Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal: Buendia´s last-gasp winner stuns leaders

Emiliano Buendia’s 95th-minute winner dealt Arsenal just their second Premier League defeat of the season as Aston Villa moved up to second with a 2-1 win on Saturday.

Buendia, who had replaced Villa’s other goalscorer, Matty Cash, with three minutes to go, picked out the top corner late on to send Villa Park into raptures late in the game.

Martin Odegaard forced Emiliano Martinez into an early stop before David Raya denied Ollie Watkins’ shot from close range in what was a lively start to the encounter.

But it was Villa who opened the scoring in the 36th minute, with Cash darting in behind Eberechi Eze before sending a fierce first-time finish through the legs of Raya.

Mikel Arteta responded to going behind by replacing Eze and Mikel Merino with Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard, with the latter making an almost immediate impact.

After good work from Bukayo Saka down the right, he saw his cross palmed away by Martinez, but the ball fell kindly at the back post for Trossard to squeeze over the line.

Both teams continued to push for a winner, with Watkins going close with a left-footed strike before the fingertips of Martinez sent Odegaard’s drive from distance over the bar.

Donyell Malen then shot wide of the left-hand post for what looked to be the last golden opportunity, but there was to be late drama that went in favour of Unai Emery’s team.

Having seen Youri Tielemans’ point-blank attempt saved by Raya, the ball eventually made its way to Buendia, who steadied himself before curling home a dramatic winner.

95 – In the 95th minute (94:03), Emiliano Buendía has scored the second-latest winning goal Arsenal have conceded on record (from 2006-07) in a Premier League game, after June 2020 v Brighton (94:26). Drama. pic.twitter.com/mfipOQwozW

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 6, 2025

Data Debrief: Buendia stars in late, late show

Arteta labelled Arsenal’s trip to Villa Park as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, though it did prove to be the latter against a side in red-hot form and a team that the Arsenal boss has often struggled against during his time in charge of the Gunners.

Indeed, Arsenal have now lost six Premier League games against Villa under Arteta, their second most against an opponent under him (seven against Manchester City), though the hosts were deserving of their win.

Villa ended the game with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.27 from their 15 shots to Arsenal’s 1.84 from their 15 attempts. Their nine shots on target were the most they had managed in a Premier League away game since April 2024 (also nine against Wolves).

But the day belonged to Buendia. His goal, timed at 94:03, was the second-latest winning goal scored against Arsenal on record (since 2006-07) in the Premier League after Neal Maupay in June 2020 (94:26).