Follow usAston Villa delivered a sensational performance to shock Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, shaking up the Premier League title race and favoring Manchester City’s championship aspirations.
The match began with heightened expectations for Arsenal following Liverpool’s unexpected home defeat to Crystal Palace. However, Arsenal’s performance fell well short of expectations, resulting in a convincing defeat as Villa manager Unai Emery celebrated a triumphant return to his former club.
Arsenal struggled to match the impressive display from the visitors, who ultimately secured a well-deserved victory, moving three points clear of Tottenham in fourth place, albeit having played one more game.
Although Villa dominated proceedings, they had to wait until six minutes from the final whistle to break the deadlock. Despite hitting the woodwork twice through Ollie Watkins and Youri Tielemans, Leon Bailey finally found the breakthrough with a composed finish at the far post.
Arsenal’s hopes were dashed early in the first half when Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez pulled off a stunning save from Leandro Trossard. Villa sealed their victory in the 87th minute when Watkins capitalized on a clear opportunity to loft a composed finish over David Raya.
The result capped off a perfect weekend for defending champions Manchester City, who now sit two points clear at the top of the table, with Arsenal narrowly ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.
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