Mikel Arteta lauded his Arsenal team for 'smelling blood' during a dominant second-half display that saw them dismantle title rivals Aston Villa 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium. The victory, a fourth consecutive Premier League win, propelled the Gunners five points clear of Manchester City, at least until the champions play on Thursday.
A Beautiful Evening and a Ruthless Turnaround
Despite a concerning first-half performance and the loss of key midfielder Declan Rice to a knee injury, Arsenal emerged after the interval a transformed side. Two quick goals at the start of the second half from Gabriel Magalhães and Martín Zubimendi sparked a rout, turning a tense encounter into a comfortable triumph.
"It is a beautiful evening," a delighted Arteta stated post-match. "That was a very tough match, as we knew it would be. To continue to win you have to win in different contexts. Today maybe the margin wasn't that big, but we made it big because we were so efficient and ruthless in front of goal."
The manager emphasised his team's killer instinct, saying, "We smelt blood, but had to really grab it. The way we started the second half was amazing. We have created a lot of chances in the last few weeks, but we saw the difference today. The quality of our finishing was top and made the difference."
Villa's Record Bid Ends as Emery Rues Injury
For Aston Villa, the defeat halted their bid for a club-record 12th consecutive win. Manager Unai Emery refused to criticise his players, instead pointing to the half-time loss of midfielder Amadou Onana to a hamstring injury as a critical moment after a promising opening 45 minutes.
"We did a very good first half, but the first goal changed everything," Emery explained. "And we had as well the injury of Amadou Onana and we lost everything in the middle. They had the power and they showed it, so we finished losing."
Emery was notably quick to exit the pitch at full-time, missing the customary handshake with his fellow Basque manager Arteta as Arsenal celebrated. He later joked that it was "too cold" to wait, a gesture Arteta took in his stride.
Looking Ahead: Rice Concern and Bournemouth Trip
Arsenal's immediate focus now shifts to the fitness of Declan Rice ahead of Saturday's trip to Bournemouth. Arteta confirmed the England international has a knee issue, noting, "The swelling has to come right down for him to have the chance to function."
This emphatic statement victory not only extends Arsenal's lead at the top but also sends a powerful message to their championship rivals about their resilience and clinical edge in the title race's decisive final stretch.
