\n<\/p>\n
It had seemed like <\/b>Arsenal<\/b><\/a> were starting to wobble.<\/b><\/p>\n After starting December with defeat by Aston Villa<\/a>, they were far from convincing as they beat Wolves<\/a>, Everton<\/a> and Brighton<\/a> by narrow margins.<\/p>\n But the Gunners ground out vital results and they answered any lingering doubts over their title credentials with an emphatic 4-1 home victory over Villa on Tuesday.<\/p>\n It not only kept Unai Emery’s in-form side at bay in third place, it served as a powerful statement to any team hoping to derail their trophy ambitions.<\/p>\n Arsenal<\/a> head into 2026, and the second half of the campaign, at the top of the league – five points clear of second-placed Manchester City<\/a>, with Villa a further point behind. <\/p>\n “Arsenal<\/a> doing what they did to Villa tells you where they are,” former Aston Villa<\/a> striker Dion Dublin told BBC Radio 5 Live.<\/p>\n “It’s all going right for them because everyone is contributing – the manager, the players, the staff.”<\/p>\n Speaking on Match of the Day, ex-England midfielder Danny Murphy added: “Arsenal<\/a>‘s performance was a big statement. It was powerful, full of quality and showed their strength in depth.”<\/p>\n But, with a history of letting the title slip from their grasp following three successive runners-up finishes, can Arsenal<\/a> finally make it count this season and be champions for the first time since 2004?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n