Arsenal ensured they headed into 2026 in top spot. The abruptness with which they ended Aston Villa’s winning run reaffirmed their position as title favourites.
While the Gunners failed to find a way past Emiliano Martinez in the opening 45. Once they found the breakthrough after the break, the floodgates opened.
In this article, we’ll cover:
The returning Gabriel Magalhaes put the Gunners ahead. Martin Zubimendi, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus confirmed the 4-1 win.
Prolific Arsenal get the job done
Mikel Arteta and Ian Wright both lamented Arsenal’s inability to see off teams following Saturday’s 2-1 win over Brighton. It took a late David Raya wondersave to deny Yankuba Minteh and secure a huge three points.
The Arsenal players took their comments personally. While the Gunners failed to net in the opening 45 minutes, they made light work of Villa after the restart. Once Gabriel Magalhaes scored Arsenal’s opener, Villa crumbled. Considering Arsenal’s previous three league games had been won by a single goal, they ended 2025 with a bang.
In total, Arsenal managed 22 shots against Villa, their second most in a Premier League match this season. The north London side answered Arteta’s call to be more prolific and see off teams.
‘Set-piece again, Ole Ole’
Gabriel Magalhaes returned to the Arsenal starting XI on Tuesday night. It marked the Brazilian’s first top-flight start since the 2-2 draw with Sunderland last month. And you better believe it was Gabriel who opened the scoring for the Gunners. As Arsenal struggled to break Villa down in the first half, they scored again from a set piece shortly after the break.
Bukayo Saka hung a corner into the Villa box and Gabriel challenged Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine flapped at another high ball and the 28-year-old capitalised to break the Villa resolve. It was the 14th set-piece goal Arsenal have scored in the Premier League this season.
Arsenal are just the second team to score 20+ set piece goals (ex. penalties) in consecutive years in the Premier League (21 in 2024, 20 in 2025), after Wimbledon between 1993 and 1996. ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/i8SnJXjphw
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) December 30, 2025
Not only is Gabriel’s return a boost to Arsenal’s title aspirations at one end of the pitch, the Gunners looked a more solid side on the whole. Admittedly a late Ollie Watkins strike denied Arsenal a clean sheet to cap a fine showing, yet the return of Gabriel ahead of a vital month in the club’s season cannot be overstated.
Anonymous Gyokeres
Kai Havertz returned to the Arsenal bench for Tuesday’s game against Aston Villa. The German hasn’t featured for the Gunners since the opening weekend win over Manchester United after undergoing knee surgery. His availability is a huge boost for Mikel Arteta.
Not only because Arsenal are set for a mad start to the year. Arteta watched on as Viktor Gyokeres put in a sub-par showing against the Villans. The Swede may have managed three shots in the opening 45 minutes, getting on the end of balls into the Villa box.
However, the former Sporting hitman struggled to get into the game. Gyokeres was kept relatively quiet by Ezri Konsa and compatriot Viktor Lindelof in the first half. The Sweden international touched the ball just five times before the break. He was replaced by Gabriel Jesus in the 77th minute having managed just 16 touches.
The Brazilian bagged Arsenal’s fourth and his first league goal in almost a year. Crucially is that Jesus’ strike means he has scored as many open play league goals as Gyokeres since the start of September. In a huge top of the table clash, Gyokeres ultimately struggled.
Arsenal sought to exploit inexperienced Bogarde
Along with Boubacar Kamara, Matty Cash was suspended for Aston Villa’s trip to Arsenal. Lamare Bogarde was called upon by Unai Emery to deputise at right-back. The 21-year-old has been used sparingly by Emery in the league this season. That’s hardly a surprise, mind you.
Bogarde has featured at right-back sparingly in the 2025-26 campaign. Emery has instead used the youngster in central midfield as cover and competition for Kamara. And Arsenal did all they could to exploit Bogarde’s relative inexperience at the Emirates.
Arsenal’s left sided trio – Hincapie, Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard – ranked among the top six for touches by the Gunners in the opening 45. Right sided centre-back Ezri Konsa pipped Bogarde to top spot for this metric for the Villans. The Dutchman faced an onslaught.
Admittedly, Bogarde wasn’t aided by a lack of protection from Jadon Sancho, who flattered to deceive on his first league start of the season. However, it wasn’t until Andres Garcia, a specialist right-back, was introduced on the hour mark that Villa finally gained some semblance of stability as Bogarde pushed into midfield. By then, it was too little, too late.
