Arsenal produced a rampant second-half performance to thrash Aston Villa 4-1 and go five points clear of second-placed Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
After an even first half, Arsenal stunned Villa with two goals in four minutes as Emiliano Martinez’s missed catch allowed Gabriel to bundle home Bukayo Saka’s corner before Martin Zubimendi finished clinically from Martin Odegaard’s precise through-ball.
Leandro Trossard hit the third with a superb, first-time finish from the edge of the box as the Gunners rammed home their advantage, with Gabriel Jesus adding the fourth when he stroked home his first goal in a year less than a minute after coming off the bench. 
Aston Villa struck late through Ollie Watkins, after David Raya had sensationally thwarted John McGinn, but that goal was little consolation on a night when their 11-game winning run came to an abrupt end, leaving them six points behind Arsenal in third.
Unai Emery had been a thorn in the side of his former club in recent meetings, inspiring Villa’s 2-1 win at Villa Park only weeks ago, and his side should have gone in front in the first half when Watkins scuffed wide after being put through by Ezri Konsa.
Aston Villa did have cause for grievance after the second Arsenal goal, however, when Mikel Merino was fortunate not to be shown a second yellow card for a foul on Morgan Rogers.
The only negative for Arsenal was an injury which ruled Declan Rice out of the game but, having struggled to capitalise on their dominance in recent games, their second-half performance was a welcome change of fortunes which further enhances their title credentials, while simultaneously denting Villa’s.
