Mikel Arteta praised two Arsenal players, Piero Hincapie and Jurrien Timber, despite their 2-1 Premier League loss to Aston Villa. The defenders were “exceptional” filling in at centre-back for the absent Gabriel and William Saliba, a bright spot in a tough Villa Park outing for the Gunners.
Arsenal remains top with 33 points from 15 games, now just two points ahead of Manchester City. Aston Villa’s five-match winning streak puts them only three points behind Arsenal, establishing them as serious title contenders after their late victory.