Aston Villa delivered a remarkable performance to stun Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, shifting the Premier League title race in favor of Manchester City.
The match began with heightened expectations for the Gunners following Liverpool’s surprising home defeat by Crystal Palace. However, Arsenal failed to meet expectations and were convincingly defeated as Villa manager Unai Emery enjoyed a triumphant return to his former club.
Despite Arsenal‘s struggles, they managed to hold off Villa’s impressive attacks for much of the game. However, Villa eventually secured a well-deserved victory, moving three points ahead of Tottenham in fourth place, albeit having played one more game.
It was not until six minutes from the end of regular time that Villa broke the deadlock, with Leon Bailey scoring a decisive goal with a low finish at the far post. Although Arsenal had their chances, including a stunning save by Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Leandro Trossard in the first half, they were unable to find the back of the net.
Villa sealed their victory in the 87th minute when Ollie Watkins raced clear and calmly lofted the ball over David Raya. This result capped off a perfect weekend for reigning champions Manchester City, who now sit two points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table, with Liverpool in third place on goal difference.