Arsenal: Viktor Gyokeres explains why defeat at Aston Villa can be 'positive' for Gunners

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·7 December 2025

Arsenal: Viktor Gyokeres explains why defeat at Aston Villa can be 'positive' for Gunners

Gunners’ lead at top was cut in Birmingham

Viktor Gyokeres has pointed at how Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa over the weekend can be a positive for the north Londoners.

The Gunners suffered late heartache at Villa Park as Emi Buendia stepped off the bench to strike a winner in stoppage time for Unai Emery against his former employers.

Matty Cash had opened the scoring for the Birmingham outfit before Leandro Trossard made an instant impact as a half-time substitute to bundle home and level.

Gyokeres was also introduced at the interval by Mikel Arteta, and while the Swede looks to win his place back in the starting XI following his injury lay-off, he reflected on the positives of his side’s performance.

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“We are of course disappointed with the result,” the striker said.

“It's not a great feeling right now, but it's only December and there are a lot of games to play.

“You can always find some positives, but it's still a very difficult way to lose a football game. It's tough right now, but we'll look forward to the next one soon.”

“We have to keep creating chances and get shots on goal because then you'll eventually score more goals.

“So yes, that's of course a positive and we just need to do things in between also a bit better.

“It's football. If you score in the last few seconds or minutes, that is an unbelievable feeling, so it goes both ways. Today, unfortunately, it was the other way. It's tough, but you learn from it.

“If we focus on what we can control and do in our favour and focus on the next game, we'll be better, I think.”

Arsenal’s loss at Villa was their first in any competition since they were beaten by Liverpool back in August.

The result meant that their lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to two points after Manchester City beat Sunderland 3-0, and Villa themselves moved into third, three points adrift.