Emiliano Buendia crashed home a stoppage-time winner to stun leaders Arsenal and end their 18-match unbeaten run.
Trailing at half-time to Matty Cash’s opener at Villa Park, Arsenal were far from their best but looked set to take a point thanks to substitute Leandro Trossard’s 52nd-minute equaliser.
But Villa were not to be denied, with Buendia coming off the bench to hammer a shot beyond David Raya following an almighty scramble.
In the opening stages, Raya made a brilliant save to keep them level in the 10th minute, getting down low to his left to keep out Ollie Watkins’ shot before counterpart Emiliano Martinez denied Bukayo Saka.
Declan Rice’s backside came to Arsenal’s rescue in the 28th minute when he blocked Cash’s goalbound shot but the Villa full-back could not be stopped eight minutes later. Eberechi Eze was caught ball-watching and Cash fired home at the far post.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta responded at half-time, introducing Viktor Gyokeres and Trossard for Eze and Mikel Merino. Trossard quickly served notice, flashing a volley just wide, before he equalised from close range in the 52nd minute after good work from Rice.
Raya made another good save to stop Watkins as the game opened up, then Martinez tipped over Martin Odegaard’s long-range shot.
Villa substitute Donyell Malen should have done better when flashing a shot wide, with Jurrien Timber inches from putting through his own net, too, as Unai Emery’s in-form team finished stronger to snatch all the points.
Art de Roche analyses the action at Villa Park.
Should Arsenal and Eberechi Eze have known better
As soon as Pau Torres swung a cross in behind him, Eze knew he was at fault. The winger had two looks at Cash earlier in the move, but was caught cold at the critical moment.
Considering this was Cash’s third league goal of the season, Arsenal would have been aware of the threat he carried. Villa scored with a cross to the back post against Arsenal last season, making Cash’s goal this weekend doubly disappointing.
MATTY CASH BREAKS THE DEADLOCK 🔥
He slots the ball between David Raya’s legs and Aston Villa lead against the league leaders…@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/dRGhb86COv
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 6, 2025
And for readers in the United States.
A GREAT FINISH FROM MATTY CASH. ASTON VILLA STRIKE FIRST AGAINST ARSENAL. 💥 pic.twitter.com/Na9ZZtMFr2
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 6, 2025
As well as his speed on the counter, Gabriel Martinelli is often praised for his defensive contributions, but he began on the bench as Arteta opted for a more technical game plan. Eze started on the left, with Odegaard and Martin Zubimendi playing centrally.
It almost unlocked Villa when Eze tapped in, but Saka was just offside. For the most part, the host’s intensity brought about a different type of game.
Arsenal did not connect through the thirds as well as they would have liked, with Merino struggling to provide a platform in the first half.
Eze and Merino coming off at half-time made perfect sense, with Gyokeres and Trossard replacing them.
How important is Leandro Trossard?
Trossard doesn’t just score goals — he scores important goals, too. All four of his Premier League strikes this season have changed the game, putting Arsenal ahead or bringing them level.
No Arsenal player to score more than 20 goals since Trossard’s debut in February 2023 has a higher share of game-state-changing goals (64 per cent — 16 out of his 25 league goals for Arsenal).
The way the goal was worked was similar to Eze’s disallowed effort in the first half, with Odegaard and Saka combining on the right, but Trossard and Gyokeres did what was required of them after the change.
Leandro Trossard celebrates his equaliser (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Gyokeres held up play nicely, and then made a good run into the six-yard box. Trossard’s presence went undetected, and like when he scored at Villa Park last season, he made the difference.
Leandro Trossard equalises for Arsenal 🙌
It’s game on at Villa Park!@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/7a7bRlWA65
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 6, 2025
And for readers in the U.S.
Leandro Trossard levels it up for Arsenal MINUTES after coming on as a sub. pic.twitter.com/P4rHS8G3WM
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 6, 2025
The Belgium international being taken off for Martinelli in the final five minutes may have shocked some, but Arsenal needed more pace in the game.
What’s causing Arsenal’s stuttering away form?
Arsenal’s last three away matches will be a source of frustration for Arteta.
In each of these games (Sunderland, Chelsea and Aston Villa), Arsenal have conceded the first goal. The opener at Sunderland came after they failed to deal with a long free kick, and Chelsea scored from a corner. Villa’s opener also came from a lapse in focus.
Arsenal did well to get back into the game, but Villa’s intensity brought the momentum back on their side as the final whistle approached, with multiple openings being fashioned before Buendia scored the winner.
INCREDIBLE END TO THE GAME 🔥
Emi Buendia wins it for Aston Villa in the 95th minute!@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/19Xr7jN10E
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 6, 2025
And for readers in the U.S.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!?!?!?!
EMI BUENDIA WINS IT FOR ASTON VILLA WITH THE FINAL KICK OF THE GAME. INCREDIBLE. pic.twitter.com/oGGqxdb39u
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 6, 2025
Arteta tried to match that by bringing on Noni Madueke and Martinelli, but neither hit the ground running.
The result would have been frustrating even if it ended in a draw, but to lose reinforces how perfect Arsenal need to be.
What did Mikel Arteta say?
“Obviously, we are extremely disappointed with the way we lost the game. But first of all, congratulations to Villa, because they are a really good side and they are really good at what they do. We had some difficulties in the first half, especially with very unusual giveaways that we had after regaining the ball.
“In the second half, we started really well, much more positive, we generated chances to score the goal. My feeling was that we were going to go and win the game.
“We could have lost it before, again, with two very dangerous individual giveaways. And we didn’t. We had two chances to score and we didn’t capitalise.
“The next ball kicked long, it was their second ball, we put it away for a throw-in. They play fast, a lot of chaos in the box and they managed to put the ball in the top corner, which is the quality of this league. That’s the summary.
“We’ve been 18 games unbeaten and still we are there, very close to each other. And that’s the level of the league and we know that, that’s the opportunity that we have ahead of us. Now it’s time to bounce back. They have given me all the right reasons to think that we’re going to continue to perform at the same level, because what the boys tried to do today, again, with the schedule that we had, it was amazing.”
What next for Arsenal?
Wednesday, December 10: Club Brugge (Away), Champions League, 8pm UK, 3pm ET
