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UPDATE: ARSENAL 4-1 VILLA: WHY MIKEL ARTETA’S HALFTIME TALK CHANGED EVERYTHING: THE SECRET BEHIND ARSENAL’S FOUR-GOAL BLITZ

Arsenal enter 2026 with a 5-point lead after a 4-1 win over Villa. Gabriel and Zubimendi lead the charge for the title dream.

Update: Arsenal 4-1 Villa: Why Mikel Arteta’s halftime talk changed everything: The secret behind Arsenal’s four-goal blitz
Arsenal secure a massive lead heading into the New Year

So, Arsenal is going to head into 2026 with a five-point lead in the Premier League as they chase that title they've been after forever. After watching them play against Villa, who could be title contenders, they might just need that cushion.

The first half was rough, all nerves and scrappy play. But then, Arsenal came out firing in the second. Gabriel Magalhães and Martín Zubimendi scored two goals in five minutes to get things rolling. Later on, Leandro Trossard scored, and then Gabriel Jesus, who came off the bench, added another. Villa got their first loss in 12 games, putting them six points behind Arsenal in third.

Arsenal had to grind out five wins after losing to Villa a few weeks ago, so they needed to make a statement—and they did.

Mikel Arteta's team really missed Declan Rice in the first half. Villa could've been ahead if Ollie Watkins had better aim, but Arsenal took advantage of Amadou Onana getting hurt and took over in the second half.

Gabriel was able to start after being out for a while, and Jurriën Timber was back, too. But Riccardo Calafiori was still out, and Declan Rice joined him on the bench.

Rice played right-back against Brighton and even kept playing after hurting his knee. Maybe he regretted that when he couldn't play.

Emery also had some problems. Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara were suspended, and he made some changes from their win against Chelsea. Watkins started, who scored twice in the last game. Jadon Sancho, Amadou Onana, Lucas Digne, and Lamare Bogarde were also in the starting eleven.

Arsenal's nerves in recent games usually kick in during the second half. They usually started strong. Villa were happy to sit back and counterattack; Arsenal had the ball a lot but didn't do much with it. Viktor Gyökeres headed a cross over the bar. His five league goals aren't looking so great for Arsenal's big-money signing.

After dealing with Arsenal's early pressure, Villa got into the game. It was pretty clear Arsenal missed Rice in midfield. Onana was causing problems, winning the ball and pushing forward. Villa should've been ahead, which would have made Arsenal fans nervous.

Onana showed how dangerous he could be when he ran into Arsenal's box, but Gabriel stopped him. Watkins missed two good chances to score.

Arteta was getting more and more stressed. Onana's hamstring injury gave Arsenal a chance to regroup.

Trossard found some space on the left, shooting at Emiliano Martínez and crossing for Gyökeres, who missed again. That was pretty much it for Arsenal in the first half.

Arteta was so worked up that the ref had a word with him, suggesting he calm down.

Arteta was much happier when Arsenal scored early in the second half with a messy goal. Martínez dropped Bukayo Saka's corner under pressure from Gabriel, who headed it in.

The VAR checked it out but didn't see anything wrong. Arsenal's second goal came from their pressing and attacking ability. Martin Ødegaard stole the ball from Jadon Sancho and passed to Zubimendi, who scored to make the fans go wild.

Villa had an impressive run of wins, but they didn't look like they were going to come back.

Trossard sealed the win, and then Jesus scored after coming on. Watkins scored a late goal for Villa.

THE NEXT STAR: WHY ARSENAL BELIEVE ANTONIO NUSA IS THEIR ULTIMATE ATTACKING SPARK

Arsenal lead the race for Antonio Nusa! Read about the €60m valuation and why Liverpool and Man Utd are also tracking the winger.

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Arsenal Step Up Scouting For €60m Rated Leipzig Star Antonio Nusa

Arsenal have had their eye on Antonio Nusa for a while now, gearing up for a big summer as they look to beef up the squad. Nusa, the Norwegian forward lighting up the Bundesliga, has turned into one of the league’s most exciting attackers lately. Rumours are flying that he’s ready for a new challenge once the season wraps up.

Playing for RB Leipzig, Nusa keeps delivering quick, creative, and always a threat up front. He’s become a huge part of Leipzig’s attack, and clubs all over Europe are taking notice. Arsenal’s scouts haven’t missed a beat, tracking his progress and weighing up whether he’s the spark their attack needs.

