Arsenal’s aspirations for the Premier League championship took a severe hit when Aston Villa secured a critical 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, boosting their chances for a top-four finish. A win would have catapulted Mikel Arteta’s team back to the top of the leaderboard. However, instead, they ceded ground to Manchester City following two late goals.
Leon Bailey broke the deadlock, followed by Ollie Watkins, who intensified the lead, marking a satisfying triumph for Villa’s manager Unai Emery against his former club.
Arsenal’s unbroken streak of 12 league games ended, placing them second, just two points behind City. Liverpool trailed closely on goal difference.
With only six matches remaining, City is on the brink of securing an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title after overtaking Arsenal with their Saturday win against Luton.
Despite Liverpool’s unexpected loss to Crystal Palace earlier, Arsenal failed to capitalize, instead delivering a lackluster performance that jeopardized their hopes of clinching their first English title in two decades. The week had already been challenging for the Gunners, with a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, setting the stage for a demanding return leg in Germany.
Arsenal risks repeating last season’s blunder of losing an eight-point lead in the title race.
Meanwhile, Villa ascended to fourth place, benefiting from Tottenham’s defeat by Newcastle. They moved three points ahead of Spurs, who still have a game in hand.
Arsenal had moments of promise early on, with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka forcing saves from Emiliano Martinez. Villa, however, defended stoutly and survived Arsenal’s intensified attacks, with Watkins nearly scoring early on.
The second half saw Villa maintain their defensive organization, frustrating Arsenal and their fans as the game progressed. Villa’s persistence paid off when Bailey found the net after a precise cross from Lucas Digne. Watkins soon added to the tally, rounding off a counter-attack with a finesse shot past David Raya, cementing a significant win for Villa and leaving Arsenal to reflect on a potentially devastating defeat. Emery’s celebratory reaction contrasted sharply with Arteta’s somber demeanour as the match concluded.
