Aston Villa snatched a dramatic injury-time winner to beat Arsenal at Villa Park, cutting the Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League to just three points.
Arsenal had looked set to maintain momentum after their midweek victory over Brentford, which had kept Manchester City at bay. But Villa’s relentless form proved too much, with the hosts extending their winning streak to six matches and moving to third in the table.
“Villa are a tough side to break down, and they showed why today,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. “We had chances, but they defended well and took theirs at the end.”
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Declan Rice returned to the starting XI despite being substituted late against Brentford, giving Arsenal some stability in midfield. However, even his presence couldn’t prevent a late Villa surge.
Villa manager Unai Emery praised his team’s resilience: “The players never gave up. Scoring at the end was a reward for our hard work and focus throughout the match.”
With fixtures coming thick and fast, Arsenal now face mounting pressure to prove their title credentials against a side that has made life increasingly difficult for them.