Arsenal will bounce back from Villa blow: Arteta

Mikel Arteta maintained that Arsenal, the Premier League frontrunners, will rebound from the disappointment caused by a thrilling 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, which has significantly widened the title contest on Saturday.

Emiliano Buendia struck Villas decisive goal with the final action of an intense match, snapping the Gunners 18-game unbeaten streak across all tournaments.

Arsenals Leandro Trossard entered as a substitute to net a second-half leveller following Matty Cashs initial strike in the first half at Villa Park.

This marked Arsenals initial loss since their August defeat at Liverpool and just their second reverse throughout the season.

The setback for the north London side brought Villa within three points of the summit, as Manchester City also had an opportunity to narrow the margin with a win against Sunderland later that Saturday.

The Gunners carry a legacy of faltering after building substantial advantages in title pursuits.

They have ended as runners-up over the past three campaigns and have not claimed the championship since 2004.

However, Arteta stays assured that his team will manage the growing demands.

"Such is the league, you visit Old Trafford, you head to St James Park, you travel to Chelsea, you arrive here, we have faced numerous tough venues," he stated.

"The outcome might have varied, but the facts stand firm. We achieved 18 unbeaten matches and remain positioned closely with the rest.

"This reflects the leagues intensity, as we understand. This presents the chance before us and nothing more.

"Now we must recover, they have provided every justification for me to believe we will maintain our standards. We advance. We will draw lessons from this day and it will strengthen us as a unit."

Villa in title hunt

Arteta understands from past hardships the numerous developments yet to unfold in the battle for Premier League dominance.

He has no plans to display his irritation after a display hindered by errors from his depleted backline, currently missing three central defenders due to injuries.

"We are five months into the season and thus far we have managed. We will need to demonstrate our ability to manage repeatedly for the next six months," he remarked.

"Those who believe at this stage we will hold a 10-point lead inhabit another reality."

Arsenal suffered an additional setback, as Arteta disclosed that defender Cristhian Mosqueras ankle problem is more severe than initially anticipated.

"He will be sidelined for several weeks, regrettably," he added. "It turns out far worse than we hoped, so he faces weeks on the sidelines."

Villa manager Unai Emery has elevated his squad from early-season struggles when they dropped into the relegation places.

Emery's outfit failed to secure a victory in their first five fixtures, yet nine triumphs in their most recent 10 outings have positioned them as surprise challengers for the crown, though the Spaniard refuses to acknowledge it.

"I am not considering the title, I realise 38 games will prove extremely challenging, we are not in the race," he commented.

"If we were at match 35 as we are currently, perhaps I might express it differently.

"On the standings, naturally, we feel stronger now than two months prior.

"Yet Arsenal remain the frontrunners for this title, undoubtedly, we need equilibrium, since we found it even when we languished at the bottom."