Arsenal stunned late by Aston Villa and Man City closes gap at the top to 2 points

The Premier League title race was blown open after Aston Villa struck in stoppage time to beat Arsenal 2-1 on Saturday.

Emiliano Buendia scored at the death in a thrilling finish at Villa Park that stunned first-placed Arsenal.

The Gunners’ lead was cut to just two points after second-placed Manchester City beat Sunderland 3-0.

Villa was a point further back in third.

Chelsea could not take advantage, dropping points for the third game in a row in a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth.

Arsenal shocked

Buendia’s winner came in the fifth minute of added time. The substitute kept a cool head during a goalmouth scramble, lifting a shot through the crowded box and into the roof of the net.

“In the manner that happened at the end, obviously, (it is) really difficult to take,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports.

It was the third successive time that Arsenal has dropped points away from home after draws with Sunderland and Chelsea. Those results have opened the door to rivals such as City and Villa.

Villa’s ninth win from its last 10 games followed a dire start to the campaign when Unai Emery’s team was winless after its first five.

“At the minute we’re on a great run,” said Matty Cash, who put Villa ahead in the 36th. “We know it’s not even Christmas yet so we have to keep being demanding, keep being consistent, and then we’ll see where it takes us.”

Leandro Trossard was a halftime substitute for Arsenal and he made a quick impact by leveling the game seven minutes later.

Buendia went on in the 87th and proved an inspired substitution.

“We fight until the last minute, the last second, it was a really incredible win,” he said.

Arsenal’s second loss of the season was its first since August at Liverpool.

“We are 18 games unbeaten, and yet still the margin is so small,” Arteta said. “The effort was absolutely there and (we must) use that pain to go again.”

City close the gap

Man City will be a familiar sight in Arsenal’s rearview mirror.

In back-to-back campaigns in 2023 and 2024 Arteta watched City chase his team down to win the title. And it is shaping up to be another fight between them.

Even after four losses in the league, City is just two points behind Arsenal after victory against Sunderland.

Ruben Dias, with a brilliant long-range goal, and Josko Gvardiol gave City a 2-0 lead at the break at Etihad Stadium and Phil Foden headed in a third in the second half.

Fourth-placed Chelsea has seen its title challenge stall over the past week after a run of just two points from a possible nine.

Not even the return of Cole Palmer to the starting lineup for the first time since September could inspire the Club World Cup winner at Bournemouth.

To add to a frustrating day, Liam Delap went off in the first half with a shoulder injury.

Spectacular Guimaraes

Bruno Guimaraes scored directly from a corner in Newcastle’s 2-1 win against Burnley.

The midfielder’s wicked cross curled beyond Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and into the far corner in the 31st at St James’ Park. Anthony Gordon added a second from the penalty spot in first half stoppage time.

What should have been a comfortable win for Newcastle ended with a nervy finish after Zian Flemming pulled a goal back with a stoppage time penalty and Burnley then threatened an equalizer.

Tottenham snaps painful home run

Tottenham got a long-awaited home win in the league after beating Brentford 2-0.

Spurs’ last win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was the opening game of the season against newly promoted Burnley. That was followed by six straight games without victory in front of its own fans. But that streak was broken by first half goals from Richarlison and Xavi Simons against coach Thomas Frank’s former team.

Everton moved up to fifth after downing Nottingham Forest 3-0.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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