Arsenal halt Villa charge to stay clear in title race

LONDON, Dec 30 : Premier League ‌leaders Arsenal slammed the door shut on charging Aston Villa with a 4-1 home thrashing of Unai Emery's side on Tuesday that put them five points clear at the top of the table going into the New Year.

Goals by Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Zubimendi early in the second half gave Arsenal control of a game that looked fraught with danger against a Villa side on an 11-match winning streak.

Defender Gabriel bundled in the opener from a corner in the 48th minute before Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard slid a pass through for Zubimendi to score four minutes later.

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 after a flowing move.

Ollie Watkins, who wasted good chances ‌in the first half, grabbed a consolation goal for Villa in stoppage time.

Arsenal's statement win moved them five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who can close the gap when they go to Sunderland on Thursday.

Villa, who will rue not getting ahead in an impressive first half, stayed in third place, six points adrift of Arsenal after their first defeat for nearly two months.

Arsenal had lost three of their last five league games against Villa, including a last-gasp defeat at Villa Park earlier in December , a result that fuelled talk of Emery's side making it a three-way title race.

With midfield driving force Declan Rice ruled ‍out with a knee injury having played in every Premier League game this season, Arsenal looked vulnerable in a first half in which Villa oozed confidence.

But once they got ahead, there was only one likely outcome.

 A BEAUTIFUL EVENING

"It is a beautiful evening. That was a very tough match, as we knew it