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Not a bad day of Premier League football, was it?

Aston Villa have arrived - in the eyes of some - as title contenders, Liverpool have taken over at the top as a result of Arsenal's defeat, while Bournemouth earned an historic first win at Manchester United.

And then there were important results down at the bottom for Sheffield United, Burnley and Forest.

Lots of goals, lots of drama.

And lots to catch up with on Match on the Day, which is on about the usual time at 22:20 GMT. Miss it, miss out.

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal

Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus, speaking to PLP: "Well I feel we played better than last game. I think we controlled game. I think we conceded the goal early and then the games maybe goes another way.

"We played good. They have a good team, good players, play amazing you can see it. I think we could win game but now we focus on next game."

On the penalty they didn't get: "I felt touch but I don't know the rules so probably for them its no penalty I cant do nothing i felt someone touch me and anyway its their decision. "

"I don't know if the goal is clear handball. We don't know we just have to accept it and focus to go again next game and then maybe we can have some better decisions."

On whether Aston Villa are title rivals: "Of course it's the Premier League. It's an amazing competition, so strong. Anyone can beat you no matter how strong your team is.

"They're having an amazing season, good coach, good team, stadium, the way the crowd comes to support you. That's football, they are there, they have confidence and they are playing good. We have to focus on us, that's it."

Ross Matthewman: Wow, the reaction from Arteta and the Arsenal players to losing that match feels really petulant and entitled. Chalk and cheese with how City responded on Wednesday.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, speaking to BBC Sport: "I'm feeling very, very good and very happy, we are connecting with our supporters and the positive energy transmits to us. Today we needed it because we were tired after the game on Wednesday.

"We competed well and had a strong defensive structure. We were speaking about the necessity to keep a clean sheet against City and Arsenal, it is amazing to keep them. Today we were lower than we wanted but we needed to compete and we did.

"We are increasing mentality and believing how we can be stronger and increase our communication. We will have a lot of work to do to increase more.

"We want to be in the top eight teams but a lot of teams want to be there. At the beginning there were seven top teams but we will fight to be in there. While we are in we can be excited and motivated to get it."

Aston Villa

Villa manager Unai Emery, speaking to Sky Sports, about his current emotions: "Happy, I'm very happy. It was a tough match and we were tired, but we started the game well. They were imposing their position on the pitch, but our goalkeeper was amazing.

"We tried to defend and keep possession longer than we did. We competed and it was a fantastic three points in a tough week. We have to be happy but also keep balance."

On earning 15 straight Premier league wins at Villa Park: "I've never achieved this and I won't again in my future as a coach. But we have to try to understand we are competing well and the next challenge will be Sheffield United and another tough match.

"It is brilliant here at Villa Park with our supporters and how they are supporting us."

On possible title ambitions: "I will speak again when we are in game 30-32 and if we are in the same position as now then maybe I can speak about it.

"At the start we are not a contender, it is only game 16. We are in (the top four) and must try to keep it. It is difficult, we are not dominating matches like we are here."

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking to Match of the Day, about what frustrated him: “The result. I’m really proud of the way the team played in this stadium against this team. We deserved to win the game but you have to be better in the boxes and things have to go your way as well.”

On what wasn’t right: “That was one of the things [failure to put the ball in the net]. Especially in the second half we lost a bit of control, we gave the ball away, we went in to attack the ball too fast because you are tempted to put the ball in behind with the way they defend with the line but we could have done a bit better."

Asked to comment on the refereeing decisions he said: “It’s clear and obvious for me.”

On Villa: “They are there and with the home record they have they fully deserve to be where they are because when you win as many games at home they deserve the credit.

On whether the players will need a lift: “I just told them ‘pull your head up because the way you played’ I see many, many teams come here and I haven’t seen many do what we have done to them today but the result is not there but certainly the way we played it was there.”

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport at Villa Park

Time for Mikel Arteta's post-match press conference and he is asked first up about Arsenal's late disallowed goal and penalty shout.

"Clear and obvious," he says.

He's asked to clarify. Does he mean the calls were clearly wrong? Or that the decisions were not obvious enough to be overturned?

