Emiliano Buendia scored a last-gasp winner to move Aston Villa within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal after a sensational 2-1 victory over the Gunners on Saturday.
Buendia picked out the top-right corner with the last kick of the game to send Villa Park into raptures and deal Arsenal just their second league defeat of the season.
Mikel Arteta’s team had come back after Matty Cash’s 36th-minute opener through Leandro Trossard, who found the back of the net seven minutes after coming on at half-time.
But with the game seemingly on course for a draw, Buendia thundered home a stunning winner after David Raya had made a brilliant initial save to deny Youri Tielemans.
Arsenal stay on 33 points, while Aston Villa now have 30.
How the match unfolded
An end-to-end opening saw both Emiliano Martinez and David Raya tested, with the Villa goalkeeper springing down low to his left to thwart Martin Odegaard’s shot from distance.
Ollie Watkins then danced his way beyond Piero Hincapie and Jurrien Timber’s challenges but could not squeeze his shot past Raya, though Villa Park was soon celebrating.
Following patient build-up play, Pau Torres’ cross from the left deflected off Timber and towards Cash, who rifled a first-time strike through Raya’s legs after running off the back of Eberechi Eze at the back post.
But just seven minutes after being introduced at half-time, Trossard restored parity when he turned in from the left of the box after Martinez’s save had deflected into his path, but there was late drama in the encounter.
Having already seen Donyell Malen fire agonisingly wide, Buendia came up trumps with an excellent finish in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time after a chaotic scramble in the box.
Buendia proves his worth again
Buendia has often made an impact from the bench for Villa this season, but his contribution here is most certainly his biggest, and the effect it could have on his team’s season could be huge.
Villa started the match with the bit between their teeth, ensuring the Premier League leaders could not settle into an early rhythm, and their fast start was almost rewarded, but Watkins could only find the grateful palms of Raya from inside the penalty area.
But a theme of their play saw Unai Emery’s team continually target Arsenal’s left-hand side, as Eze, operating on that wing rather than centrally, struggled to keep pace with Cash’s marauding runs.
However, Villa’s persistence paid off just before the break, though Arsenal kept them on their toes at the other end, with Martinez on hand to comfortably gather Ben White’s attempt at goal on the second attempt after Bukayo Saka had breezed past Ian Maatsen.
The hosts succumbed to Arsenal’s resurgence after the break when Trossard struck the equaliser, but eventually found their feet again as Watkins drew a smart stop from Raya just before being replaced by Malen.
The Dutchman had a big chance to win it late on but could not punish Riccardo Calafiori’s mistake. Buendia was on hand to bail him out with another well-taken finish, which comes as another confidence boost ahead of a trip to Basel in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.
Arsenal fail to jump Villa obstacle
Arteta labelled Arsenal’s trip to Villa Park as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, though it did prove to be the latter against a side in red-hot form.
Odegaard forced Martinez into a fine early stop, but the Gunners’ best attacking outlet proved to be Saka, who, in the 22nd minute, squared for Eze to tuck what he thought was the game’s opening goal, only for that to be quickly ruled out for offside.
Arsenal were playing without William Saliba or Gabriel Magalhaes for just the fourth time since the start of the 2022/23 season, and with Cristhian Mosquera also out injured, their stern defence was breached, though Arteta will not be happy with how his side fell behind.
Eze switched off at the back post, which allowed Villa to hit the jackpot through Cash, with Arteta responding at the break by substituting the England international for Trossard, while Viktor Gyokeres replaced Mikel Merino up front.
Trossard’s impact was immediate, with his goal coming after he had previously just missed the mark, but for all of their good attacking play after the break, they were undone after a moment of madness in their own penalty area.
Arsenal will look to get back on track in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, with a trip to Club Brugge up next on Wednesday.
Club reports
Aston Villa report | Arsenal report
What the managers said
Unai Emery: “So happy. We finished this week really playing like we need to – competing, demanding ourselves, adapting to the opponent and playing with personality. Dominating sometimes and getting in the box, being intense and aggressive when we needed . Villa Park is special, the supporters transmit the energy to us. How they responded is fantastic.
“We are going to focus game by game. We know our only way is if we are trying to focus on each competition. Europa League we want to play well but Premier League is our first priority. We have to respond like we did it today.”
Mikel Arteta: “In the manner the way we lost it was difficult to take. We had moments in the first half and after that we started to control the game and had good situations. We didn't manage the ball well when we regained it. We started well in second half, scored, we were dominant. Then we had periods where we gave the ball away which could've cost the game before the actual goal. It is painful.
"The manner we played, the moment someone beats his own man the space is open, we had our moments but they are a good side. We were close a few times. We need to lift up and go again.
"Every week will be like this. We are 18 games unbeaten and the margins are so small. We have to focus on ourselves and certain standards today - individual levels weren't there in some cases. We have to go again.”
Next PL fixtures
Key facts
At 94:03, Buendía’s strike was the second latest winning goal scored against Arsenal on record (since 2006/07) in the Premier League after Neal Maupay in June 2020 (94:26).
Arsenal have lost six Premier League games against Villa under Arteta, their second most against an opponent under the Spaniard (7 vs Manchester City).
Villa have won nine of their last 10 Premier League games (L1), the first time they’ve had as many as nine wins in a 10 game spell in the top-flight since December 1919.
Trossard’s equaliser for Arsenal was his 50th Premier League goal, becoming the fifth Belgian player to reach the milestone after Romelu Lukaku (121), Christian Benteke (86), Eden Hazard (85) and Kevin De Bruyne (72).