Arsenal had a prime opportunity to seize the Premier League leadership following Liverpool's stumble against Crystal Palace, but their hopes were dashed in a disastrous showdown with Aston Villa (0-2). Despite playing one more game, Villa now leads Tottenham by three points in the race for the fourth spot. Arteta's men squandered numerous scoring chances throughout the first half and paid dearly for it. With less than 10 minutes remaining, Bailey and Watkins delivered decisive blows, clinching a win at Villa Park and propelling Manchester City to the top of the league before their Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
The Arsenal vs. Aston Villa match marked the 33rd round of the Premier League and unfolded at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal, buoyed by their recent 0-3 victory over Brighton at the AMEX and Liverpool's 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, had briefly climbed back to the top of the standings based on goal difference over Klopp's team. Nevertheless, following Manchester City's resounding 5-1 win over Luton Town, the Gunners were under intense pressure to deliver in one of the season's most challenging fixtures. Amid their Champions League quarter-final bout with Bayern Munich, Arteta's squad faced a formidable Aston Villa, who had previously bested them 1-0 at Villa Park with an early goal from McGinn.
The 'Villains' currently sit fourth in the Premier League with 60 points and are eager to capitalize on Tottenham's recent 4-0 defeat at St. James' Park against Newcastle United. Despite winning only once in their last five Premier League matches and not being in top form this season, Emery's team arrived determined at a stadium where they had managed just one win in their past five visits. Arsenal started with Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Rice, Odegaard, Trossard, Saka, Jesus, and Havertz, while Emery fielded a lineup including Dibu Martinez, Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau, Digne, Zaniolo, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Diaby, and Watkins.
Even match with clear chances for both teams
The match began with an early scare from Aston Villa, as Ollie Watkins' header nearly caught David Raya off-guard. The squad managed by Unai Emery showed aggressive intent from the start, aiming to secure all three points. As the match progressed, Arsenal gained control and pressed closer to the goal guarded by Dibu Martinez. One of the most active attackers was Havertz. Despite this pressure, a mistake by Arsenal in the 39th minute led to Watkins striking the post, narrowly missing a goal. Just before halftime, after recovering from the shock, Arteta’s side responded first with Trossard and then with Bukayo Saka, who fired a shot just wide of the post. The intensity of the game increased in these final moments of the first half.
The teams went into halftime evenly matched, with no clear dominator on the field, though it was Arsenal who had created more opportunities to take the lead. Nonetheless, the Aston Villa post made it clear that any lapse in concentration could cost Arteta's team dearly.
The second half continued with the same dynamics as the first, with both teams on equal footing. Fifteen minutes into the half, Arsenal endured another scare when Tielemans unleashed a powerful shot that struck the crossbar, almost resulting in a goal. The luck was with Arteta's team. A minute later, the hosts had a chance with a shot from Leandro Trossard, but the Argentine goalkeeper denied Arsenal the goal. Both teams continued to create danger, and at this point, a draw seemed the fairest outcome.
Seeing that goals were not forthcoming, Arteta made strategic changes before the 70th minute, aiming to increase the threat. Benjamin White and Leandro Trossard left the field, replaced by Tomiyasu and Martinelli. With 15 minutes to go, Aston Villa looked comfortable on the pitch. Emery also made a move, bringing on Alex Moreno for Zaniolo.
A killer Aston Villa at the end of the game
At the 84th minute, the game took a turn for the worse for the Gunners. Leon Bailey was on the spot to push the ball into the net after a play initiated by Alex Moreno to Digne, who crossed it into the small area where Bailey converted from the back post.
This was a significant blow for Arteta's side, one from which they would not recover, as two minutes later, Aston Villa struck again. Arsenal pushed forward in attack, and in a counterattack, Watkins found himself completely alone in front of David Raya and deftly chipped the ball into the opposing net.
After the two goals were conceded, the match neared its end, with eight minutes of added time. Arsenal, more desperate than tactical, sought an equalizer. The issue was that they seemed more intent on scoring the second goal before the first.
With Bailey and Watkins' goals, Aston Villa secured a critical victory at Arsenal's home ground, boosting their chances of qualifying for the next Champions League. This was a harsh defeat for an Arsenal side keen on winning the Premier League.
The match concluded with a surprising 2-0 defeat for Arsenal at the Emirates, effectively setting the table for Manchester City. Manchester City thus leads with 73 points, while Arsenal is second with 71 points.