**Arsenal**were stung right at the death as Aston Villa snatched a 2-1 win to close the gap to three points behind the Gunners in the Premier League.
Leandro Trossard's equaliser deservedly brought Mikel Arteta's side level following Matty Cash's well taken first half strike, but it was Emi Buendia who reacted first to some messy play in the Arsenal box to score the winner and dampen the league leaders spirit.
Here are four key talking points from the performance.
Familiar Cracks Starting to Show Within Arsenal's Ranks
Perhaps the most concerning point of note from the match, was the all too familiar feeling of not being able to withstand injury concerns and grind out a positive result from a tough away fixture.
On multiple occasions in recent campaigns, Arsenal had stumbled on the road to the likes of Newcastle, Everton, and Fulham. However, with victories at StJames' Park**** and Craven Cottage earlier in the season, many argued that the North London outfit now had the mentality of champions.
But their Achilles heel emerged again, and with key players such as William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes missing, the away side failed not only to push on after Trossard's goal and score a winner, but also to shut out the Villains at the other end.
Centre Forward Struggles Cost Arsenal Offensively
In the fast half it was makeshift striker Mikel Merino, in the second it was Arsenal's £64 million man Viktor Gyokeres. But in both cases, they struggled to really have any meaningful impact on proceedings.
The first 45 minutes saw the Spaniard off the pace, reacting second to what felt like every 50-50 challenge. In addition, the physicality that the home side approached the encounter with, proved to be too much, as Arsenal's number 23 was repeatedly out fought by the likes of Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa.
Gyokeres' introduction at the interval alongside goal scorer Trossard did change the momentum of play, with the Gunners dominating the ball and probing Emiliano Martinez' goal. However, the Swede had very few touches, with the majority of Arsenal's attacking work coming down the flanks, and with a haul of squandered chances, fans were crying out for someone to put the ball in the back of the net.
Leandro Trossard Continues to Underline his Significance
Another goal for Arsenal's number 19, this time coming seven minutes after arriving off the bench, as he once again emphasised his ability to score big goals.
When Arteta's side have needed a moment, Trossard has stepped up on numerous occasions, and this goal - though not the most easy on the eye - came at a crucial time, where Arsenal were beginning to stamp their authority on the game.
Although it ultimately proved futile following Buendia's winner, Arsenal fans were reminded once again of the Belgian's role in this title chasing side.
Declan Rice Shows Why he is Arsenal's Most Important Player
A further positive to take from the defeat was Declan Rice who, for the umpteenth time, worked the hardest out of any Arsenal player.
His all-round game was there for all to see once more, making a crucial block in the first half to deny Matty Cash, as well as carrying the ball up the pitch to transition from defence to attack. The English international also played a vital role in the build up to the goal, nicking possession in the midfield to set off Bukayo Saka, who would go on to assist Trossard.
With all the injuries flying around the squad, it is imperative that Arteta keeps Rice fully fit if he wants to push on and win Arsenal their first league title in over 20 years, because the work he puts in over 90 minutes cannot be replicated by any other player.