Overview
- Aston Villa beat Arsenal 2–1 at Villa Park as Emi Buendia scored in stoppage time to halt the Gunners’ 18-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.
- The defeat cut Arsenal’s lead to two points over Manchester City and three over Villa, though they remain top after 15 Premier League games.
- Arsenal were without injured centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, with Arteta stressing their importance and Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer calling them irreplaceable.
- Coverage noted visible frustration after the late concession, and Jurrien Timber urged the squad to turn the setback into motivation and strength.
- With a congested run bringing Club Brugge on Wednesday and Wolves at home, reporting points to rotation opportunities, Saliba is said to be close to returning, and tabloids reported a brief Rice–Odegaard exchange post-match.