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Arsenal's title hopes were dealt a blow on Saturday as the Gunners succumbed to a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa at Vill Park.
The result means Mikel Arteta's men have won just two of their last five Premier League games, having drawn with Chelsea and Sunderland last month. As for Villa, Unai Emery's men have thrust themselves into the title reckoning with a remarkable run of form in recent weeks.
After failing to win any of its opening five Premier League games, Villa has won nine of the last 10 to move onto 30 points – just three behind Arsenal. Not everybody at Villa is having a great time at the moment, though, with Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott having been frozen out by Emery.
Elliott was once again omitted from a gameday squad altogether for the visit of Arsenal, and has not appeared for Villa in any competition since October 2.
Despite the bizarre situation, few could argue that Villa would be doing better with Elliott in the side – and it was actually a player who Emery said was blocking Elliott's route into the team who scored Villa's winning goal against Arsenal.
"I am happy how he is doing his work here," Emery said of Elliott last month. "But now it is difficult because he has other players playing and performing well, for example Emi Buendia and other players."
After a frantic scramble in the penalty area, Buendia guided the ball into the net to spark wild scenes at Villa Park, delighting boss Emery.
"So happy," the Spaniard said. "We finished this week really playing like we need to – competing, demanding ourselves, adapting to the opponent and playing with personality.
"Dominating sometimes and getting in the box, being intense and aggressive when we needed.
"Villa Park is special, the supporters transmit the energy to us. How they responded is fantastic.
“We are going to focus game by game. We know our only way is if we are trying to focus on each competition. Europa League, we want to play well but Premier League is our first priority. We have to respond like we did it today.”
Arteta, meanwhile, said the result was "very painful."
He added: "It was an open game, congratulations to Villa they are a really good side. We conceded a big chance in the first half with Ollie Watkins' goal.
"We had some dominance in the second half, and I had the feeling we were going to win the game, so to lose it in the manner we did is painful. Eighteen games unbeaten, you lose a game, and that's what it is, this is football."
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