PREMIER LEAGUE
London, Dec 6: Arsenal’s title charge suffered a jolt on Saturday as Aston Villa snatched a dramatic 2-1 win at Villa Park, courtesy of a stoppage-time strike from Emiliano Buendia that threw the championship race wide open.
The Argentine midfielder, introduced late in the contest, pounced in the fifth minute of added time, rifling his effort high past David Raya to stun the visitors and ignite celebrations among the home crowd.
The defeat, Arsenal’s first since August and only their second of the season, trimmed their lead at the summit to just three points. It also handed reigning champions Manchester City an inviting opportunity to breathe down their necks, while Villa themselves climbed provisionally into second place after registering their ninth win in ten matches. That run is particularly remarkable given Unai Emery’s side began the campaign winless in their first five games.
Matty Cash had earlier handed Villa the lead with a composed finish in the 36th minute, before Arsenal hit back quickly after the break. Leandro Trossard, brought on for the second half, restored parity with a neat finish just seven minutes into the restart. But the Gunners, having recently dropped points at Sunderland and Chelsea, once again faltered away from home and paid heavily for it.
A disappointed Mikel Arteta admitted the loss was a bitter pill to swallow. “In the manner that it happened at the end, it’s very difficult to take,” he said, noting that the team failed to raise their individual levels despite their effort. For Villa, Buendia summed up the mood succinctly: “We fight until the last minute, the last second. It was an incredible win.”
Elsewhere, Everton’s steady rise continued with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, a result that pushed David Moyes’ rejuvenated side to within touching distance of the top four. The afternoon belonged to Thierno Barry, who finally opened his Premier League account after a 17-match wait since arriving from Villarreal for £27 million. The Frenchman had endured a difficult introduction to English football but showed admirable composure in stoppage time, finishing confidently after being set up by Iliman Ndiaye on a swift counterattack.
Everton had taken the lead inside two minutes when Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic inadvertently steered the ball into his own net. The visitors rarely threatened thereafter, and the only moment of danger came late in the half when Jordan Pickford tipped away Elliot Anderson’s strike. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall later sealed Everton’s win by drilling home from a corner, capping another gritty performance from a side dealing with midfield absences and persistent goal-scoring issues.
At the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City produced a controlled and stylish 3-0 victory over high-flying Sunderland. Ruben Dias broke the deadlock with a stunning 25-yard drive—only the sixth goal of his City career—before Josko Gvardiol doubled the advantage moments later with a powerful header from a Phil Foden corner. Foden then added a third after the break, nodding in a delightful rabona assist from Rayan Cherki that drew gasps even from neutral viewers.
Sunderland defended deep and stubbornly in the first half but were undone by City’s relentlessness. The visitors hit the post early in the second half and briefly threatened a revival, but Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland went close before Foden’s finish settled the affair. The win marked City’s seventh straight home victory in the league and kept them firmly in the title chase.
Chelsea, meanwhile, endured another frustrating day as they were held to a goalless draw at Bournemouth in a match short on quality and conviction. Not since the opening weekend had Enzo Maresca’s side failed to find the net, and they were fortunate to escape with a point after Antoine Semenyo’s early strike was ruled offside by VAR. Evanilson then missed from close range with the goal gaping, and Chelsea never quite gained control despite long spells of possession.
In North London, Tottenham ended their winless streak with a composed 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Richarlison tapped home midway through the first half after a clever move initiated by Pedro Porro and finished by the lively Xavi Simons. (Agencies)
