'We will learn': Mikel Arteta issues defiant Arsenal vow after Aston Villa heartbreak

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·6 December 2025

'We will learn': Mikel Arteta issues defiant Arsenal vow after Aston Villa heartbreak

Gunners boss explains what went wrong as last-gasp Emi Buendia goal ends unbeaten run and blows open title race

Mikel Arteta says his Arsenal players must learn from their last-gasp defeat by Aston Villa and prove they can handle the heat of the title race.

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Substitute Emi Buendia struck deep into stoppage time to secure a dramatic 2-1 win for the hosts in a thrilling game at Villa Park on Saturday.

The defeat ended Arsenal’s 18-match unbeaten run and saw Villa close the gap on the leaders at the Premier League summit to three points.

Arteta admitted the loss was “painful”, but backed his squad to use it as fuel going forward.

“Everything that they have put in the last two weeks and the results that we got, the performances, and to lose it that way, emotionally is very touching,” he said.

“You just feel that, yeah, everything that you put [in], it hasn’t been worth it. But it is worth it, because we will learn again from today and it will make us a better team again.

“It’s been five months in the competition, and so far we’ve coped. But we’re going to have to prove that we can cope again, again, again, for another six months. That’s the level.

“If you think you are going to be in this moment with 10 points clear, I think we live [in] a different world.”

Arsenal had looked on course to claim a battling point against Villa before Buendia broke their hearts at the death.

Matty Cash put Unai Emery’s side ahead in first half, but Leandro Trossard came off the bench at half-time and equalised seven minutes later.

Arsenal were unable to kick on from there, though, and were on the back foot before Buendia scored with basically the last kick of the game.

“In the manner it happened at the end, it was really difficult to take,” said Arteta.

“In the first half we had moments. They had the best chance, but I think it was a foul on Richy [Riccardo Calafiori] when [Ollie] Watkins goes through.

“After that we started to control the game and had some good situations. But you are always on the edge, especially when you don’t manage the ball well when you regain it. We didn’t do that well in the first half.

“In the second half, we started very well. We scored the goal, we were dominant. But then we had periods where the same issue appeared.

“We didn’t have the dominance, we allowed open spaces. We gave two balls away that could have cost us the game before the actual goal.”