Star man calls on Aston Villa to be 'proud' after winning run halted at Arsenal

Villa arrived at the Emirates targeting a win which would set a new club record of 12 straight victories and move them level on points with the Gunners at the top of the Premier League.

But after a solid first half, they were blown away as the home side upped the tempo in the second period.

Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Zubimendi, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all scored for the league leaders before Ollie Watkins netted a late consolation.

Unai Emery’s men remain third in the table, with a nine-point cushion over fifth-placed Chelsea heading into 2026 and Rogers believes their focus should be on the positives.

Villa, who won at Chelsea on Saturday in the first of two away matches between Christmas and new year, are back at home to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Rogers said: "It's nothing bad to lose 4-1 to the best team in the league at the moment.

“We’ve got to dust ourselves down, we’ve got to be proud of the run we’ve been on and how good we’ve been.

“Take bits from the first 45, take bits from the second half as well, and we’ve got more games coming up.

“The games don’t stop and we’ve got a really good opportunity to start again and go again for the next run of fixtures, to try and get our form back and get back to where we want to be.”

Villa’s first half showing at the Emirates was arguably the best of the season so far from a team who have been slow starters on the road, winning five of their previous six matches coming from behind.

But they were unable to raise their game alongside the Gunners after the break. A mistake by Emi Martinez allowed Gabriel to put the home side in front and Villa barely had no chance to settle before Zubimendi doubled the lead.

Trossard and Jesus added further pain but Villa, to their credit, refused to give in with Watkins hitting the post before notching a late consolation.

"It got difficult because they are such a good team,” said Rogers. “They are where they are in the league for a reason. 

“They are relentless and they just keep going. I thought we were really good in the first half, we were really proud of how we played. 

“On another day we might've created one more clear-cut chance to maybe go in front, but they were really solid and really good. 

“In the second half, they just kept the pressure on and it's really tough to come to a place like this. We knew we would have to ride our luck but they were just too clinical - sometimes that happens.

"Nothing really changed on either side in the second half, but once you get that opening goal then the momentum comes with it. 

“When you're 1-0 up then you get more confidence and play more freely, that's definitely what happened for them. When the goals started coming thick and fast, you knew it was done.”

Rogers, meanwhile, played down any controversy surrounding referee Darren England’s decision not to show Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino a second yellow card after hauling down the Villa attacker in the second.

Villa were only 2-0 down at that point and the referee’s decision left Villa officials seething.

But Rogers said: "I have my own opinion, but so does everyone else. That's just the way football is, some decisions go your way and some don't. 

“The decision might be disappointing on our side, but there are probably other games where other teams are disappointed when we get decisions.

"I always have my own opinion, sometimes it might be right and sometimes it might be delusional. The better team won today, so there can be no arguments."