Mikel Arteta looked like he had seen a ghost. With his side leading 2-0 against Aston Villa, thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz, the Arsenal manager must have felt a cathartic victory was within reach—one that would keep the pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool.
But just as Liverpool sealed a dramatic late victory over Brentford earlier in the afternoon, former Arsenal manager Unai Emery had other plans. Arteta could only watch in horror as Youri Tielemans headed Villa back into the game, followed by Ollie Watkins’ expert volley to complete a stunning comeback. Villa Park erupted, with Emery celebrating wildly at the final whistle, reminiscent of his jubilation during Villa’s 2-0 victory over Arsenal in March—a result that ultimately derailed Arsenal’s title challenge last season.
Even when it seemed Arsenal might have snatched a late winner through Mikel Merino, VAR intervened. The review determined that Havertz had redirected the shot with his arm, nullifying the goal and leaving Arsenal frustrated.
In a season where Arteta has navigated multiple challenges, this was another bitter pill to swallow. Arsenal’s aspirations of ending their long wait for a Premier League title now seem even more precarious. Meanwhile, Liverpool, buoyed by Darwin Núñez’s decisive late contributions against Brentford, continues to underline the importance of squad depth. The contrast with Arsenal’s options was striking—Raheem Sterling, brought on for the final ten minutes, looked off-form, while Emery could turn to £20m forward Donyell Malen and the prolific Jhon Durán from the bench.
Arteta has already admitted that reinforcements are needed if Arsenal are to stand any chance of catching Liverpool. Despite coping well in William Saliba’s absence for only the second Premier League game this season, a lapse in concentration allowed Villa to wrestle their way back into a match where they had been second-best for long periods.
Arsenal began brightly, pressing forward with a series of early corners, but they could not find a way past Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. The Argentine—formerly of Arsenal—reveled in the spotlight, pulling off an acrobatic save to deny Leandro Trossard’s deflected shot.
The breakthrough came 11 minutes before halftime when Trossard delivered a perfect ball to Martinelli, whose volley just crossed the line despite Martínez’s best efforts. The goal injected belief into Arsenal, and they came close to doubling their lead through chances from Trossard and Merino.
Villa’s first-half struggles prompted Emery to bring on Lucas Digne for Ian Maatsen at halftime. The Frenchman immediately made an impact, clearing a dangerous cross from Myles Lewis-Skelly. Arsenal doubled their lead when Havertz—who had not scored since Christmas—converted another excellent Trossard delivery. The goal was met with an outpouring of support from the home fans, particularly after Arteta revealed Havertz had been struggling with abusive messages directed at his pregnant wife.
However, Villa responded swiftly. Tielemans headed home Digne’s pinpoint cross to halve the deficit, and moments later, the Belgian midfielder nearly leveled the score, his powerful shot rattling the post. Villa’s momentum surged, and tempers flared as Emery was booked for kicking the ball away.
The equaliser came when Thomas Partey lost focus at the back post, allowing Watkins to volley home from a tight angle. The Villa supporters roared, sensing an upset was on the cards.
Arteta appeared stunned by how quickly his team’s commanding position had crumbled. VAR’s late intervention to disallow Merino’s effort only compounded the misery. As the dust settled, Arsenal was left to ponder how they let another crucial opportunity slip away.
Their title hopes remain alive, but Arteta’s uphill battle to reclaim momentum has become even steeper.
