Aston Villa vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Bukayo Saka goal seals win

Follow for live reaction as Arsenal neat Aston Villa in the Premier League to strengthen their top-four claim

Bukayo Saka celebrates firing Arsenal in front (Getty Images)

Arsenal kept their top-four bid on track with a comfortable 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League. The Gunners saw their winning run come to an end with defeat to Liverpool at the Emirates in midweek and faced a short turnaround ahead of a potentially tricky trip to Villa Park, but they make simple work of the task at hand.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had said the scheduling of his side’s meeting with Villa was “not fair” but victory now puts pressure on top-four rivals Manchester United, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur and sees the Gunners strengthen their Champions League qualification hopes ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.

Aston Villa saw a run of three straight victories under Steven Gerrard come to an end at West Ham last Sunday, as Andriy Yarmolenko helped seal an emotional win for the Hammers. The form of Philippe Coutinho has helped take Villa into the top half of the table and Gerrard’s side hoped to get back to winning ways in front of their own fans, but it wasn’t to be.

Follow live reaction from Aston Villa vs Arsenal in the Premier League’s early fixture, below:

Aston Villa vs Arsenal

• Premier League match kicked off at 12.30pm GMT
• Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young; Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Ramsey; Buendia, Coutinho, Watkins.
• Arsenal: Leno; Cedric Soares, White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Lacazette, Smith Rowe.
• GOAL! Bukayo Saka fires Gunners in front (30), Villa 0-1 Arsenal
• Full-time: Villa 0-1 Arsenal

[19 March 2022 13:39 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

The second half is under way and Arsenal are straight back on the attack.

[19 March 2022 13:20 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Half-time: Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal much the better side and ahead thanks to Saka’s well-hit strike. The only positive for Villa is that it’s only one.

Bukayo Saka celebrates firing Arsenal in front (Getty Images)

[19 March 2022 13:17 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

45 min: Now Xhaka is booked! He snaps at and then shoves Buendia, and that’s an accumulation of fouls. He was oh so close to making it to half-time. A Xhaka red card is probably Arsenal’s biggest threat at this point, all things considered.

[19 March 2022 13:15 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

43 min: Martinez catches the corner easily but is blocked by Xhaka as he tries to clear quickly, and the Swiss might be a little fortunate not to collect a yellow card. Moments later Partey clatters through the back of Ramsey and also avoids a booking, though that’s probably his last warning.

[19 March 2022 13:13 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

41 min: Smith Rowe comes forward down the left and Arsenal work it to Tierney, whose cross is cleared behind for a corner by Mings.

[19 March 2022 13:08 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

37 min: Tierney tries a cross to the back post but it’s just too long for Lacazette. Villa need half-time and a few moments to regroup.

[19 March 2022 13:06 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

33 min: Not only was Mings booked, but McGinn was also shown yellow in the skirmish which followed. Not a great few minutes for Aston Villa and Steven Gerrard, who watches glumly in with hands firmly in pockets.

[19 March 2022 13:04 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

32 min: Only moments after celebrating his goal, Saka is down injured after being caught by Mings’ follow through. Arsenal are furious and Mings is booked, but it seemed to be a natural motion of the leg and more careless rather than anything malicious.

[19 March 2022 13:03 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

That’s Saka’s 10th goal of the season, moving him level with Arsenal’s top scorer Smith Rowe.

[19 March 2022 13:01 · Lawrence Ostlere]

GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal (Saka, 30)

Finally the breakthrough! A cross is only half cleared and as it bobbles around on the edge of the box, Saka reacts quickly to let off a low shot which slides past Martinez and into the corner. The goalkeeper probably should have saved it, although his view might have been partially blocked.