Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa

Aston Villa fought back from two goals down to earn a draw against Arsenal in an action-packed Premier League encounter, maintaining their unbeaten start to 2025.

Trailing to a first-half goal from Gabriel Martinelli and a second-half strike from Kai Havertz, the visitors scored twice in eight minutes to stun Emirates Stadium into silence.

Youri Tielemans met Lucas Digne’s whipped cross with a diving header that nestled in the bottom corner before signalling his side’s intentions by striking the post less than a minute later.

Ollie Watkins found the net to level the scores when he turned home Matty Cash’s brilliant ball to the back post, acting as the catalyst for a frantic finale.

In the final minutes, Mikel Merino saw a goal ruled out by VAR for a handball by Havertz before striking the post, with Emi Martínez standing firm to keep them out.

The result extends Villa’s unbeaten run to five matches in all competitions ahead of the resumption of our Champions League campaign on Tuesday.

Unai Emery made one change from the midweek win at Everton as he sought a fourth straight victory, bringing Ian Maatsen in for Digne, while new signing Donyell Malen started on the bench.

The visitors had defending to do in the opening stages as the home side pushed forward, with Martínez saving well from Martinelli when the winger turned Declan Rice’s cross goalward after three minutes.

Villa’s first foray into the final third also ended with a shot on target when Maatsen lashed an effort at David Raya after cutting in from the left-hand side.

Martínez parried away a deflected shot from Leandro Trossard as the away side held Arsenal at arm’s length at one end, while Thomas Partey handed Watkins a chance at the other when his throw-in was easily intercepted by Watkins, who lifted a lob onto the roof of the net.

The Gunners made the most of that escape when they hit the front minutes later, with Martinelli squeezing the ball over the line from Trossard’s cross despite the best attempts of Martínez.

Digne replaced Maatsen at the break and the left-back was quickly into the action to clear Myles Lewis-Skelly’s dangerous low cross.

Arsenal were causing Villa problems in the wide areas, and they capitalised on another Trossard cross to double their lead when Havertz flicked a close-range shot past Martínez.

Falling two behind failed to dishearten Emery’s men, and they were back in the game five minutes later when Tielemans met Digne’s cross and planted a superb diving header into the bottom corner.

Before the away fans had finished their celebrations, they saw their team go agonisingly close to an equaliser as Tielemans’ placed shot from the edge of the box struck the post.

Villa continued to push forward and were rewarded with the equaliser when Watkins cushioned a first-time finish in off the underside of the bar from Cash’s exceptional left foot cross.

Rice whipped a curling effort narrowly wide of the far post as Arsenal looked to climb back on top, but they were being met with a determined defensive display from the team in blue.

Lamare Bogarde, who replaced Amadou Onana in the first half, combined with fellow substitute Leon Bailey before seeing a low shot saved by Raya.

With the game moving into the final minutes, play swept up the other end and Arsenal thought they'd scored a winner when Merino's effort deflected off Havertz and nestled in the net.

However, replays showed the ball struck the forward's hand, wrong-footing Martínez in the process.

The drama didn't end there as Arsenal grew ever more desperate to find a winner, with Merino striking the post and Villa's keeper saving well from Trossard's rebound.