ARSENALโS PREMIER LEAGUE title bid was dealt a hammer blow after they surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa at the Emirates.
Gabriel Martinelli fired Arsenal ahead in the first half before Kai Havertz doubled the home sideโs advantage 10 minutes after the interval.
But Villa responded just four minutes later through Youri Tielemans, with Ollie Watkins grabbing an equaliser for the visitors.
A shell-shocked Arsenal went in search of a winner following Watkinsโ 68th-minute strike, and Havertz thought he had found it when he turned in Mikel Merinoโs shot with three minutes remaining.
But Havertz was adjudged to have used his arm as he turned the ball in, and VAR ruled out his goal.
Former Arsenal boss Unai Emery engineered a 2-0 win for Aston Villa here in April which effectively ended the Gunnersโ championship challenge.
And the Spaniard came back to haunt his old club again with a comeback draw which leaves Arsenal on the back foot and six points behind Liverpool following their late win at Brentford.
Arsenal have also been rocked by another high-profile injury โ this time to defender William Saliba โ with the defender ruled out of Saturdayโs fixture.
Villa were unable to get a foothold early on in the match, but the visitors rode the initial storm and it was Emeryโs men with the first shot on target as Ian Maatsenโs effort was punched clear by David Raya.
Five minutes later and the hosts tested Emiliano Martinez for the first time, with Leandro Trossard stinging the hands of the Argentina international.
Mikel Arteta, and the man he replaced in the Arsenal hotseat, then clashed on the touchline, with Emery urging his compatriot to return to his technical area after the former remonstrated a throw-in.
Arteta was booked for his protest, but the breakthrough for his side arrived with 10 minutes of the first half left.
Trossard found space on the left-hand side before fizzing a cross across the six-yard box. Martinelli caught Maatsen napping to take his team-mateโs pass on the volley.
Martinez saved at point-blank range, but the ball drifted over the line before the Villa stopper could claw it away again with his left glove.
Referee Chris Kavanagh looked at his watch, which indicated it was a goal, with a jubilant Martinelli celebrating his seventh strike of the season.
Replays showed it was the correct decision, and moments later, Arsenal might have doubled their advantage only for Trossard to blaze over.
Arsenal remained largely in control of the fixture at the start of the second half, while knowing that they needed another goal to afford them some daylight.
And Havertz thought he had delivered it with 55 minutes gone. Havertzโs missed spot-kick sent Arsenal crashing out of the FA Cup here last Sunday, and this was a much-needed goal for the German.
Trossard was the provider again with Havertz volleying home the Belgianโs cross. Arsenal supporters were still singing Havertzโs name when Villa nicked a goal.
Tielemans stole a yard on Merino and his diving header from Lucas Digneโs cross nestled into the bottom corner.
A minute later, Tielemans came within inches of hauling Villa level only to see his fine strike sail through Merinoโs legs and cannon of the foot of Rayaโs post.
It was a let-off for Arsenal but in the 68th minute, Villa had their equaliser.
Matty Cash was allowed to whip in a cross from Villaโs right-hand side and Watkins, unmarked from six yards, volleyed past Raya to land his 10th of the season and leave the Emirates stunned.
Arsenal looked for a response and, after rarely threatening, looked to have landed the winner when Havertz helped Merinoโs shot on its way past Martinez.
The Emirates went wild but a VAR check followed and then disallowed his strike to leave Arteta on his knees. Merino then hit the Villa woodwork, with Martinez diverting Trossardโs follow-up from danger.
Seven minutes of stoppage time followed and Trossard had a golden chance to win it but he dragged his effort agonisingly wide as Arsenal were left to reflect on a sobering draw in their hunt for a first title in two decades.
Great to see- Arsenal being Spursy!
@John arse: Arteta definitely getting a free passโฆ.. is it 5 years in charge without winning anything of significance
@Jp Cleary: A poor manโs Wenger
What a lovely day it is
Emery ya Beaut! Arteta has a face like a bulldog licking p%as off a thistle after that
@Michael Foley: p%ss
Poor Arteta. Lad needs another 300 million to fix this, cheque book manager!
@Dan The Man: :-) United fans are the best. Haha, Have u no shame? lol. United have the most expensive squads and highest wage billโฆ.but that doesnโt suit ur agenda does it buddy.
@Dan The Man: ah your a utd supporter, I didnโt realizeโฆbut rich talking about money spent isnโt it. Youโve spent more than anyone and that doesnโt include all the managers you had to pay off, so on your bike!
@Joshua Walsh: donโt mind the faceless coward Josh. The only piece of happyness at the end of a difficult season will be to see how HURT they will be when pool eventually win it.
