If this was the afternoon when Arsenal let it slip then Mikel Arteta will know they only have themselves to blame. Handed the perfect opportunity to lay down their title credentials after Liverpool had been surprisingly beaten by Crystal Palace, instead it was Aston Villa who celebrated wildly at the final whistle after late goals from substitute Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins delivered a hammer blow to their chances of ending a 20-year wait to be crowned champions.
It was a victory that will have tasted particularly sweet for Unai Emery, who was sacked by Arsenal in November 2019 after just 18 months in charge but is now a step closer to guiding Villa to Champions League qualification next season following this famous victory. Things could have been even worse for the home supporters – most of whom stayed until the bitter end in hope rather than expectation of a comeback – had Watkins and Youri Tielemans not seen their efforts strike the woodwork either side of half-time.
