Aston Villa have shattered a club record that stood for over a century with a dramatic, last-gasp victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal at a euphoric Villa Park. Unai Emery's side secured a 2-1 win on Saturday, marking the first time in 106 years that the club has achieved nine top-flight wins in a 10-game spell.
Historic Victory Fuels Title Talk
The result, witnessed by owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens as well as former boss Dean Smith, inflicted only a second league defeat of the season on Mikel Arteta's Gunners. Arsenal's lead at the summit is now cut to just three points by a rampant Villa side.
Matty Cash broke the deadlock ten minutes before half-time, only for Leandro Trossard to equalise after the interval. The stage was then set for substitute Emi Buendia, who pounced in the 94th minute to guide the winner past David Raya in front of a delirious Holte End.
This victory extends Villa's phenomenal home form to nine consecutive wins and means they have lost just one of their last 26 Premier League games at Villa Park. Under Emery, they remain unbeaten in all three home matches against sides starting the day top of the table, with both wins coming against Arsenal.
Emery's Brave Philosophy Pays Off
Despite Arsenal's strong second-half pressure, Unai Emery refused to settle for a point. His bold substitutions and attacking intent were rewarded with Buendia's late heroics. Speaking to talkSPORT, Emery emphasised his winning mentality.
"We were not accepting the result at that moment at 1-1," he stated. "We were pushing to get another goal... I'm so proud of how we did everything together."
The statistics underscore Villa's remarkable consistency. Since the start of March, no team has won more Premier League games than Emery's side, matching the 17 victories of champions Manchester City in that period.
Heroes Emerge Across the Pitch
The match showcased several standout performers in claret and blue. Emi Buendia's winner, timed at 94:03, is the second-latest winning goal scored against Arsenal in the Premier League since records began in 2006/07. His comeback from a serious ACL injury and a loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen has been nothing short of remarkable.
Equally impressive was Matty Cash, who opened the scoring and delivered another commanding performance. Once questioned by some fans, the right-back has arguably been Villa's player of the season so far, contributing three league goals already.
As the dust settles on a historic day, the conversation has inevitably turned to the title race. While Emery wisely plays down expectations, the facts are compelling. With staggering home form and a points tally that keeps them firmly in the mix, Aston Villa have emphatically proven they belong in the conversation at the top of English football.