"That's what I mean, clear and obvious. That's my opinion, that's all I can say."

He's asked a third time.

"I will not speak about it anymore."

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking to Sky Sports: “Really good performance I thought we were better team and didn’t deserve to lose game at all but this is football.”

When asked about the controversial refereeing decisions he initially refused to comment but said he has an opinion: “I do, big opinion”.

On lack of goals: “Because you have to put the ball in the net and that’s the only thing we missed today. We generated some big, big chances, bringing the ball higher up. We still lost the game.”

On Aston Villa: “They are a really good side. They are in a really good moment right now and I congratulate them. That’s what we have to do.”

Arsenal

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, speaking to Sky Sports: "In front of the goal we had enough chances to win the game. I felt they didn't create anything apart from the goal. It happens sometimes.

"I had a few chances myself but the only thing you can do is keep going and bounce back in the next game. That's what we will do."

"We have them an easy goal but after that we controlled it and scored have scored. We didn't deserve to lose but that's football."

On Kai Havertz's strike being ruled out for a handball: "I thought it was a goal but I haven't seen it so don't want to say too much."

On the impact of this defeat on title race: "It's too early in the season, it's a big game and we wanted three points. Villa are a great team and credit to them, they are well organised and good on the ball. But we were the better team."

Arsenal

Seems like the post-match debrief in the Arsenal dressing room has centred around a sense they should not have been beaten.

Both Martin Odegaard and Mikel Arteta have said the Gunners "didn't deserve to lose".

Neither would comment on Kai Havertz's late strike being ruled out.

Full quotes to come.

Aston Villa

More from Villa skipper John McGinn on his goal: "I actually had an exact same chance in one of the Europa Conference League games. Leon has cut it across the exact same, I’ve tried to lay it off on my right foot.

"We’ve got a lot of staff behind the scenes who analyse that stuff and say if that happens again turn on your right and shoot with your left. Just in that split second I managed to do that

"I didn’t get the cleanest of strikes but it managed to go in the corner and I’m just delighted."

Aston Villa

Aston Villa goalscorer John McGinn speaking to Sky Sports: “That was actually a really tough spell for us. We played Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday and I think it showed in our performance tonight, it wasn’t our best but I’m certainly not complaining.

“The second half was a bit of character, a bit of grit and fair play to the substitutes who’ve come on. A couple of them haven’t played for a long time and dug right in there.

“Arsenal have made a habit of scoring late goals and it was up to us to keep concentrated. What a monumental week it has been for us.

“We had the best of the first 20 minutes up until we scored. I don’t know what happened after that but Arsenal seemed to get a foot in the game, controlled it a lot more and they’re a top quality team so their manager adjusted a few things. Did it work? Maybe, maybe not. They had a lot of the ball but not too many clear cut chances.

“Credit to us for not playing as well as we did on Wednesday night but clean sheet against the two best teams in the league in my opinion and another huge win."

Villa matchwinner John McGinn concedes it wasn't his side's "best performance" in what he described as a "monumental" week but praised their resilience to earn a huge victory.

That's now 15 (FIFTEEN!) home Premier League wins on the bounce for Villa, a run which only four other teams have matched.

Goes to show what a top-drawer manager can do.

A lot of these Villa players were part of Gerrard's team but the way they have responded to Emery's management and methods has been superb.

Defensively, they are brave with their line but execute to perfection through communication and discipline.

That was apparent again as they held firm and limited Arsenal's attack.

Fifth par please, Josef.

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport at Villa Park

"We've upset the narrative. Villa are back. Put that in your report!" - a happy Aston Villa fan.

There's a fella wearing a Villa Christmas jumper who is shouting the lyrics of Sweet Caroline (of course) down the phone to one of his nearest and dearest.

Bet whoever is on the other end of the line wishes they were down at the game.

What a time to be a Villa fan.

Michael Brown
Former Tottenham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

They were tested, Arsenal finally started creating chances trying to push Villa back but they were determined. It was a team performance.

They had to make changes because of injuries but then they just hung on. The fight was there.

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