Aubameyang’s winner for Arsenal should have been disallowed due to strict new Premier League rules

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG rescued ten-man Arsenal against Aston Villa but fans can also thank the officials for several glaring oversights.

The Gunners had to come from behind twice against Dean Smith’s side after Ainsley Maitland-Niles had seen red before the Gabonese struck.

A first Arsenal goal from Nicolas Pepe had cancelled out John McGinn’s opener, before Callum Chambers hauled them level for a second time after Wesley’s neat finish.

It was then up to Aubameyang to win it for Unai Emery’s men from a late free-kick, which he arrowed through the wall to lift the roof off the Emirates.

However, the home fans should have been brought back down to earth with the officials ruling out the goal because of a David Luiz infraction.

The International Football Association Board have introduced strict new rules this season, with a lot of criticism being aimed at the revised handball law.

However, another of the regulations concerns how free-kicks are taken, with attacking players banned from standing within a yard of the defending wall.

And when Aubameyang hit the set-piece, David Luiz is stood a yard in front of the five-man Villa defence, while Chambers is sandwiched between Jack Grealish and McGinn.

Fans argued that England International Chambers was not infringing as the away side’s wall is not continuous.

But former Chelsea star Luiz could have no complaints if officials ruled out the goal out and awarded Villa an indirect free-kick.

Law 13.3 reads: “If, when a free kick is taken, an attacking team player is less than one metre (one yard) from a ‘wall’ formed by three or more defending team players, an indirect free kick is awarded.”

In the aftermath of Arsenal’s celebrations, Tyrone Mings appeared to have words with referee Moss but VAR was not consulted and the goal stood.

Villa were then dealt further bad luck when the decision was made not to award them a penalty late on after a handball from Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

However, the Gunners rode their luck to hold onto the three points and Chambers warned Arsenal that they can’t keep relying on Aubameyang to save them.

He admitted: “We know as a team that we can’t keep relying on Auba and that as a defensive unit we need to shut the door and be stronger at the back.

“Obviously it helps when you have a striker like Auba but we’re working every day in training on improving our defensive performance.”