Zinchenko reveals why he made a reserved celebration for his goal against Aston Villa

Oleksandr Zinchenko made a reserved celebration for his first ever goal for Arsenal and in the Premier League against Aston Villa. The Ukrainian international was part of a dramatic comeback as the Gunners scored two injury-time goals to beat Aston Villa and end their winless run.

Arsenal made a stunning comeback to stun Aston Villa this weekend, going from two goals down to win 4-2 in the Premier League encounter at Villa Park. Goals from Ollie Watkins and Coutinho put the home side 2-1 up at halftime, but Arsenal fought back in style with equalisers within 16 minutes of the restart by Zinchenko and Jorginho. Martinelli added a fourth late on before the referee called time on proceedings.

Despite scoring such an important goal, Zinchenko chose not to celebrate his strike, instead opting to focus on helping his team secure all three points. Speaking after the game, he said as per Arsenal Player: “It was 2-2 and we wanted to score another one, so there was no time for celebrations. I’m so happy to help the team, but for me, the three points were the priority.”

Zinchenko went on to explain that it was important for Arsenal to get back on track in terms of points and morale: “It’s not just about in terms of points and the table. It’s about the rhythm and our mood in the dressing room and the training ground. We just need to keep fighting until the very end.”

The Ukrainian midfielder has been an integral part of Mikel Arteta’s squad since joining from Manchester City in the 2022 summer transfer window. His goal against Aston Villa was his first ever goal for Arsenal and in the Premier League, making it even more special for him despite his reserved celebration.

Zinchenko’s attitude is indicative of what Arteta is trying to build at Arsenal – a team that puts collective success above individual glory – something which will be key if they are to win silverware this season.