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John McGinn insists Aston Villa will remain level-headed despite being touted as Premier League title contenders.<\/p>\n
Villa captain McGinn scored the winner as Unai Emery\u2019s side beat Arsenal 1-0 on Saturday evening to move two points off the top of the table.<\/p>\n
The victory also extended Villa\u2019s winning league run at home to a club-record 15 games.<\/p>\n
The fighting victory over Arsenal came just three days after reigning champions Manchester City fell by the same scoreline at Villa Park, leading plenty of voices to install Villa firmly into the title race this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a huge win but we\u2019ve got to keep our feet on the ground,\u201d McGinn told VillaTV.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese teams are used to being up and around there and we\u2019re not. We need to try and manage the games as best we can going into a really busy spell.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Gunners boss Emery said he had to be \u201cclinical\u201d with his substitutions having opted to name the same Villa starting XI in both games.<\/p>\n
The tiredness in some of his players was clear to see as Saturday\u2019s clash progressed, but Villa held on and McGinn was keen to praise the effort of the whole squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cA big shout to all the boys who came on,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a huge win but we\u2019ve got to keep our feet on the ground. These teams are used to being up and around there and we\u2019re not. We need to try and manage the games as best we can going into a really busy spell<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not easy coming into a game like that. Arsenal have scored a lot of late goals this season, so we had to be switched on and really concentrate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tiredness from the past two weeks started to kick in and there were some dead bodies out there \u2013 me included \u2013 but it was an absolutely monumental effort. It wasn\u2019t pretty at times but they\u2019re a great side. What a week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arsenal thought they had salvaged a point when Kai Havertz bundled home from close range in the last minute, only for his effort to be chalked off for handball.<\/p>\n
It was another contentious decision that went against Mikel Arteta\u2019s side \u2013 with the Spaniard refusing to be drawn on either that call or a strong penalty claim for a foul on Gabriel Jesus that was ultimately waved away by referee Jarred Gillett and the VAR.<\/p>\n
The result meant Arsenal slipped off the top of the table but captain Martin Odegaard, who missed two of a number of fine chances for the visitors, said heads will not be allowed to drop following the setback.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to look to the next one,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe games are coming so quickly now so it\u2019s no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have to get back to working hard to improve and bounce back in the next game, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to do now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we didn\u2019t deserve to lose this game, but at the same time, we could have done better, especially in front of the goals. We gave them an easy goal and we were a bit sloppy in front of goal as well, so it\u2019s annoying and frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n