Manchester City on the upswing, Arsenal falter with 2nd loss of the season

Arsenal lose a Premier League match for the first time since August to the hands of Aston Villa, allowing Manchester City to close the gap on 1st place to just 2 points.

Aston Villa vs Arsenal

Aston Villa defied all odds in an emotional 2-1 victory over the might Young Gunners this week to seal 3rd place and continue an incredible 7 game winning streak. Villa's Matty Cash landed on the end of a back post cross to tuck home a volley in the 36' to give the Lions the lead. However, a second half clean up goal from Arsenal's Leandro Trossard would draw the game level at 1-1. The game came down to the wire with the Gunners firing off 15 shots, 8 on target to Villa's 14 shots, 7 on target, before Villa's Emiliano Buendia curled home the 90+5' game winner from an inside-the-box scrum to set Arsenal back 3 points and allow the Lions to take 3rd place with 30 points.

Manchester City vs Sunderland

Manchester City were hardly troubled over the weekend with another shut out win identical to their last over Liverpool on November 9, putting them at 2nd place with 31 points. The Sky Blues dominated the pitch with 17 shots, 8 on target, with 65% possession at home Etihad Stadium, where they took out now 8th place Sunderland in a 3-0 romping. City's Ruben Dias was the first to score with a 31' goal, followed up by Josko Gvardiol just 4 minutes late. Sunderland's Luke O'Nien was sent off with a high studded challenge in the 90+6', long after City's Phil Foden bagged his 6th of the season with a 65' header flick off the crossbar to help the Sky Blues secure their 10th win of the season.

Get ready for this week's insane Champions League action starting this Tuesday, before the English Premier League returns next weekend for matchday 16, kicking off with Chelsea vs Everton and Liverpool vs Brighton at 10 am EST on Saturday, December 13.