Liverpool isn’t sitting this one out either. They already checked in on Nusa during the last transfer window, after missing out on Antoine Semenyo. So, Arsenal won’t be alone once the season ends; expect some serious competition from their Premier League rivals, which just makes the whole thing trickier.

Lately, Arsenal has stepped up its scouting. Fussball Daten says Nusa is now one of their main targets, and they’ve sent multiple scouts to keep tabs on him. This isn’t just a passing interest; they’re serious about landing a top attacking talent.

Leipzig, for their part, seems to know what’s coming. They’re bracing themselves for offers and are likely to set a firm asking price for Nusa. That should give Arsenal and Liverpool a better sense of what it’ll take to get a deal done.

Nusa won’t come cheap. He’s young, talented, and keeps getting better in Germany, so Leipzig will want a big fee. Still, both Arsenal and Liverpool have shown they’re willing to spend to get the right player. Money probably won’t be the thing that stops them.

If Nusa keeps playing the way he has been, Arsenal and Liverpool look ready to match Leipzig’s demands and go all-in for one of their top summer targets.

ARSENAL INJURY UPDATE: SALIBA FACES FITNESS TEST WHILE MIKEL MERINO UNDERGOES MAJOR SURGERY

Arsenal face an injury crisis! Read the latest on William Saliba’s illness, Kai Havertz’s muscle injury, and Mikel Merino’s surgery.

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Havertz, Saliba, And Merino Injury Updates Ahead Of Arsenal vs Wigan

Arsenal are heading into a packed stretch of games, and injuries are starting to pile up. Fans are on edge, waiting to hear what’s happening with William Saliba and Kai Havertz. There’s an FA Cup clash with Wigan coming up, plus some huge Premier League matches, so Mikel Arteta has his hands full trying to keep the squad sharp and the momentum going.

That 1-1 draw at Brentford helped settle things a bit, especially with Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard all back in the lineup. Their return lifted the mood, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty around a few players who could make or break Arsenal’s short-term hopes.

Let’s start with Saliba. He’s a rock in the back line, and his absence at Brentford was obvious, even though Cristhian Mosquera stepped up. Saliba trained earlier in the week, but illness kept him out of the game. Now, everyone’s hoping he’ll be fit for the FA Cup tie, especially with the north London derby against Spurs right after. Arteta knows that a steady defence is everything when the season gets tough, and Saliba’s calmness on the ball is now a big part of how Arsenal builds up play. If he’s back in time, it’s a big boost heading into a run of games that could shape the rest of their season.

Then there’s Havertz. He’d just started finding his rhythm again after dealing with a knee problem, only to pick up another setback – a muscle injury this time. He hasn’t played since the opening-day win over Manchester United, and now it looks like he’ll miss more games. Havertz brings a lot of flexibility up front, and he’s great at pulling defenders around. Losing him, especially when there’s a derby and a busy league schedule, means Arteta has to shuffle his attack. Right now, it looks like Havertz will sit out against Wigan, Wolves, and Spurs, with a possible return against Chelsea in early March. Getting him fit again is going to be key if Arsenal want to keep scoring goals.

Midfield depth has taken a hit, too, with Mikel Merino out after foot surgery. Arsenal confirmed he’s sidelined for a while, and Arteta opened up about just how tricky this injury is.

“There’s uncertainty because the recovery time isn’t well understood, as there’s no history of this type of injury. It’s a stress fracture, not the toes; it’s deeper than that. It’s not something that’s well documented, so there’s a lot of doubt about his recovery.”

Arteta added, “Doctors were really happy. But with bone healing, you need patience. We’re talking months three, four, maybe five. We just don’t know yet.”

Basically, Arsenal are bracing for a long wait with Merino.

There’s at least one bright spot: Max Dowman is almost ready to come back after his ankle injury. The 16-year-old has been out for two months, but he’s getting close. Arteta kept it simple before the Brentford match: “He’s doing really well, about a week away.” If Dowman makes it back in time for the Tottenham game, he could give the team a much-needed jolt during a tough stretch.

With Saliba’s fitness still up in the air and Havertz sidelined again, Arsenal’s depth is about to get a real test. The next few weeks will show just how well Arteta can keep things on track while juggling injuries and trying to stay in the hunt on all fronts.

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