Late goals from Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey gave Unai Emery’s Aston Villa a 2-0 win and season sweep of his former club, denting Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes at the Emirates Stadium.
[ MORE: Mikel Arteta’s reaction - ‘Moment is now’ ]
The win feels a bit too familiar and joins Liverpool’s stunning home defeat by Crystal Palace in handing the keys to the Premier League back to Manchester City.
The Gunners’ 71 points are ahead of Liverpool on goal differential, as both sink behind Manchester City’s 73 points as Pep Guardiola’s leaders chase an unprecedented double treble and fourth-straight Premier League crown.
WATCH ARSENAL vs ASTON VILLA FULL MATCH REPLAY
Villa puts more pressure on Spurs in the race for fourth on the Premier League table, claiming 63 points with one more match in the books than 60-point Tottenham.
Unai Emery slows former club Arsenal’s title roll
Oh, this had to be almost as sweet for Unai Emery as it’s sour for the Arsenal side his men defeated 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Emery had been run out of North London after little more than a year, the Gunners’ Europa League runners-up run in 2018-19 not enough to withstand a five-match Premier League winless run the next season. Out after 13 weeks of Year No. 2, Emery led Villarreal to the Europa League crown the following season and may lead Aston Villa to the Conference League this season. It’s all great, yes, but it’s also worth pointing out that Emery was truly scapegoated by Arsenal as being the first man to manager the club post-Arsene Wenger was truly a poisoned chalice. Emery, it seems, had chosen poorly. Arsenal felt the same and got it right with its next hiring of Mikel Arteta. But Arteta may not win the Premier League title this season because of Emery, who led Villa to 1-0 and 2-0 wins over the Gunners. That’s right, this vaunted Arsenal attack did not find a way to goal in both matches against Emery. It’s the fifth time the Gunners have been blanked in the Premier League this season. Rough.
Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Arsenal have no time to mope, a decisive UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg currently level at 2-2 coming up at Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Then it’s off to Wolves at 2:30pm ET Saturday in a Premier League return.
Aston Villa go to Lille on Thursday, up 2-1 in their UEFA Conference League quarterfinal tie, then host Bournemouth in the Premier League at 10am ET Sunday.
How to watch Arsenal vs Aston Villa live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 11:30am ET Sunday
TV Channel: USA Network
Online: Watch online via NBC.com
Arsenal vs Aston Villa live updates! - By Joe Prince-Wright
Arsenal vs Aston Villa final score: 0-2
Goalscorers: Bailey (84'), Watkins (87')
Absolutely incredible. The home fans are stunned here at the Emirates
Wow. Villa have been excellent in the second half but who saw that coming? Bailey and Watkins score in the space of three minutes and Arsenal’s title hopes are in taters. Arsenal have themselves to blame. They haven’t got going in the second half. Villa have been excellent and hit the woodwork twice. The away fans are making all of the noise here and so many Arsenal fans have already left the stadium. They are gutted.
Two Villa goals in three minutes!! Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa (87th minute)
Cue the Jim from the Office meme and scream “What is going on?” because Aston Villa have just turned the Emirates Stadium upside down.
Unai Emery is on the road to six points from six against Arsenal after goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins, and Arsenal may have joined Liverpool in handing the Premier League title frontrunners status back to Manchester City!
Martinelli time
Gabriel Martinelli is on. He replaces Trossard. Tomiyasu is on for Ben White. 20 minutes to go. It is getting very tense in here.
How did that not go in for Villa!?
After winning a tackle against Oleksandr Zinchenko when a corner was half cleared, Youri Tielemans smashes an incredible curling effort off the underside of the bar and then it hits the post and bounces clear. Arsenal so lucky there. I’m no math wizard but I can’t work out how that ball stayed out.
Nerves are building here amongst the home fans.
Arsenal fans are starting to become a little frustrated now. Aston Villa doing a very good job of breaking up the game, keeping the ball and trying to launch counters when they can. Just over 30 minutes to go.
Back underway and Arsenal are pushing hard for the opener
it has been all Arsenal at the start of the second half but Villa look calm and comfortable keeping the ball in their own half. Jesus went down in the box looking for a penalty but he went down way too easily there.