@Sean OโMaolain: Sean Iโm a fan of anyone who rams one into Arsenal which could be any number of clubs this season especially. Their fans are so arrogant. At least Liverpool have lifted Premier league and the Champions League. Ye lads walk around in droves like youโve won the quadruple the last three seasons in a row
@Sean OโMaolain: to be fair to united and their supportersโฆ.they have far more won in the last ten years than Arsenal. Bad and all as they are. In fact thereโs a funny fact going around that Ten hag won more in his two years with united than Arteta has in his four years with Arsenal. Arteta definitely getting a free pass
@Dan The Man: ya, ur rightโฆ. How dare arsenal fans go around happy cause they win. Only united fans are allowed do that right? God ur some helmet :-)
@Sean OโMaolain: remind me what they have won ??
@Dessie: ohh look who it is. โwe won a cup, doesnโt matter that wer 15thโ :) shameless fanbase. Lol
@Sean OโMaolain: all that matters is winning cupsโฆ.
Same old Arsenal
@Dessie: ur on here a fair bit these days old buddy. Bit rich and the anount of times u called me โsnideโ lol. Same old Arsenal in second haha and where are yer boys lol!
@Sean OโMaolain: never called you that wee seanie. Just so funny thinking your wee club is one of the big boys. Areta is a complete fraud.
What do I know about football!!
@Ray Ridge: stick to rugby oh wait try squash
@Ray Ridge: as much as you know about rugby
@Niall Boyle: leinster were drawing today 14 all he commented some negitive stuff about ireland and leinster then leinster scored 4 tries lol poor dude cant get anything right
@Seanie: if Ray predicted the winner of a one-horse race, they horse would inevitably fall
@Ray Ridge: You know plenty Ray. You stick around pal!
Has there ever been a more overrated manager than Arteta in the Premier League?
@Niall Boyle: how is he overrated? Heโs taken an arsenal team that weโre outside the top 4 and in the doldrums and made them title contenders. Weve faultered again this season but we only lost by 2 points last year. Most clubs would give their right arm to be in that position.
@Joshua Walsh: Title contendersโฆ. haaaaa haaaaaa
@Niall Boyle: and it was a record number of points for us last season, but just not enough compared to City. Liverpool would know plenty about that experience.
@Jp Cleary: do you disagree with the premier league table mathematics for the 22/23 and 23/24 season? I can get you a calculator if you like.
@Joshua Walsh: Jesus you are bitter, itโs fans like you that nobody wants the bottle jobs to win it
@Joe Beirne: Iโm not bitter at all. Just when people are trolling, you troll back.
We donโt deserve to win it this season and Liverpool are going to cake walk it. And after all the seasons that city shafted them, Iโm kinda glad theyโll win it. Gives me hope we can do it. Happy?
@Joshua Walsh: fair,
@Joe Beirne: haha, canโt wait for ur tears when pool win it. Isnโt it funnyโฆ United fans always say pool fans are obsessed. Yet here we are, United fans all over this article. Brain cells and all :)
@Niall Boyle: long list of them at Utd
@Joe Beirne: Good man Joe, on trolling Arsenal and Liverpool as Utd lie in the bottom half of the table,Gas man!
Hon The Villa!
No sign of Paulie the football guru on here, no?
@ecrowley ecrowley: he was ready to go with 91 minutes played in the Liverpool game.
@ecrowley ecrowley: crawly Paulie is out from under the rock alright,heโs around somewhere,he was on the Liverpool article earlier, suprise surprise.
@Deano74: the only articles he ever appears.
โCrawly Paulieโ. Hahahaha!
@ecrowley ecrowley: ah heโs a bit confused tonight poor fella
@ecrowley ecrowley: He got his arse handed back to him on the Liverpool thread earlier!!!
Just listened to Arteta press conference 100% spuffer.
Holy Shit it must be the bitter blue nose coming out of him
Opps
Same Old Arsenal
More snags than a dodgy builder
Thatโs a gut punch. To be 2-0 up and get pegged back, and then all those chances at the death. Hit Havertz in the chest from the angles Iโve seen, open to correction on that. Still doesnโt really change much, Liverpool are going to win it but I at least wanted us to make it interesting.
@Joshua Walsh: Get yourself some glasses tomorrow lad
@Dan The Man: I only seen it on 2 second clip Bluesky(new Twitter) so it could have been a handball for all I know
@Joshua Walsh: clear handball mate
@Joshua Walsh: lots of points still on the table. So called smaller clubs have been great this season.
@Kevin: well Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa feels it was harshly rules out according to the Athletic but you know best!
@Joshua Walsh: also, when did hands become chest?
@Graham: or when did chest become handsโฆyouโd have to ask Freud that one
@Joshua Walsh: I think ur focusing on Kaiโs left hand, it actually hits his right hand. Very disappointing again today. Yet again Merino was a statue in CM. Cannot understand y zin didnโt come on and play myles further upfront.
@Joshua Walsh: TDS Twitter.
@Joshua Walsh: it was handball, hit him on the inside of his forearm and into back of the net.