The 2025-26 Premier League season is approaching its midpoint, with the standings showing a tight race for positions. Only three points separate the top three teams: Arsenal, Man City, and Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Liverpool in fourth is just ten points ahead of Bournemouth in 15th place.
Matchday 18 occurred between Friday, December 26, and Sunday, December 28. Here are the key highlights from the league.
Aston Villa pursues a remarkable record…
The 2025-26 season started poorly for Aston Villa, who struggled significantly, failing to score in their first four matches and securing their first win only on Matchday 6.
“We went through a tough phase,” said Villa’s coach Unai Emery. “However, we needed to stay strong and wait for our moment.”
That moment appears to have arrived. Villa’s hard-fought 2-1 victory against Chelsea marks their 11th consecutive win across all competitions, matching a club record set in 1897. A win against Arsenal on Tuesday, December 30, could propel them into the title race and make them the most successful team in the club’s 151-year history.
Interestingly, many of Villa’s standout players have been with the club for a while, rather than being high-priced newcomers. Some, including goalkeeper Emi Martinez, defender Ezri Konsa, and midfielder John McGinn, played under previous manager Steven Gerrard during a difficult time for the team. They started in Gerrard’s last game, highlighting their resilience. Under Emery’s guidance, these players are now on a path to achieve history for positive reasons. Chelsea 1-2 Aston Villa
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