Half time: Arsenal 0-0 Aston Villa
The game came to life late in the first half after a bit of a snoozy start. Big chances for Arsenal through Trossard, Havertz and Saka, while Watkins hit the post after a bad defensive mistake and Villa looked dangerous on the counter. It is all set up for a brilliantly tense second half. Villa will be delighted they are level and they’re carrying a threat.
Watkins hits the post! Then Martinez denies Trossard and Saka curls wide
Wow. This game has just burst into life. Terrible defensive mistake from Arsenal as Gabriel’s pass hits Zinchenko on the back and the ball goes straight to Watkins and his shot beats David Raya... but comes back off the post. Then Martinez makes an incredible save to deny Trossard and Saka curls inches wide. All within the space of a minute. Chaos.
Close for Arsenal
Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are starting to control the game now. The latter plays in Havertz but his cross doesn’t have enough pace on it and Saka heads over at the back post.
Yellow card for Ben White
After pulling back Zaniolo and advantage was played, when play is stopped the referee books Ben White. Unai Emery made sure the officials remembered that incident.
Both teams feeling their way into this
Martin Odegaard rattles into a tackle and tries to get the crowd going as he throws his arms into the air. Arsenal look a little off it, while Aston Villa are happy to sit deep, knock the ball around their own penalty book and soak up pressure. Emery will be very happy.
This time Saka into the side-netting
Odegaard with a gorgeous pass through to Saka but he can’t squeeze his effort home at it hits the side-netting.
Side-netting from Jesus
The ball is played out to Saka and he clips a cross to the back post but Gabriel Jesus heads into the side-netting. Much better from Arsenal. Fluid move, that.
Two good chances for Arsenal
First Saka clips in a cross from the right but it is just over Havertz’s head. Next Trossard plays in Havertz but his shot is saved by Martinez. Arsenal cranking through the gears but Aston Villa are staying solid.
We are off and running
Aston Villa have lined up in a 4-4-2 formation with Rogers supporting Watkins up top. Very attacking lineup from Villa, who have started well.
Huge roars here.... as Crystal Palace beat Liverpool
My word, what an upset. Palace beat Liverpool at Anfield and the game was being shown on the TVs in the concourses here. A huge roar went up around the Emirates. Arsenal’s fans feel like this is their chance to try and knock Liverpool out of the title race. The scene is set.
The lineups are out and there are a couple of changes
Arsenal make one change from their PL win at Brighton last weekend as they bring in Trossard for Jorginho in an attacking move with Havertz moving back into midfield. Villa make two changes from their draw with Brentford last weekend as they start with Zaniolo who replaces the suspended Luiz and Diaby comes in for Bailey.
Arsenal lineup
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Trossard
Aston Villa lineup
Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Diaby, Tielemans, McGinn, Zaniolo; Rogers, Watkins
Hello and welcome to sunny north London!
What a lovely day it is here for a big game between title chasers Arsenal and Champions League-chasing Aston Villa. This is going to be an epic encounter and Villa are more than capable of winning as they aim to the double over the Gunners this season.
🔥🏟️☀️ Emirates Stadium on a lovely spring day = Majestic. Perfect day for a game here in north London!
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) April 14, 2024
WATCH Arsenal vs Aston Villa live here + live analysis, video highlights & more ➡️ https://t.co/9dRjgo7f81 #AFC #ARSAVL pic.twitter.com/s5b170112y
Arsenal focus, team news
Villa’s played more recently than the Gunners — by two whole days — and Arsenal is as healthy as it’s been since the very start of the season. The flip side of that is Arsenal will have one fewer’s day rest before the second leg of their European match and have to keep their eyes on both the PL title and the Champions League.
OUT: Jurrien Timber (torn ACL - out for season) | QUESTIONABLE: Bukayo Saka (thigh), Gabriel (unknown)
Aston Villa focus, team news
The attack is healthy here, but the 2-1 first leg advantage over Lille faces a trip to France next week and Villa don’t have a ton of rotation options. Nicolo Zaniolo, Jhon Duran, Moussa Diaby and Alex Moreno came off the bench versus Lille and could start at Arsenal as Emery tries to sort out his priorities between the league and Europe.
OUT: Matty Cash (thigh), Boubacar Kamara (torn ACL - out for season), Emiliano Buendia (torn ACL - out for season), Tyrone Mings (torn ACL - out for season), Jacob Ramsey (foot), Douglas Luiz (suspension) | QUESTIONABLE: Clement Lenglet (other)
