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Soccer-Arsenal suffer title jolt against inspired United, Villa close gap
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 25, 2026
4 min readLast updated: January 25, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 25, 2026
4 min readLast updated: January 25, 2026
Arsenal's title hopes are shaken after a 3-2 loss to Manchester United, reducing their lead to four points over Manchester City and Aston Villa.
LONDON, England, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Arsenal will not be hitting the panic button but the Premier League title jitters are beginning to surface in north London as a 3-2 home defeat by Manchester United on Sunday left the door ajar to the chasers.
Stunning second-half goals by Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha earned United a first Premier League win at Arsenal since 2017 to loosen their grip on top spot.
Instead of restoring their seven-point lead, Arsenal's first home defeat of the season in all competitions left them four points ahead of Manchester City and Aston Villa.
City had got back to winning ways by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday while Villa won 2-0 at Newcastle United on Sunday before Arsenal kicked off at The Emirates Stadium.
A stunning first-half strike by Emiliano Buendia and a late goal by Ollie Watkins sealed the points for Villa who bounced back impressively from last week's home defeat by Everton.
Arsenal, who are now three league games without a win, have 50 points from 23 games with City and Villa on 46 while a rejuvenated United are fourth with 38.
Chelsea are fifth with 37 after a 3-1 victory at Crystal Palace sealed with goals by Estevao, Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez. Chris Richards grabbed a consolation goal for the hosts who had Adam Wharton sent off.
Nottingham Forest moved five points above the relegation zone with a 2-0 win at Brentford.
Arsenal are chasing a first title since 2004 and could well have built a commanding lead with City and Villa stumbling of late. But Sunday's loss, following consecutive 0-0 draws, has raised the anxiety levels.
"You have to give credit to Manchester United. We gave them a goal which is unusual and painful, then two brilliant moments with incredible goals. We were not at our best and paid the price," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.
TERRIBLE MISTAKE
They looked in control when Lisandro Martinez's own goal put them ahead after 29 minutes.
But a terrible mistake by Martin Zubimendi in the 37th minute gifted United an equaliser for Bryan Mbeumo.
Dorgu then rifled in a volley in the 50th minute and United's confidence was soaring until substitute Mikel Merino prodded the hosts level from a corner late on.
United were not finished though and substitute Cunha advanced before curling a right-foot shot past David Raya from 25 metres to spark wild celebrations in the visiting fans.
One point from their last two league games had stunted Villa's momentum but they were back in the groove against a disappointing Newcastle side.
Buendia opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a dipping shot that flashed past Nick Pope.
Newcastle pressed forward looking for an equaliser but it was Watkins who had the last word for Villa, ghosting in at the far post to head home in the 88th minute and seal the win.
Having battled to a 1-0 win over Turkish side Fenerbahce on Thursday in the Europa League, Villa had little time to prepare for the Newcastle game but responded well.
"It's a tough schedule for us but it is what we want to do, play in European competitions and fight for these places in the Premier League so we have to adapt, fight and play and recover and go again," Buendia said.
Forest were under pressure after third-from-bottom West Ham United moved two points behind them with a win against Sunderland on Saturday.
But they responded with victory at Brentford who lost at home for only the second time this season in the league. Goals from Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi proved decisive for Forest who moved level on points with 16th-placed Leeds United.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Toby Davis)
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