Why ‘Big Gabi’ is so important to Arsenal’s chances of ending 22-year title drought | OneFootball

This victory may well be one they look back on in May. Faced with the Premier League’s in-form team, a side bouncing into north London after eight hair-raising wins on the spin, Arsenal blew away the merry men of Aston Villa in a sensational 30-minute, four-goal blitz at the Emirates. To close out 2025, jubilant on the touchline, it was Mikel Arteta’s biggest statement yet.

What sort of message has it sent to Manchester City? An emphatic one. In recent weeks, it has been nervy late-game viewing for Arsenal supporters, so desperate for this season to be, beyond any other competitions, their season in the Premier League. This was a proper test of their title credentials under the lights: a team with 11 consecutive victories in all competitions. The league’s in-form player in Morgan Rogers. An ex-manager in Unai Emery smelling a 24-day double. But they answered it and, whisper it quietly, in the manner of champions.

And when will Arsenal’s – let’s call it for what it is – unbelievable set-piece machine run out of gas? Certainly not yet. Take the mickey out of the hand-waving antics of set-piece coach Nicolas Jover as much as you like, but the end results are staggering. From corners alone, that’s 17 goals in the calendar year. It was the returning Gabriel (how they’ve missed him) whose sheer presence in the penalty area saw ex-Gunner Emiliano Martinez fluff his catch in the air, two minutes after the interval. And from that point on, it was one-way traffic.

open image in gallery

Gabriel celebrates scoring Arsenal’s opening goal (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

On the talismanic Brazilian centre back known in the dressing room as “Big Gabi”, Arteta said afterwards: “He returns from an injury of six weeks, which should have been longer, and against the team which is hardest to play against, who create a lot of chances.

“But he impacts the game in an incredible way, both at the back and in the box.”

It is difficult not to overstate how vital Gabriel’s return alongside William Saliba will be for Arsenal’s chances of a first title in 22 years. A late Ollie Watkins consolation ruined a record which, when playing 90 minutes so far this season, had been peerless: five clean sheets from five. And the Brazilian’s power and leap in the opposition box can swing games in an instant. We saw it with Arsenal’s four-goal blitz against Atletico Madrid in October and we saw it again here.

Martin Zubimendi made it two shortly after the opener, scoring a goal via a run from deep you’d actually associate with the absent Declan Rice, before Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus wrapped up a starry-eyed night with pinpoint finishes for the 60,000 in attendance.

Emery quickly rushed down the tunnel, unimpressively failing to shake Arteta’s hand no matter his excuse of feeling “cold” afterwards. Arsenal fans goaded an exasperated Martinez, as he departed the field of play. They’ll all enjoy seeing in the New Year five points clear of City, who have a game in hand, and now six ahead of Villa. And they’ll now be dreaming of all the gold and confetti in five months, too.

From the typically exuberant pre-match lightshow, fireworks and sparklers to early bellows of irritation from the home faithful, it always felt like a significant occasion. At least, certainly significant for late December, just three weeks since their last league meeting in which Emi Buendia scored a thrilling last-minute winner at Villa Park, sending half a dozen Arsenal players to their knees. There would be no repeat here.

Much of the talk coming in, given the crucial absence of Rice due to a knee injury, was laser-focused on Watkins’ recent prowess after his match-winning double against Chelsea. Yet on 13 minutes, the England international squandered a glorious early chance – after Arsenal’s £64m striker Viktor Gyokeres was robbed on the halfway line – when he meekly placed wide following Ezri Konsa’s ideal tee-up.

Gyokeres himself carved out some decent first-half chances, punting just over and then a few metres wide with his head, amid an early opening salvo in which this dogged and technically savvy Villa outfit more than held their own. Amadou Onana looked a class above in the first half but sustained a knock which forced his withdrawal at half-time (a key blow for the visitors) while Rogers, the standout midfielder in the league so far, showed flashes of his brilliance. In fact, a sharp turn away from the already-booked Mikel Merino saw the Arsenal midfielder lucky to escape a second yellow card from referee Darren England for a cynical pull-back.

By half-time, jeers rang out around the stadium, a concoction of frustration at the tactical stalemate and a bemusing vexation at a few refereeing calls.

open image in gallery

Martin Zubimendi made it two with a poked finish (John Walton/PA Wire)

open image in gallery

Unai Emery saw Aston Villa’s winning run end (Reuters)

Yet as it turns out, all they needed was a corner. Arsenal’s first of the match, two minutes after half-time, saw Martinez’s limp attempt at clutching the cross and Gabriel – in his first start since November – the inevitable beneficiary, the ball eventually bundling in off his thigh. A VAR review was quickly dismissed; it was simply a goalkeeping error.

Five minutes later, much like his goalkeeper, Jadon Sancho was far too weak in the challenge. Martin Odegaard, who enjoyed his best performance of the season here, dispossessed the Villa winger before cutely feeding the ball through to his midfield partner Zubimendi, who poked home ahead of Martinez.

Villa were shellshocked, completely lost at sea after a sensational five-minute storm, and worse was on the horizon. No second-half substitutions would save Emery here.

Tails completely up and wagging, Arsenal were purring now and, after Odegaard saw his shot tipped wide, Trossard swept sweetly home to make it three – and put the three points in Arteta’s back pocket beyond all doubt, despite a lengthy VAR review.

Icing on the cake was provided by substitute Gabriel Jesus, who curled home beautifully with his first touch on the pitch and first goal in nearly a year, before taking off his shirt to reveal a “I belong to Jesus” vest top. As if that was in any doubt.

open image in gallery

Leandro Trossard scored Arsenal’s third (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

open image in gallery

Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus celebrates scoring the fourth goal (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

Bukayo Saka had two gaping chances to make it five and Watkins would net a late consolation from close range for Villa after a mazy run by Donyell Malen. But it did not matter a jot.

“We are top of the league”, they sang from the terraces. And top is exactly where they’ll be at the halfway stage, irrespective of how City fare against Sunderland on New Year’s Day. Perhaps this time, 2026 could, and maybe even should, be the year these Arsenal supporters have desired for so very long.