An entertaining first half at the Emirates Stadium between Arsenal and Aston Villa has ended 1-1.

The hosts started brilliantly and took a deserved lead in the sixth minute when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain received the ball from Tomas Rosicky before whipping in a perfect cross for Olivier Giroud to open the scoring from close range.

Giroud had an opportunity to double his tally before the game had reached 20 minutes, but he directed his header wide after losing his marker.

Aston Villa had barely threatened in the first period but they were gifted a chance to equalise when Wojciech Szczesny brought down Gabriel Agbonlahor inside the box that earned the goalkeeper a booking.

Szczesny looked as though he had made amends when he blocked Christian Benteke's penalty, but the striker was alert enough to head the rebound into the back of the net.

Both sides were struck by injury in the first period as Ciaran Clark was forced to replace Nathan Baker before the Gunners were made to bring on Carl Jenkinson for Kieron Gibbs, who suffered a cut to the head.

Szczesny came close to gifting Villa a second goal after venturing outside of his box only to be challenged by Benteke. The ball fell to Ashley Westwood, who attempted to score from 35 yards only to see the Polish goalkeeper recover to keep the effort out.