Arteta speaks candidly after Arsenal's commanding win over Villa in a crucial Premier League title race match.
On 31 Dec 2025 GMT+7, Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, gave an interview after the 19th match of the 2025-26 English Premier League season, marking the year's end with a dominant 4-1 home victory over Aston Villa.
This win brought Arsenal's total to 45 points, placing them at the top of the table, 5 points ahead of second-place Manchester City, though having played one more match, and extended their lead over third-place Aston Villa in the title race to 6 points.
Arteta commented on ending Aston Villa's streak of 11 consecutive wins in all competitions, including 8 straight Premier League wins before losing to Arsenal: "It's incredible. We knew we were playing against a team on an 11-game winning run and in very confident form."
"They are a really great team who kept us on the back foot constantly. In the first 10 minutes of the first half, we missed some chances, but then they gave us openings. They were very dangerous. After we gained more control, we played better in the second half, and I think we performed excellently."
When asked if the win over Aston Villa demonstrated Arsenal's title credentials, the manager said, "The most important thing is securing the three points. We know how long the journey will be."
"The year 2025 has been incredible. We know what we want for 2026, and we have to achieve it. The path ahead is still long."