- Arsenal entertained Aston Villa in the Premier League at the Emirates on Sunday
- Villa shocked the Gunners as they won 2-0 with goals from Bailey and Watkins
- IAN LADYMAN and CHRIS SUTTON have their say on the Premier League’s Player of the Year – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Unai Emery‘s Aston Villa severely dented Arsenal‘s Premier League title bid as two late goals gave them a deserved 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
In yet another twist in the run-in, the Gunners were well beaten as Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins struck within three minutes of one another to stun the home fans.
Liverpool had lost at Crystal Palace earlier on Sunday and a fifth league defeat of the campaign for Arsenal leaves Mikel Arteta‘s side in second – two points behind reigning champions Manchester City.
Villa were brilliant in a second half they dominated and their superiority eventually paid off as substitute Bailey tapped home at the back post before Watkins took advantage of Arsenal’s high line to burst through on goal and finish with aplomb.
This was former Arsenal boss Emery’s first trip back here with Villa and it was one he would have enjoyed as the Spaniard danced up the touchline when Bailey broke the deadlock.
Arsenal suffered a damaging 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa as they were stunned in the title race
Leon Bailey put the visitors ahead after 84 minutes as the winger fired into an open goal
It sent the away end at the Emirates into bedlam after a hugely impressive performance
Ollie Watkins made it 2-0 to Villa soon after as he lobbed David Raya with a stunning finish
Sandwiched between both legs of a Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich, this Villa match was always going to prove a test for Arsenal and it was one they failed.
Kai Havertz forced Emiliano Martinez into a low save early on before both Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka saw efforts hit the side-netting.
Gabriel Magalhaes has been a rock at the back for Arsenal this season but he gifted possession to Watkins, who almost took full advantage only to see his shot come back off the inside of the post.
Arsenal went straight down the other end and almost took the lead themselves only for ex-Gunner Martinez to make a stunning reflex save to keep out a close-range Leandro Trossard attempt.
Saka then curled a shot inches wide as Arsenal could not find a way through to relieve some of the pressure building around the Emirates.
The sides went in level at the break but Villa were the much better outfit after the interval, restricting the hosts to just four shots in the second half.
With his side in the ascendancy, Emery turned to his bench and introduced Bailey in place of Moussa Diaby, although it was Youri Tielemans who came close moments later.
Oleksandr Zinchenko was caught in possession on the edge of his own box, with Tielemans robbing the ball and hitting both crossbar and post with a fierce drive.
Arteta replaced Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Jesus as he looked to freshen things up but in the closing stages it was Champions League-chasing Villa who would push on to get the three points their performance thoroughly deserved.
It was a disastrous result for Arsenal, who have lost control of the Premier League title race
The Gunners were off-colour for much of the game at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon
Unai Emery was delighted with his team’s display as he got one over on his former club
Emiliano Martinez pulled off a stunning save at point-blank range from Leandro Trossard
But Ollie Watkins also struck the outside of the post as his effort trickled across the goal-line
Bailey was in the right place at the right time as Lucas Digne’s low cross evaded everyone and landed at the back post where Bailey swept home into an empty goal.
Arsenal reacted by moving even higher up the pitch but it was to prove their undoing as a long ball over the top was raced onto by Watkins, who broke from his own half to collect, hold off Emile Smith Rowe and clip a wonderful finish over David Raya.
While the result could have a massive bearing on the destination of the Premier League title, it also improves fourth-placed Villa’s hopes of Champions League qualification as they now move three points clear of Tottenham.
Youri Tielemans then beat David Raya but the midfielder’s shot hit both the crossbar and post
It was frustration for Mikel Arteta, as his side struggled to deal with Villa’s second half display
Villa leapfrog Tottenham and move up to fourth as they completed the double over Arsenal
