Late goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins gave Aston Villa a stunning 2-0 win at Arsenal as the Premier League title race swung heavily — and perhaps decisively — in Manchester City’s direction.
Pep Guardiola’s side applied the pressure on Saturday with a 5-1 win over Luton Town and watched first Liverpool and then the Gunners buckle on Sunday.
Arsenal began strongly after the boost of Liverpool’s shock 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Anfield and should have led through Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard.
Watkins struck the post on the visitors’ only notable attack of the first half but Unai Emery’s side grew into the contest as nerves consumed Arsenal.
Substitute Bailey, who also has a winner against City among his body of work from this season, opened the scoring six minutes from time.
It feels significant that the reigning champions have not lost since that December reverse at Villa Park and Watkins’ coolly dispatched 19th goal of the season to leave Mikel Arteta in the unenviable position of needing Guardiola and his players to falter.
The tension that gripped Emirates Stadium as the second half wore on was nowhere to be found early on. A home crowd buoyed by Liverpool’s slip-up was treated to an effervescent opening from Arteta’s side.
Jesus was restored to the starting XI and should have done much better with an 18th-minute header at the end of a flowing move. The Brazil international wastefully nodded Bukayo Saka’s cross into the side netting at the far post.
Jesus playing at centre-forward meant Kai Havertz was redeployed into an attacking midfield position. His penetrating runs between Villa right-back Ezri Konsa and centre-back Diego Carlos were a persistent headache for Emery’s team.
Watkins gave Arsenal a scare in the 39th minute when Gabriel ploughing a clearance into Oleksandr Zinchenko’s back allowed the England striker to hammer a shot against the base of the left post. The ball spun across the goalmouth and out for a goal kick.
The hosts responded immediately, tearing down the other end where Jesus found Trossard and ex-Gunners goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made an astonishing close-range save.
