Arsenal's Premier League title hopes have taken a huge hit, with the Gunners giving away a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa in Saturday's late start at the Emirates Stadium.
Goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz had sent Arsenal into a two-goal lead early in the second period, but Youri Tielemans levelled the scores with a header, before Ollie Watkins made it 2-2 during a chaotic period.
Arsenal thought that they had won it late on when a strike from Mikel Merino hit Havertz and ended up in the back of the net, but the effort was disallowed for handball, as Mikel Arteta's side dropped two valuable points.
The North London outfit are now six points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League table, with the Reds still having a game in hand, while Villa have climbed above Manchester City into seventh spot, two points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United.
Arsenal have dropped points for the second time in their last three league fixtures, while it is now five games unbeaten in all competitions for Villa, who are very much in the race for Champions League qualification.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
Are Arsenal's title hopes over?
Probably not, not this early, but Liverpool managed to score two late goals to beat Brentford on Saturday afternoon, which put major pressure on Arteta's team to respond in this encounter.
The Gunners should have closed the game out at 2-0, but Villa deserve huge credit for their response, with Unai Emery's side demonstrating why they are also one of the best teams in the division.
Liverpool were the real winners at the end of this match, though, with the Merseyside giants having a firm grip on first position, and it could be more heartbreak for Arsenal this season.
Manchester City will come again next term, while Chelsea will be there; Manchester United should also improve, which could spell bad news for an Arsenal side that desperately want to win the title.
ARSENAL VS. ASTON VILLA HIGHLIGHTS
Gabriel Martinelli goal vs. Aston Villa (35th min, Arsenal 1-0 Villa)
Gabriel Martinelli gets on the end of Leandro Trossard's cross to open the scoring in North London! 💥 pic.twitter.com/HOhHh9cxJK
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 18, 2025
Arsenal make the breakthrough in the 35th minute of the match, as Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is unable to keep out a close-range effort from Martinelli, with the Gunners attacker meeting a cross from Leandro Trossard.
Should Martinez have saved that? The Argentina international looked to palm it away at the second time of asking, but the ball had just dropped over the line, with the referee's watch confirming the goal.
Kai Havertz goal vs. Aston Villa (55th min, Arsenal 2-0 Villa)
Leandro Trossard finds Kai Havertz in the box who doubles Arsenal's lead 🔴 pic.twitter.com/8Auy4yPEoH
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 18, 2025
Arsenal double their lead in the 55th minute of the contest, as Havertz turns a cross from Trossard into the back of the net - again Martinez is there, but the World Cup winner cannot keep the ball out.
Youri Tielemans goal vs. Arsenal (60th min, Arsenal 2-1 Villa)
Youri Tielemans heads home from Lucas Digne's cross to pull one back for Villa! 👀 pic.twitter.com/OliwVuSSdZ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 18, 2025
Villa are right back in this contest, as Tielemans heads a cross from Ian Maatsen into the back of the net; Arsenal were comfortable on home soil, but that is no longer the case, and we are set for a fascinating final 30 minutes.
Ollie Watkins goal vs. Arsenal (68th min, Arsenal 2-2 Villa)
What a finish from Ollie Watkins to equalise for Aston Villa at the Emirates 💫 pic.twitter.com/Km1ai7Od9A
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 18, 2025
Villa level the scores in the 68th minute of the contest, with Watkins volleying a brilliant delivery from Matty Cash into the back of the net off the crossbar - what an incredible turnaround at the Emirates Stadium.
Kai Havertz disallowed goal vs. Aston Villa (88th min)
Arsenal think they have scored a third, as a strike from Merino hits Havertz before dropping into the back of the net, but VAR steps in to disallow it, as the ball struck the latter's arm; incredible scenes in North London!
MAN OF THE MATCH - YOURI TIELEMANS
© Imago
Trossard deserves a mention due to his two assists, but the attacker missed a wonderful chance to win it for Arsenal late on when he was released inside the Villa penalty box.
The man-of-the-match award instead goes to Tielemans, who was sensational in the middle of the Villa midfield; the Belgian scored his team's first with a brilliant header before hitting the post soon after.
It was the 27-year-old's overall display that earns him this award, though, as he was the player driving Villa forward during a difficult period, and the midfielder certainly did not deserve to be on the losing side.
ARSENAL VS. ASTON VILLA MATCH STATS
Possession: Arsenal 65%-35% Aston Villa
Shots: Arsenal 17-8 Aston Villa
Shots on target: Arsenal 5-4 Aston Villa
Corners: Arsenal 10-1 Aston Villa
Fouls: Arsenal 10-18 Aston Villa
BEST STATS
Gabriel Martinelli has now equallied his Premier League goal tally from last season.
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) January 18, 2025
◎ 2023/24: 35 games, 6 goals
◉ 2024/25: 20 games, 6 goals
And he's done it in 15 fewer appearances. 💪#ARSAVL pic.twitter.com/HZvxQ6oJgW
11 - Arsenal have scored more goals from crosses than any other team in the Premier League this season (11), while Leandro Trossard is one of only two players to assist 2+ goals via crosses in a game this season (also Damsgaard v Wolves in October). Formula. pic.twitter.com/Vli9ZTP1x8
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 18, 2025
Ollie Watkins has now been directly involved in 99 Premier League goals for Aston Villa:
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) January 18, 2025
◎ 168 games
◉ 69 goals
◉ 30 assists
One more for a century. 💯 pic.twitter.com/BN1J7n9SSY
Arsenal have dropped 12 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, their most in a single campaign since 2019/20 (21). https://t.co/JmxdLLDIzW
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 18, 2025
FT: Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) January 18, 2025
This is the first time in the last 19 Premier League meetings between Arsenal (12 wins) and Aston Villa (6) that the game has finished as a draw. 🤝#ARSAVL | @bet365 | #Ad pic.twitter.com/DuBv1jb7jM
Since he joined Villa at the start of the 2020/21 campaign, no away player has scored more Premier League goals at the Emirates than Ollie Watkins.
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 18, 2025
◉ 4 - Ollie Watkins
◎ 4 - Son Heung-min
◎ 3 - Diogo Jota
While only Mo Salah (4) has scored more PL goals as an away player... pic.twitter.com/LumKh1RVuu
WHAT NEXT?
Both of these sides will now switch their attention to the Champions League, with the Gunners welcoming Dinamo Zagreb to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, while Villa will head to Monaco on Tuesday night.
Arsenal's next Premier League contest is away to Wolverhampton Wanderers next Saturday, while Villa are back in domestic action at home to West Ham United next Sunday.
Matt Law
