Arsenal's Premier League title ambitions were dealt a severe blow on a dramatic afternoon at Villa Park, succumbing to a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat thanks to a 94th-minute winner from Aston Villa's Emi Buendía.
Dramatic Late Collapse Stuns Gunners
The match, played on Saturday, 6th December 2025, saw Mikel Arteta's side fight back from a goal down, only to be shattered by a last-gasp strike. The victory for Unai Emery's men closes the gap at the top to just three points, throwing the title race wide open and allowing rivals to pile pressure back on the North London club.
Villa opened the scoring in the first half through Matty Cash, who capitalised on some hesitant Arsenal defending to slot home a low finish. The Gunners thought they had equalised earlier when Eberechi Eze found the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside against Bukayo Saka in the build-up.
Arteta's Changes and Ultimate Heartbreak
Arteta's half-time intervention proved initially inspired. The introduction of Leandro Trossard had an immediate impact, with the Belgian forward firing home an equaliser shortly after the restart after Saka's shot was deflected into his path.
Arsenal then endured sustained pressure from the hosts, with goalkeeper David Raya making several crucial saves, including another fine stop from Ollie Watkins. However, the resistance was broken in the fourth minute of added time. In a frantic finale, the ball fell to Emi Buendía, who smashed his finish past Raya to send Villa Park into raptures and leave the travelling Arsenal support devastated.
Arsenal Player Ratings: Star Man and Strugglers
The individual performances painted a mixed picture for Arsenal, with one player in particular enduring a torrid time.
David Raya (8/10) was a standout, making a series of excellent saves to keep his team in the contest, including a vital one-on-one denial of Watkins early on.
In defence, Riccardo Calafiori (8/10) was excellent with several key interceptions, while Ben White, Jurrien Timber, and Piero Hincapié all earned solid 7/10 ratings despite the defensive lapse for the opener.
Further forward, Bukayo Saka (7/10) was a constant threat and instrumental in the equaliser. However, the afternoon was a nightmare for Eberechi Eze, who was rated a mere 4/10. Described as largely "invisible" during a poor first-half display, he was culpable for losing Cash at the back post for Villa's opener and was substituted at half-time. Mikel Merino (5/10) also struggled before being replaced.
The substitutes made a marked difference, with Leandro Trossard (8/10) scoring and changing the game's dynamic, while Viktor Gyökeres (6/10) added energy.
Consequences for the Title Race
This result represents a significant momentum shift in the Premier League campaign. Aston Villa have firmly announced themselves as title contenders with this statement victory. For Arsenal, the psychological blow of conceding so late will be as damaging as the loss of points, with questions now over their resilience in the biggest moments. The Gunners must regroup quickly, with the margin for error at the top of the table now dramatically reduced.
