It has been rare for Arsenal to end Premier League matches with a sense of pure enjoyment this season.

More often, they have been clinging onto one-goal leads to keep their place atop the Premier League table. But after edging past Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa — the third-best side in England, who were on an 11-game winning streak — were blown away 4-1 at the Emirates on Tuesday night.

They did not have it all their own way. The first half underlined the class of Unai Emery’s side and why they have managed to pop Arsenal’s bubble so often. They were smart with their off-ball movements and quick on the break, creating an ebb and flow to the first half that suited them, but Mikel Arteta’s players rolled with the punches as they have done throughout this campaign so far.

They could have accepted defeat away at Newcastle United in September, but wrestled three points into their grasp late on with goals from Mikel Merino and Gabriel. Wolves’ late equaliser rocked them momentarily earlier this month, but they responded with an even later winner. And when Villa looked most dangerous on Tuesday, they held firm until half-time and finally found a ruthless streak once ahead.

Gabriel’s 48th-minute opener made Arsenal just the second team to score 20 or more set-piece goals, excluding penalties, in consecutive years in the Premier League (21 in 2024, 20 in 2025) after Wimbledon between 1993 and 1996, but Martin Zubimendi’s goal four minutes later was the one that really mattered.

The quick one-two knocked the wind out of Villa, and gave a crowd that has become so used to biting its nails (no Premier League side has led more matches by a single goal entering the final 15 minutes than Arsenal, with eight) breathing space.

The release of tension was epitomised by Zubimendi not needing to change his stride from when he struck the ball to when he started celebrating. To that point, his run in behind is what Arsenal have cried out for to disrupt defences more this season. And to bring it all together, Martin Odegaard’s tackle, carry forward, feint and then pass encompassed a player (and team) that smelt blood.

Martin Zubimendi scores Arsenal’s second goal (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

“You can smell blood but after you have to really grab it, and we did,” Arteta told reporters afterwards. “Individually, we had some huge performances. We were very efficient in the final third and that made the difference.

“When it happens (the team clicks), normally it’s a lot of factors. We were more aggressive, more determined and timings were much better. And that is about execution, especially when you are man-to-man orientated. It’s winning that action, yes or no, that clicks everything and makes a difference.”

Odegaard’s involvement from start to finish exemplified that in Zubimendi’s goal, with Arteta adding that he is “flowing” after his performances against Villa and Brighton, but the 27-year-old was not the only one.

Leandro Trossard scoring the third and assisting the fourth only added to his lore as one of Arteta’s most reliable figures. No Arsenal player scored or assisted more Premier League goals than his tallies of 10 and nine respectively in 2025.

“I always said that to continue to win, you have to win in different contexts,” Arteta added. “In some games we did very good and the margin should have been much bigger. We didn’t manage to do that, so we went for smaller margins.

“Today maybe the margin wasn’t that big (between the two team’s performances) but we made it because we were extremely efficient and ruthless in the opposition box. That’s the way, and we won with a lot of injuries.”

Leandro Trossard delivered again for Arsenal (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

The latest of those came to Declan Rice, who missed this win with a knee injury suffered against Brighton. Arteta said swelling on the joint will need to come down for Rice to have a chance of featuring against Bournemouth on Saturday, but this proved that Arsenal can thrive without their talismanic midfielder.

Much of the dialogue throughout the first half of the season has centred around Arsenal becoming their best selves when injuries are behind them, and that is still true.

It should not go unnoticed that this win over Villa was the first time that Kai Havertz had been named in a matchday squad since August, and that there was yet another impressive cameo from Gabriel Jesus up front. Ben White and Jurrien Timber also made returns, but with injuries cropping up so frequently, they seem like a reality Arsenal just have to deal with to get over the line.

For Arsenal to be where they are at the halfway point of the season despite all the injuries they have suffered is impressive, and Arteta’s squad finally seems to be filling up with senior pros again.

As discussed post-Everton, Arsenal’s historic title wins have come when they have improved as the season has progressed. They have ended 2025 with a statement victory, but one they will want to build on in 2026. December may have been a month of small margins on the whole, but Arteta will hope his players continue to find their finishing touches through January and beyond.

With Manchester City not playing until New Year’s Day, Arsenal will also enjoy not having to look over their shoulder as they welcome in 2026. It will be a night to enjoy — and, they hope, the first of many celebrations in the coming months.