LONDON: Arsenal closed out 2025 in emphatic fashion, snapping third-placed Aston Villa’s 11-game winning run with a dominant 4-1 win on Tuesday to surge five points clear at the top of the Premier League as Chelsea and Manchester United wasted the chance to climb into the top four.

United were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom side Wolve­rhampton Wanderers, who collected their third point of the season, while stuttering Chels­ea have won once in seven league games after being held 2-2 by Bournemouth. United are sixth, level on 30 points with fifth-placed Chelsea.

Arsenal avenged their only defeat in the last 25 games in all competitions earlier this month at Villa Park to take a firm grip of the title race.

“It is a beautiful evening,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “The way we started the second half was amazing, we really turned things up and were efficient in everything that we did.”

Doubts over Villa’s ability to live with Arsenal and Manchester City over 38 games were realised as Unai Emery’s men were blown away in the second half at the Emirates.

After a tightly-contested first 45 minutes in which Villa had their chances through Ollie Watkins, Arsenal cut loose.

Arteta’s men could rely on a set-piece once more to break the deadlock when Gabriel Magalhaes outmuscled Emi Martinez to score on his return to the starting line-up from a hamstring injury in the 48th minute.

Martin Odegaard’s fine through ball then teed up Martin Zubimendi to quickly double the Gunners’ lead four minutes later.

Two quality strikes rubbed salt in the visitors’ wounds as Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus fired in from outside the box.

Arsenal secured the points when Leandro Trossard fired home from the edge of the area before Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to add the fourth.

Watkins netted a consolation in stoppage timeb ut third-placed Villa fall six points behind the leaders.

“I think it was amazing,” Jesus told Sky Sports. “It’s always hard to play against them... The mentality of the team is really, really growing and each game is growing even more and I think we are winning today because of the mentality.”

Arsenal top the standings with 45 points, while second-placed Manchester City can close the gap when they play at Sunderland on Thursday.

United wasted another chance at Old Trafford to boost their chances of a return to the Champions League next season.

United striker Joshua Zirkzee made the most of a rare start by giving the depleted hosts the lead with a deflected shot from the edge of the box in the 27th minute.

But Wolves managed to level just before the break thanks to a header from Ladislav Krejci.

Patrick Dorgu briefly celebrated what he thought was a 90th-minute winner, but it was chalked off for offside.

“We struggled in all the game,” United boss Ruben Amorim said. “We had a lack of creation... the fluidity offensively wasn’t there. We didn’t play well. When you don’t play well with the ball, you struggle without it.”

Wolves, who snapped their 12-game losing streak, have three points from 19 games, 15 points from the safety zone.

Chelsea failed to lift the gloom at Stamford Bridge as Enzo Maresca’s decision to substitute Cole Palmer was booed by the frustrated home fans.

David Brooks gave the Cherries the perfect start but Bournemouth quickly showed why they have conceded more goals on the road than any other side in the English top flight.

Palmer equalised from the penalty spot before Enzo Fernandez was afforded acres of space to fire into the top corner.

But Chelsea failed to deal with a long throw for the second time in the opening 27 minutes when Justin Kluivert turned in Antoine Semenyo’s delivery at the back post.

The home fans made clear their frustration at Maresca’s decision to replace Palmer with Joao Pedro just after the hour mark as the Blues remain in fifth.

Newcastle United secured just a second away league win of the season but were made to sweat after a dream start to beat lowly Burnley 3-1.

Goals from Joelinton and Yoane Wissa had the Magpies 2-0 up inside seven minutes.

Josh Laurent halved the arrears midway through the first half and Burnley, who are winless in their last 10 games, hit the woodwork twice in the closing stages in their push for an equaliser before Bruno Guimaraes sealed victory for Eddie Howe’s men.

A depleted Everton climbed to eighth in the standings by getting the better of former boss Sean Dyche for the second time in a month to win 2-0 at Nottingham Forest.

The Toffees had not scored since their 3-0 win over Forest on December 6 but struck through James Garner and Thierno Barry to leave Dyche’s men just four points above the relegation zone.

It could have been worse for Forest had West Ham United not blown the lead twice to draw 2-2 at home to Brighton& Hove Albion in a game that featured three penalties in the first half.

arrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta, from the penalty spot, scored before the break for West Ham, while Brighton’s Danny Welbeck struck from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute but fired another off the crossbar. Joel Veltman scored for Brighton in the 61st minute to secure the draw.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026