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Arsenal run riot in 4-1 win over Aston Villa in top-of-the-table clash
Arsenal scored four times in a rampant second-half display to secure a statement 4-1 win over Premier League title rivals Aston Villa at the Emirates.
After a goalless first half, the home side were ahead inside three minutes of the second period when Emiliano Martínez flapped at Bukayo Saka’s corner and the ball rolled in off Gabriel’s thigh.
Arsenal doubled their advantage on 52 minutes after Martín Zubimendi converted Martin Odegaard’s exquisite defence-splitting pass, with Leandro Trossard scoring from long range after 69 minutes to put the game firmly out of Villa’s reach.
Gabriel Jesus then netted his first goal since New Year’s Day just moments after coming on as a substitute. Ollie Watkins scored a consolation for the visitors in injury time.
The impressive victory was the perfect tonic for Mikel Arteta’s players against a team that dealt them a stoppage-time 2-1 defeat at Villa Park just 24 days ago.
It also brought to an end Villa’s club-equalling 11-match winning streak, and quite possibly their ambitions of making it a three-way fight for the title.
Arsenal, who were without the injured Declan Rice for the first time in the league this season, now move five points clear of Manchester City. Villa are six points off the championship pace.
After scraping past Wolves, Everton and Brighton in their previous three fixtures, Arsenal were far from their fluent best in a first half where the weight of expectation of ending a 22-year wait for a title appeared to be hanging over them.
But they came alive after the break with a performance which will serve as a warning to City ahead of their match against Sunderland on Thursday.
And their opener, as it so often does, arrived from a set-piece. Martinez was in a world of bother as he pondered whether to catch or punch Saka’s inswinger, and in the end he did neither. Under pressure from Gabriel, Martinez could not gather the ball and it ended up in his net off the Arsenal defender’s left thigh.
A VAR check followed to see if Martinez had been fouled by Gabriel but the goal stood, and just four minutes later, the home side were celebrating a second.
This one was all about Odegaard who won possession inside the Villa half and was afforded time to play a deft left-footed pass into Zubimendi’s path, with the Spaniard poking the ball past an on-rushing Martinez.
Jurriën Timber fired high from a corner before Odegaard, enjoying a fine game as Arsenal’s conductor, also blazed over. The captain came close to adding a third for his side but Martinez diverted his long-range shot for a corner.
However, the Argentine could do nothing with Trossard’s effort a handful of minutes later. Odegaard found Saka at the back post before Lucas Digne dithered which allowed Timber to pounce.
The ball fell to Trossard before he fired low and hard and into the bottom corner and Arsenal were in dreamland. Another VAR probe ensued to see if Saka was offside in the build-up. He was not and the goal stood.
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The Arsenal fans might have thought their evening could not get any better only to see Jesus, who replaced the goal-shy Viktor Gyökeres, score with his first touches of the ball.
Odegaard was involved again, hooking the ball over the top to Zubimendi, who found Trossard, and then Jesus who took one touch to open his body before angling a curling shot past Martinez with 12 minutes to go.
Watkins continued his impressive personal run against Arsenal with his seventh strike across 13 games, but it was the only sour note of a stunning evening for Arteta’s title-chasing men.
Game Information
Emirates Stadium
London, England
Referees:
Darren England
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Arsenal injury, suspension list and return dates vs. Portsmouth: Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera latest
Arsenal will begin their bid to win the FA Cup for the 15th time in their history when they travel to Fratton Park for Sunday’s meeting with Championship strugglers Portsmouth.
The Gunners missed the chance to further extend their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table in Thursday’s underwhelming goalless draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
While their five-game winning league run came to an end, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with the fact that his side are now unbeaten in seven competitive matches ahead of Sunday’s cup tie and Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Arsenal’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of the clash with Portsmouth, who are languishing in 21st spot in the Championship standings.
Piero Hincapie
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Hincapie was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle problem in the 57th minute of Thursday’s draw with Liverpool. Arteta now faces a nervous wait to discover the full extent of the defender’s injury.
Kai Havertz
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Match fitness
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Havertz has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of action for months. However, he has been left out of Arsenal’s last two matchday squads as he continues to build up his fitness. There is a possibility that the forward could make his first appearance since August in Sunday’s FA Cup clash.
Riccardo Calafiori
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Calafiori has sat out Arsenal’s last four matches with a muscle injury. The defender is making progress in his recovery, but he is not expected to be ready for the upcoming trip to the south coast.
Cristhian Mosquera
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Like Calafiori, Mosquera is closing in on a return to action after missing over a month of action due to an ankle injury. However, the former Valencia defender will not be available for selection this weekend.
Max Dowman
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: Unknown
Max Dowman is likely to be out until February after sustaining an ankle problem while playing for Arsenal Under-21s in last month’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United.
ARSENAL’S SUSPENSION LIST
Arsenal have no players suspended for the third-round tie.
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Whether or not the right players are out there remains to be seen, but with Arteta enduring several injury blows already this season – particularly in defence – the manager will be keeping a close eye on potential targets.
The Gunners splashed the cash in the summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera to the Emirates Stadium – so a loan deal might favour the club
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There could also be high-profile exits, both loans and permanent deals, with young midfield talent Ethan Nwaneri linked with an exit. Other youngsters could also make loan moves to get a taste of first-team football.
With that said, football.london takes a closer look at all the moves completed by Arsenal so far this January.
Read the latest information on injuries, suspensions and availability in the Liverpool men’s squad.
Injuries
Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike was unavailable for the clash with Fulham because of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Arne Slot was asked whether he will be fit for the game at Arsenal on January 8.
Slot on January 7: “He has not trained with us until now and let’s see if he can today.
“I’ve said, I think, two or three days ago when we played Fulham that he is not going to be out for long but because games come so fast he is in between maybe training with the team or it would take him one or two days extra.”
Wataru Endo
The midfielder has been out of action with an ankle injury since appearing in the 3-3 draw at Leeds United on December 6.
Alexander Isak
Isak is facing a spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture on December 22.
He sustained the issue while scoring against Tottenham Hotspur two days prior.
Slot on December 23: “It’s going to be a long injury. For a couple of months. That’s a big, big, big disappointment for him and as a result of that of course also for us.”
Slot did also confirm he is confident Isak will be able to play again during the 2025-26 season.
Giovanni Leoni
The defender is amid a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
Slot on September 26: “He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL and it means he will be out for a year. Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game… it’s very hard to take the positive side.
“There’s never a positive side – but you always try to look at a positive side and that is that he is still so young, so he has so many years still to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that.”
Availability
Mohamed Salah
After featuring off the bench versus Brighton on December 13, the forward is now with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Salah scored in the group games against Zimbabwe and South Africa to help his country reach the last 16. They are next in action on January 5.
Suspensions
Conor Bradley
Bradley is one yellow card away from receiving a one-match suspension in the Champions League.
The Reds travel to Marseille on January 21 for matchday seven of the league phase and then host Qarabag a week later.
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