Arsenal vs Aston Villa live: Results and reactions from the decisive Premier League clash

When asked if 2026 would be his team’s year, Arteta had this to say:

“Well, 2025 is a great year on a personal and professional level. It’s great that these people, the club and the staff allow me to enjoy working every day. In 2026, we know what we want. We have to work hard for it every day, but I think we are on the right track.”

“It was a good night,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on Sky TV.

“As we know, it was a very difficult game because they were a top opponent. The first 10 minutes were a bit inconsistent and we had to make adjustments, but credit to them because they managed to break through our press twice and were able to make runs, which they are very dangerous. After that, we caught The way we started the second half was amazing, we really turned things around and we had to be very careful and understand the timing and we gave it our all and that’s a big credit to my players because it’s not easy against this team.

“We’ve created a lot of chances in the last few weeks but today we saw the difference. We need scrappy goals to win other games but today the quality of our shots was top-notch and made the difference.”

Regarding Gabriel’s importance, he explained: “We saw it today. He’s back after six weeks out, he was supposed to be out eight weeks, but he came back earlier. He was very composed against probably one of the best strikers in the league, he’s very difficult to mark. I think he’s great.”

Speaking about the end of Villa’s 11-game winning streak, Emery said: “Football is now. Football is now and we are now. Everything we do is great. More or less we are going our way and we can expect better things, maybe because we are third in the league and the Europa League is very good, but try to analyze today and the players we have.”

On why he walked down the tunnel so quickly, he added: “No, when I finish a game I always wait to shake the other coach’s hand, but he was with the coach and I couldn’t wait. Of course, I was there, but no problem. I went to the dressing room.”

Villa boss Unai Emery said he was “very, very happy with the players and of course we have to analyze the game but overall we are heading into day 19 with the points we have and the performance we have had this week”.

“Today we had a very good first half, unlike the game against Chelsea, of course we competed well and even gained momentum and created chances,” he explained to BBC Match of the Day.

“We didn’t concede many goals, we didn’t give them a corner kick in the first half. But the first goal in the second half changed everything and then they pushed the ball forward. We also had Amadou Onana injured and we lost everything in the midfield and they showed strength. We lost in the end. Now for the players, my analysis is how we performed in the 90 minutes after the game, but overall, the most important thing is to try to understand our overall performance.

“The first goal, the way they scored it was probably a foul but in England it’s more difficult because they let the referee touch the goalkeeper and it’s difficult but we have to accept it because it’s both sides,” he added.

“It’s difficult because they’re a very good team,” Villa’s Morgan Rogers said after full time.

“They’re in the position they are in the league for a reason. They persevered and they just kept going. I thought we played really well in the first half and we’re really proud of how we performed. If it had been another day, we might have created a clearer chance and maybe taken the lead, but they were really solid and really good.

“In the second half they kept the pressure going and it’s really difficult to come to a place like this. We knew we had to rely on luck but they were too clinical – that happens sometimes.

“Nothing really changed from either side in the second half, but once you get that first goal then the momentum comes. When you’re 1-0 up you get more confident and play more freely and that’s definitely what happened with them. When the goals start coming thick and fast, you know it’s done.

“Losing 4-1 to the best team in the league right now is not a bad thing. We just have to dust ourselves off and be proud of the winning streak we’ve been on.”

“The better team won today, so there’s no debate.”

This is what Man of the Match Gabriel had to say:

“It was a tough day for me. I’m happy to be back. I think it’s a good day for everyone because we worked together. Now we need to move on,” he explained.

“It was very difficult to play against them – they tried to delay the game, but in the second half we kept going and our performance after the first goal was amazing,” he added.

Both Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel were interviewed by Sky TV after the game. This is what Jesus said:

“It’s awesome. It’s always hard for me to play against them. They always come here and try to hurt us,” he explained.

“You could see them trying to stall the game early on. But we won tonight because of our mentality.”

On Gabriel’s return, he added: “I said after the last game, you can see the difference the moment he steps on the pitch. The guy loves to defend, the same way I love to attack. And he loves to score goals too!”

Jamie Carragher said on Sky that the result “psychologically felt like three points over”.

“It will be a completely different feeling around the training ground tomorrow.

“Gabriel’s return is huge. I’ve said before that he’s the most influential player in the Premier League and we saw that again tonight.

“Tonight was great for everyone in that stadium,” he added.