Arsenal 4-1 Aston Villa: Gabriel Magalhães, Martin Zubimendi, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all scored in an emphatic victory over Unai Emery’s side.
Arsenal put on a second-half masterclass to overwhelm Aston Villa 4-1, claiming title credentials and ending 2025 on a high note. The Gunners put in a dominant performance without Declan Rice, allowing Mikel Arteta to shine.
Both teams squandered good opportunities in the opening 45 minutes, with Arsenal reminding us of their dead-ball talent from corners early in the second period. As the ball was swung in, Emiliano Martínez tugged on Gabriel Magalhães’ shirt and soon found himself flying around Gabriel Magalhães as the ball slipped past the defender and into the net.
This turned Arsenal around and changed the course of the game. Martin Ødegaard took on Declan Rice’s role and won the ball back, before becoming a creator and forcing Martin Zvimendi into the box to score his first goal since September.
After a lengthy VAR check, Leandro Trossard scored cleanly in the 69th minute to give the Gunners a 3-0 lead. But Gabriel Jesus, who came off the bench, might have scored for the player in the 78th minute with a smart finish from outside the area.
The Emirates crowd was in a state of late jubilation as Arsenal convincingly ended Villa’s 11-game winning streak. Ollie Watkins scored a late goal.
Mirror Football takes you through the highlights of the match.
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Arsenal without rice
Arsenal’s test became even more difficult when it was announced before the game that Declan Rice would be absent. The Gunners star has suffered a knee injury and manager Mikel Arteta is hoping he won’t be out for an extended period of time.
“Declan had a big impact on his knee during the game (against Brighton), actually at the start of the game. By the end of the game it was a lot swollen. The game was too early for him to think about it,” Arteta explained.
“We hope that when the swelling comes up he will be able to function and that he will be well,” he added.
Although he has become synonymous with Arsenal and Rice in recent years, the midfielder has missed just three Premier League games since signing for the club in 2023. His fourth absence could not have come at a worse time, but the midfield trio of Martin Zvimendi, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard is nothing to laugh about.
Rice was made a mistake as Villa ensured enough recovery runs for their midfield trio. In some cases, it was perhaps too easy for the visitors to break through the middle of the pitch.
In the second half, Arsenal’s midfield combined and showed their talents, particularly in scoring the north London side’s second goal. Odegaard seems to be close to his best again.
Villa will regret losing Amadou Onana at half-time, as Arsenal may have forgotten who Rice was by the 90th minute.
gabriel comes back
God removed injury with one hand and provided good news with the other. Gabriel Magalhães has returned to revamp the division’s premier partnership.
Gabriel and William Saliba started together at centre-back in the Premier League for the first time since November 8. Going into the game, Arsenal have not conceded a single goal this season, with both players playing together for 90 minutes.
But it only happened 5 times. Gabriel made the comeback in the 77th minute after a great effort, but it was the only way he could not extend his tally.
As much as his defensive talent is in demand, his talent in front of goal is also Arsenal’s weapon from set-pieces, and he wasted little time reminding us of that.
positive frustration
Both Olly Watkins and Victor Gokeres will have gone into the match feeling they had something to prove. Watkins has returned to the starting XI after a disastrous spell at Chelsea, but the Swedish forward has not been convinced since joining.
The first 45 minutes didn’t help either. Watkins couldn’t place his feet correctly to convert chances, while Gokeres squandered two chances of his own.
The latter has made some good moves, but it seems too often that Arsenal try to exploit him away from his strengths or just don’t find him at all. Often they try to get the ball to him rather than the dangerous area where he finishes.
Gabriel Jesus’ goal will put even more pressure on Gokeres’ shoulders.
Watkins finally found the back of the net, but only after the game was over.
Will Aston Villa be in the title race?
Despite all of Unai Emery’s protests, it was difficult to ignore the possibility of a clash. A loss for Aston Villa would widen the gap, but any other result would put the Midlands club firmly in the conversation.
In the long game, they looked a lot like Arsenal’s game, which is probably saying a lot considering the Gunners were the favorites in this division. However, Arsenal showed their quality when needed and opened up a six-point lead over their rivals.
Indeed, the longer the match dragged on, the less convincing Villa’s argument became.
Unai Emery and Arsenal
The former Gunners manager has lost just one of his last six games against Arsenal, winning three in that time. Emery has been working hard to prove his coaching ability against the team that sacked him in 2019.
The Spaniard lost the title to Arsenal before and after recording a win earlier this month, and could be on the verge of winning it again. However, no further blows occurred on Tuesday.
Emery appeared to have found the answer to upset his former employer again after the first half. This time, Arsenal found an answer that was even more important than against Villa, but they suffered Emery’s first loss at the Emirates since his return.
Big questions about Arsenal
Despite Arsenal’s talent and title challenges, they have yet to conclusively prove that they can beat the best players and become the best. Heading into this game, they were without a win against any of the Premier League’s top five.
They have beaten Manchester City, who they have often been tasked with in recent seasons, but so far this season they have failed against teams below their strongest rivals. Things will change against Villa and give Arsenal the perfect boost for the second half of the season.
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