Piero Hincapié remains on the bench as Arsenal maintain perfect Premier League start

Piero Hincapié’s wait for a regular place at Arsenal continued on Sunday, when the Ecuadorian defender watched the entire 1-0 win over Aston Villa from the bench.

It was the second consecutive match in which Hincapié started among the substitutes. He has played only nine official minutes at the beginning of the season, despite taking on a more prominent role during the closing stretch of the previous campaign.

Competition on Arsenal’s left side has intensified. Riccardo Calafiori started again and has moved ahead of Hincapié, helped by his ability to join attacks and provide alternatives when Arsenal builds from the back. Hincapié remains an option because he can operate both as a central defender and as a left-back.

While Hincapié waited for an opportunity, Arsenal secured a difficult away victory. The match was scoreless at halftime before Bukayo Saka struck in the 58th minute. Calafiori helped create the move, which ended with Saka scoring the only goal.

Aston Villa created danger and hit the crossbar, while Arsenal found more space after the break and had chances to extend its lead. The score stayed 1-0, giving Mikel Arteta’s team three more points and preserving its perfect start. Arsenal will compete in several competitions, and Hincapié’s versatility could give him opportunities when Arteta begins rotating the squad. For now, Calafiori is ahead of him on the left, with other options also available in central defense.