🔗 Share this article Aston Villa's Emiliano BuendÃa Shocks Table-Toppers Arsenal with Injury-Time Winner. Mikel Arteta had warned of the significant hazards that awaited his league-leading Arsenal side at Villa Park. Aston Villa have in the past dealt damaging blows to the Gunners' championship hopes. Just a short time ago, Unai Emery's team rallied from two goals behind to snatch a draw that hurt Arsenal's chase. Furthermore, two seasons prior, Villa completed a league double over Arsenal, with a late on the road win playing a key role in handing the title to another rival. A Clash of Form Teams Therefore, Arteta and his squad were fully aware of the task of unlocking a Villa side riding an exceptional run of results, having secured 12 victories from their last 14 matches across all tournaments. Emery, conversely, understood the difficulty of overcoming an Arsenal team that had claimed seventeen of their twenty-one fixtures this season and had strengthened their squad in the off-season. Even missing key centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, the backline featuring Jurriën Timber and Piero Hincapié did not appear short in ability. The Stage was Prepared for a Thrilling Finale. Matty Cash Blasts Villa Ahead Villa seized a opening period lead through an increasingly reliable source: full-back Matty Cash. Eight minutes after Declan Rice had desperately blocked a vicious Cash effort, the Villa right-back thumped another shot through the legs of goalkeeper David Raya. The goal came after Timber flicked on a Pau Torres cross. Emery reacted with clenched fists as the entire Villa outfield rushed to congratulate Cash in the corner for his trademark golf-swing gesture. Arsenal Hit Back Following the Break Arteta did not hesitate, bringing on attackers Viktor Gyökeres and Leandro Trossard at halftime. The change paid off quickly. Trossard first blazed a volley just wide, before sparking raucous scenes in the away section minutes later. After Rice won possession in midfield and Martin Ødegaard released the overlapping Bukayo Saka, a scramble in the box ensued. Goalkeeper Emiliano MartÃnez could only push Saka's cross, leaving Trossard to slam the rebound into the net from point-blank range. A Breathless Finale and Late Drama The game continued at a frantic pace. Former Arsenal player Donyell Malen, now a Villa sub, dragged a shot wide. At the other end, MartÃnez touched a swerving Ødegaard effort. Just as the match seemed destined for a draw, the action reached its climax in the final minute. In a chaotic penalty area melee, replacement Emiliano BuendÃa hauled himself up to force the ball over the line, sending Villa Park into utter pandemonium. Former Arsenal goalkeeper MartÃnez rushed to join the pulsating huddle of ecstatic Villa players near the center line. Title Race Well and Truly Open This victory launches Aston Villa firmly into the thick of the Premier League race. The incredible atmosphere following BuendÃa's last-gasp winner underscored its importance. The fixture between the first and second teams, now separated by just three points, delivered on its billing as a potential season-defining clash.