa Park after several difficult seasons. The club has finished in the bottom half of the table for the last two seasons, and owner Randy Lerner has cut spending to reduce the club's losses.

One win does not make a season, and Lambert will be keen to make sure his players keep their feet on the ground. But beating one of the Premier League's biggest clubs on their own ground, with a young team full of new faces, is the kind of start supporters had barely dared to hope for.

For Arsenal, the defeat has increased pressure on manager Arsene Wenger to spend money in the transfer window, which remains open until the start of September.