Arsenal 4-1 Aston Villa: Report, result and goals as leaders end Villa’s run

Arsenal stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points after a masterful second half showing saw off Aston Villa and ended their winning run at eight league games.

Unai Emery’s dangerous visitors could have moved level on points with the Gunners with another, famous, win on the road and were arguably the brighter side in the first 45 minutes.

But Mikel Arteta’s side showed why they are top of the tree with a huge second half as goals from Gabriel, Martin Zubimendi, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus sent them into 2026 in pole position.

The Gunners were without key midfielder Declan Rice and missed him early on as Morgan Rogers and Amadou Onana ran through the space he would normally fill to test the Gunners.

Chances were at a premium though, and a much-more enterprising home side took charge after the break.

Defender Gabriel bundled in a corner after Emi Martinez failed to come and dominate his six-yard box, and with the Emirates still rocking Zubimendi ran onto a fine pass from captain Martin Odegaard to stab in.

Trossard swept in from the edge of the area and suubstitute Jesus leathered in his first real touch to add some Brazilian gloss the scoreline. It was Jesus’ first goal since way back in January.

With Kai Havertz back on the bench after his long spell out, Arsenal have real firepower in their ranks once more.

And they have quality in goal, too, with David Raya somehow keeping out John McGinn’s close-range strike in added time. Villa did eventually get a goal moments later when Ollie Watkins lashed in from a yard out after Donyell Malen had hit the post.

Manchester City, in second place, face Sunderland away on New Year’s Day.