Arsenal, fresh from their emotional victory at Luton on Tuesday, experienced a reality check at Villa Park as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa, causing them to slip from the top of the Premier League table.
Aston Villa captain John McGinn secured the victory with the lone goal of the game after just six minutes, displaying a superb finish on the turn following a well-executed move down the Arsenal left. Unai Emery’s team, riding on the momentum of their 15th successive home triumph, had previously defeated Manchester City at the same venue three days earlier, maintaining their third position in the league.
Despite Arsenal’s efforts to stage a comeback, with Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus testing Emi Martinez in the first half, the visitors struggled to gain momentum. In the second half, Arsenal dominated more possession, and although Odegaard had a promising chance that went wide, and Kai Havertz had a last-minute equalizer disallowed for handball, they were unable to find the late goal that has often been crucial for them this season.