Arsenal will head into the new year atop the Premier League after delivering a second-half blitz to beat Aston Villa 4-1 at the Emirates on Tuesday, a statement win with all four goals coming after the break.

Substitute Gabriel Jesus put the finishing touch on the rout, scoring one minute after coming on to underline the depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad. The Arsenal manager jubilantly high-fived his assistants at full-time.

The victory lifted Arsenal five points clear of Manchester City, which play Sunderland on New Year’s Day, and six ahead of third-placed Villa.

"It is a beautiful evening,” Arteta told Sky Sports. "We knew it would be a very tough match because they are a top opponent. The way we started the second half was amazing, we raised the level and were efficient in everything we did.”

Arsenal have not won the Premier League since 2004, and with pressure mounting, performances like this only sharpen expectations that Arteta’s side can finally end the long wait.

"In 2026, we know what we want,” Arteta said.

Villa manager Unai Emery later defended his decision not to shake Arteta’s hand at the end of the game, saying it was "cold” at the Emirates.

"Always my routine is to go to the opposition coach, shake hands and go inside,” the former Arsenal manager told Sky Sports. "If he is not doing the same rule, I can’t wait. It was cold.”

Elsewhere, Chelsea drew 2-2 at home to Bournemouth, Newcastle won 3-1 at lowly Burnley, and Manchester United were held 1-1 at home by rock-bottom Wolverhampton.

Struggling West Ham drew 2-2 with visiting Brighton, and Everton won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest.

No Arsenal player is near the top of the scoring charts this season, yet sharing the goals around may be the team’s strength.

Defender Gabriel Magalhaes headed home early in the second half following a corner, and midfielder Martin Zubimendi netted in the 52nd minute.

Winger Leandro Trossard curled in a fine third from the edge of the penalty area in the 69th minute and was involved in the fourth goal, which Jesus curled into the same corner from almost the same spot in the 78th after Arsenal launched a superb counterattack from deep.

The win was even more impressive considering Arsenal were missing key midfielder Declan Rice with a knee injury and Villa were playing on the back of 11 straight victories in all competitions.

Gabriel nodded in from close range and was deemed not to have impeded Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez with his elbow.

Zubimendi finished confidently after captain Martin Odegaard expertly won the ball in midfield, advanced and threaded a perfect pass behind Villa’s defense.

Ollie Watkins grabbed an injury-time consolation for Villa.

Bournemouth’s David Brooks scored early from close range after Chelsea failed to deal with a throw-in from the right.

Cole Palmer equalized in the 15th minute with a penalty awarded after video review ruled Antoine Semenyo’s knee had gone into the back of forward Estevao’s leg.

Midfielder Enzo Fernandez gave Chelsea the lead midway through the first half, but Chelsea gifted Bournemouth an equalizer when a defender headed on a throw-in from the left and Justin Kluivert scored at the back post.

Chelsea are fifth, level on 30 points with United in sixth.

Manchester United led through Joshua Zirkzee’s deflected strike in the 27th minute, but Ladislav Krejci equalized close to halftime for Wolves with a powerful downward header.

It was Wolves manager Rob Edwards’ first point since taking charge in November.

Patrick Dorgu’s injury-time goal for United was ruled out for offside by VAR.

Boos at the final whistle from United fans contrasted with Wolves supporters’ chants of "We’ve won a point.”

Yoane Wissa scored his first league goal since joining from Brentford as Newcastle moved into 10th place.

Newcastle were 2-0 up inside seven minutes, with Joelinton set up from the left wing by Anthony Gordon and Wissa bundling in from close range following a goalmouth scramble.

Josh Laurent pulled a goal back for Burnley midway through the first half. Newcastle survived nervy moments before Bruno Guimaraes sealed the win with an expert lob in stoppage time.

Next-to-last Burnley are two points behind West Ham in 18th.

Everton scored in the 19th minute when James Garner drilled a low finish after being set up down the right by Dwight McNeil.

Garner then turned neatly in midfield before feeding Thierno Barry with a defense-splitting pass to make it 2-0 against Forest in the 79th.

West Ham took an early lead against Brighton when striker Jarrod Bowen latched onto Lucas Paqueta’s through ball from halfway and struck a low shot into the bottom corner.

Veteran forward Danny Welbeck equalized for Brighton from the penalty spot for his eighth goal of the season and later hit the crossbar with a Panenka-style chipped penalty in the first half.

Paqueta converted his spot kick with a staggered run-up in first-half injury time, but Joel Veltman equalized for Brighton in the 61st minute following a corner.

Defending champion Liverpool host Leeds on Thursday.