Before the victory over Aston Villa - the team currently in the best form in England, Arsenal also had 3 points against Wolves, Everton, Crystal Palace or Brighton. However, those wins with a minimum difference were not enough to reassure the Gooners in the context that if they slipped, the top spot would be lost to Man City.
Arsenal did not easily win if you look at the performance of both teams in the first half. The home team attacked as well as the away team counter-attacked as well. Not only counter-attacking fiercely, Villa also had many situations of almost penetrating David Raya's net. At that time, many people felt that if they won, Arsenal would continue to experience another tug-of-war match.
This season, there were many matches Arsenal could not have won 3 points, but it was their confidence and steadfastness that helped The Gunners overcome them. In the match against Newcastle, the late goals of Gabriel Magalhaes and Mikel Merino helped the "Gunners" get 3 points. In the win against Wolves, the late own goal of the "Wolfs" in the 90+4 minute helped Arsenal win breathlessly. This time, when facing the most powerful Aston Villa version in many years, Arsenal once again overcame the hurdles, but their way of winning was much more resounding.
Gabriel's opening goal in the 48th minute helped Arsenal become the second team to score 20 goals from set pieces or higher, not counting penalties, in two consecutive years in the Premier League (21 goals in 2024, 20 goals in 2025). The previous record belonged to Wimbledon from 1993 to 1996. Gabriel's opening goal was like an act of untying the match, but Martin Zubimendi's subsequent goal was really important.
In the 52nd minute, Martin Odegaard made a through ball into the penalty area, tearing apart the defense for Zubimendi to skillfully dribble to defeat Emi Martinez for the 2nd time. That goal was what Mikel Arteta wanted most to see, Arsenal used methodical tactics to defeat the opponent, not just relying on fixed ball situations. Zubimendi's goal was the persuasion with the most demanding fans about Arsenal's playing style.
After the match, Mikel Arteta praised Zubimendi and captain Odegaard. However, those two people are not necessarily the brightest stars of the "Gunners". One name that cannot be ignored is Leandro Trossard, who increased the score to 3-0 in the 69th minute. 9 minutes later, he was also the one who assisted Gabriel Jesus to score the 4th goal. Currently, no Arsenal player has scored and assisted more than Trossard in the Premier League (10 goals and 9 assists in 2025).
Arteta shared that the team's 4-1 victory was beyond his imagination, but it was the effectiveness of the finishes in the penalty area that made it happen. The Spanish strategist also emphasized that Arsenal won in the context of the club facing a storm of injuries.
Gunners fans were quite worried when Declan Rice's knee injury was heavier than expected, even though he could return this weekend in the match against Bournemouth. However, looking at The Gunners' playing style against Villa, although there were still some situations of being slapped in the face, in general everything was done well when the English star was absent. Arsenal were pressed in many situations without Rice but still stood firm before scoring 4 goals in a row.
Despite a resounding victory, it is undeniable that the absence of many key players has caused Arsenal difficulties. However, this may change soon. For the first time since August, Kai Havertz has been re-listed in the registered squad. Gabriel Jesus only needs the first touch of the ball to perform a classy curling shot. Ben White and Jurrien Timber have also returned, but with frequent injuries, that is the reality that Arsenal has to face to overcome this difficult period.
In 3 Premier League championship seasons, Arsenal often had better form from beginning to end of the race. December had quite a few narrow wins, but Arteta hopes his players will continue to find the necessary sharpness to complete the series of matches in January 2026 and the following months.
