Arsenal held on to claim another three points with a 1-0 win thanks to Martin Odegaard’s super free-kick, some woeful Burnley finishing and Aaron Ramsdale’s man-of-the-match performance.

Football - 2021 / 2022 Premier League - Burnley vs. Arsenal Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates with Bukayo Saka after he curls a free kick around the Burnley wall to put his team 1-0 ahead in the first half, at Turf Moor. COLORSPORT/ALAN MARTIN
Football – 2021 / 2022 Premier League – Burnley vs. Arsenal Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates with Bukayo Saka after he curls a free kick around the Burnley wall to put his team 1-0 ahead in the first half, at Turf Moor. COLORSPORT/ALAN MARTIN

This match won’t be remembered by many, if we’re honest.

Beyond Martin Odegaard’s splendid free-kick right on the half-hour, Emile Smith Rowe came closest on 45 minutes for Arsenal, who finished the game with a massive seven shots on target after they created zero big chances.

In total, Arsenal had six shots in the first half, only one of which was on target. They forced a single corner (Burnley had two).

Burnley vs Arsenal shot map first half via Fotmob
Burnley vs Arsenal shot map first half via Fotmob

Half-time Arsenal player ratings

  • Burnley v Arsenal - Premier League - Turf Moor Arsenal s Martin Odegaard celebrates scoring their side s first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Turf Moor, Burnley. Picture date: Saturday September 18, 2021. Copyright: Anthony Devlin

      Burnley v Arsenal – Premier League – Turf Moor Arsenal s Martin Odegaard celebrates scoring their side s first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Turf Moor, Burnley. Picture date: Saturday September 18, 2021. Copyright: Anthony Devlin
  • Aaron Ramsdale 6.5
  • Kieran Tierney 6.9
  • Gabriel 6.7
  • Ben White 6.8
  • Takehiro Tomiyasu 6.8
  • Martin Odegaard 7.7
  • Thomas Partey 6.8
  • Bukayo Saka 6.4
  • Emile Smith Rowe 6.4
  • Nicolas Pepe 6.6
  • Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 6.3

Burnley 0 vs Arsenal 1 – After the break

The second half was, if anything, worse, even if the stats say otherwise. This was not a fun nor pretty game.

Burnley came out fast and Arsenal never really got control of the game.

There was a shout for a Burnley penalty, but VAR clearly showed that Aaron Ramsdale got his studs to the ball, low to the ground, and the Burnley player had gone over his leg.

Anthony Taylor went to the monitor, and, for once, VAR did what it was meant to do.

In fact, it was Ramsdale who was the standout player of the second half for Arsenal, ending the game with three saves, five high claims, and 19 recoveries.

Burnley finished the match with more shots, although their finishing was worse than Arsenal’s and they only managed three on target out of 18. Arsenal hit the target the same number of times from their 13.

Burnley also had eight corners to Arsenal’s three, and the Gunners allowed Sean Dyche’s men to put in an astronomical 40 crosses (Arsenal managed 9). Seven of those crosses happened in the few minutes it took me to put some finishing touches to this piece in the final few minutes of the game.

In concerns from the match, Thomas Partey asked to come off with what we can all hope is just a lack of match fitness, replaced by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Kieran Tierney was also taken off not long after, Nuno Tavares replacing the left-back who was suffering from what appeared to be cramp.

It’s hard to look past Aaron Ramsdale for Arsenal’s player of the match as he grows into a number one role Bernd Leno is going to struggle to claim back and that’s exactly what the stats say, too.

Full-time Arsenal player ratings (1st half)

  • Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale 32 claims a corner under pressure during the Premier League match between Burnley and Arsenal at Turf Moor, Burnley, England on 18 September 2021. Burnley Turf Moor Lancashire England Copyright: Simon Davies
    Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale 32 claims a corner under pressure during the Premier League match between Burnley and Arsenal at Turf Moor, Burnley, England on 18 September 2021. Burnley Turf Moor Lancashire England Copyright: Simon Davies

    Aaron Ramsdale (6.5) 8.2

  • Kieran Tierney (6.9) 7.2
  • Gabriel (6.7) 7.0
  • Ben White (6.8) 7.6
  • Takehiro Tomiyasu (6.8) 7.5
  • Martin Odegaard (7.7) 8.2
  • Thomas Partey (6.8) 7.5
  • Bukayo Saka (6.4) 7.2
  • Emile Smith Rowe (6.46.8)
  • Nicolas Pepe (6.6) 7.6
  • Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (6.3) 7.0

Arsenal subs vs Burnley

  • Albert Sambi Lokonga 6.7
  • Ainsley Maitland-Niles 6.1
  • Nuno Tavares 6.7