The most recent match against Arsenal wasn’t a pivotal one but losing it did bestow that potential upon the next.
Aston Villa were soundly defeated at the Emirates Stadium, bringing to an end their sequence of eight consecutive Premier League wins and increasing the gap between the two teams to six points.
Being that close to the league leaders with half of the 2025/26 season gone is fine by me. Losing that match never had the weight to make or break Villa’s season but the response against Nottingham Forest is important.
I’m sure Unai Emery has discussed those implications with his players since Tuesday’s loss in London. If Villa can produce the right reaction to the dreadful second half at Arsenal, it needn’t do them any lasting damage.