(DDM) Aston Villa delivered a major jolt to Arsenal’s Premier League title ambitions with a dramatic 2–1 victory at Villa Park, extending their outstanding run of form and raising new questions about the future of Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott.
DDM gathered that the result has blown the title race open, with Villa now emerging as strong contenders after a remarkable resurgence that has lifted them to 30 points and within striking distance of the league leaders.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have managed only two wins in their last five Premier League matches, a worrying dip for a side previously unbeaten in 18 straight games across all competitions.
The Gunners had earlier drawn with Chelsea and Sunderland, signalling a slowdown that Saturday’s defeat has now magnified.
Villa’s transformation under Unai Emery has been one of the season’s most striking storylines, especially after failing to win any of their opening five league fixtures.
Since then, Villa have claimed nine victories in their last 10 matches, placing Emery’s team firmly in the title conversation.
Nevertheless, not every Villa player is thriving in the current setup.
Harvey Elliott, who joined on loan from Liverpool, has been consistently overlooked for matchday squads and has not played for the club since October 2.
His ongoing absence has puzzled supporters, yet Villa’s relentless winning form has made it difficult to question Emery’s decisions.
Interestingly, Emi Buendia — a player Emery previously acknowledged as standing in Elliott’s way — scored the decisive goal against Arsenal.
After a crowded scramble inside the penalty box, Buendia directed the ball into the net, sending the stadium into a frenzy.
Emery later praised the team’s intensity, aggression, and adaptability, emphasising Villa Park’s unique atmosphere as a key ingredient in their strong performance.
He urged the squad to approach each competition with full focus, reiterating that while the Europa League remains important, the Premier League is their top priority.
Mikel Arteta, on the other hand, described the defeat as “very painful,” noting that Arsenal had controlled long stretches of the second half.
He expressed frustration at losing the match despite feeling his team were close to securing a positive result.
Arteta highlighted an early scare involving Ollie Watkins and acknowledged that dropping points in such fashion is part of the harsh realities of football.
Background checks by DDM show that Elliott’s situation remains unresolved, with no clear indication of whether his loan spell will improve or be cut short.
Liverpool officials are reportedly monitoring developments closely as the young midfielder continues to miss out on game time.
For Villa supporters, however, the immediate priority remains their unexpected rise into the title conversation.
The win over Arsenal has fuelled belief that Emery’s side may be capable of sustaining their momentum deep into the campaign.
Arsenal, meanwhile, must regroup quickly if they hope to prevent their title chase from slipping away amid growing pressure and an increasingly congested schedule.
