<figure id="attachment_3229149" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3229149" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3229149" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/044d2c3a-epa-manchester-citys-phil-foden.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3229149" class="wp-caption-text">Manchester City&#8217;s Phil Foden scored for the fifth time in three games. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
LONDON: Aston Villa ended Arsenal&#8217;s 18-match unbeaten run to blow the Premier League title race wide open with a 2-1 victory on Saturday as Manchester City beat Sunderland 3-0 to close within two points of the leaders.
While Arsenal and City joust for the title, troubled champions Liverpool suffered another blow as lowly Leeds snatched a last-gasp 3-3 draw in one of the most dramatic games of the season.
Emiliano Buendia&#8217;s stoppage-time strike at Villa Park stunned Arsenal and gave Unai Emery&#8217;s third-placed side their ninth win in 10 league games.
&#8220;We were pushing and we were really, really believing in our victory,&#8221; said Emery. &#8220;We pushed until the last minute, and we got it.&#8221;
Arsenal were without the injured Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera in defence and the normally rock solid visitors struggled to cope with Villa&#8217;s variety of attacking weapons.
Eberechi Eze was caught on his heels as Matty Cash blasted Emery&#8217;s men into a half-time lead.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta responded by introducing Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard at the break and got the impact he demanded.
Trossard equalised with his 50th Premier League goal, from Bukayo Saka&#8217;s deflected cross.
But Arsenal&#8217;s quest to end a 22-year wait to win the title hit a rare bump in the road this season when Buendia fired into the top corner with virtually the last kick of the game after a goalmouth scramble.
&#8220;Losing it in the manner that we did in the last kick of the game was very painful and disappointing,&#8221; said Arteta.
City took full advantage of Arsenal&#8217;s defeat to close the gap at the top with a routine 3-0 win over Sunderland.
On a rare shot-shy day for Erling Haaland, City&#8217;s centre-backs lead the way as Ruben Dias blasted into the top corner from distance before Josko Gvardiol headed in a second before half-time.
Phil Foden scored for the fifth time in three games to round off the scoring in the second half.
Liverpool collapse
At Elland Road, Liverpool suffered another embarrassing capitulation to ramp up the pressure on manager Arne Slot.
The Reds led 2-0 and 3-2 thanks to Hugo Ekitike&#8217;s quickfire double and Dominik Szoboszlai&#8217;s strike but still failed to see the game out as they failed to win for the eighth time in their last 10 league games.
Slot&#8217;s faith in Ibrahima Konate will again by questioned after the French centre-back conceded a penalty that Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted to spark the fightback.
Anton Stach levelled before Szoboszlai quickly restored Liverpool&#8217;s lead.
But deep into stoppage-time, Liverpool failed to deal with a corner and Ao Tanaka was unmarked to blast home.
Liverpool are languishing in eighth place, showing no signs of arresting an alarming slide since they clinched a record-equalling 20th title last season.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a sense of disbelief,&#8221; Slot said. &#8220;It&#8217;s not about me. It&#8217;s about us.
&#8220;The players have worked so hard and again to concede from a set-piece, the 10th or 11th this season.
&#8220;If you concede so many you cannot be higher up the table than we are.&#8221;
Chelsea&#8217;s title challenge is fading fast after three games without a win.
Cole Palmer&#8217;s return to the starting line-up for the first time since September could not inspire the Blues as they were held 0-0 at Bournemouth to sit eight points off the lead in fourth.
Tottenham eased the pressure on Thomas Frank with their first home league win since the opening day of the season, against his former club Brentford.
Spurs were winless in five games in all competitions, but moved back into the top half with a 2-0 win courtesy of first-half goals from Richarlison and Xavi Simons.
Newcastle continued their upward trajectory with a 2-1 win over 10-man Burnley at St James&#8217; Park.
Sean Dyche&#8217;s return to Everton as Nottingham Forest boss ended in a 3-0 defeat.

MatchPoint Times

Man City cut gap to 2 points as Arsenal rocked by Aston Villa

Manchester City beat Sunderland 3-0 to throw the title race wide open, while Liverpool suffered another blow as lowly Leeds snatched a last-gasp 3-3 draw.

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