Overview
- Emi Buendia scored in the 95th minute to give Aston Villa a 2–1 win that snapped Arsenal’s 18‑match unbeaten run in all competitions.
- Manchester City’s victory cut Arsenal’s Premier League lead to two points, with Villa now three back and Opta assigning Villa roughly a 5.9% title chance.
- Mikel Arteta was without centre-backs William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera, forcing Jurrien Timber to fill in centrally alongside Piero Hincapie.
- Jurrien Timber urged the team to turn the setback into motivation as Arsenal face Club Brugge, Wolves and an EFL Cup quarter-final in a busy week that could prompt rotation.
- Reports noted a post-match flashpoint between Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, while Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer highlighted how difficult Saliba and Gabriel are to replace.