Arsenal produced a stunning second-half display to crush Aston Villa 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium, ending the year five points clear atop the Premier League table.
Centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, starting for the first time since returning from injury in November, opened the scoring in the 48th minute from a corner, despite Villa players appealing for a foul on goalkeeper Emi Martinez. Captain Martin Ødegaard then won the ball in midfield and set up Martin Zubimendi, who slotted home to make it 2-0.
Leandro Trossard added a third with a low drive from the edge of the box after a lengthy VAR check for offside. Substitute Gabriel Jesus curled in a fine fourth goal, before Ollie Watkins netted a late consolation for Villa in stoppage time.
Villa had entered the game on an 11-match winning streak, including a 2-1 victory over Arsenal just 24 days ago. However, suspensions to Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara, combined with Arsenal’s dominance, left them unable to threaten Arteta’s side.
Arsenal’s win caps an impressive year in which they have lost only twice in the league. The victory also marked the first Premier League start for Gabriel alongside William Saliba since November 8, with Arsenal winning all five matches this season where both played the full 90 minutes.
The Gunners now enjoy a five-point cushion over second-placed Manchester City ahead of the Citizens’ trip to Sunderland on New Year’s Day (20:00 GMT). With key players returning from injury and the experience of previous title challenges, 2026 promises to be a potentially historic year for Mikel Arteta’s side, whose supporters hope this could finally end Arsenal’s 22-year wait for a Premier League trophy.
