Aston Villa vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result and reaction after late goals from Martinez and Martinelli

Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal: Late goals complete Arsenal comeback as they move to the top of the Premier League

'We really had them' - Arteta laments mistakes in defeat to title rivals Man City

Arsenal twice battled back from behind as stoppage time goals from Emiliano Martinez and Gabriel Martinelli helped them to a hard-fought victory at Aston Villa to reignite into their Premier League title bid.

Martinez, a former Arsenal goalkeeper, could do nothing as Jorginho’s strike cannoned off the crossbar and struck the back of his head to settle a thrilling contest 4-2 in favour of the Gunners.

Ollie Watkins and Philippe Coutinho sent home side ahead on two occasions, only for Bukayo Saka and Oleksandr Zinchenko to equalise for Arsenal and keep them in the contest.

The Gunners’ winless run looked set to continue before Martinez inadvertently helped out his old side and substitute Martinelli tapped into an empty net after the goalkeeper went up for a late corner.

Relive the action as Arsenal defeat Aston Villa in the Premier League:

Aston Villa vs Arsenal

• Arsenal score late to defeat Aston Villa in brilliant Premier League clash
• Arsenal bounce back to seal stunning late comeback win over Aston Villa
• 90+8’ GOAL! - Martinelli adds a fourth on the break (AST 2-4 ARS)
• 90+3’ GOAL! - A fortuitous own goal from Emi Martinez wins it for Arsenal (AST 2-3 ARS)
• 84’ SAVE! - Ramsdale’s fingertips deny Bailey a winner (AST 2-2 ARS)
• 61’ GOAL! - Zinchenko strikes to equalise for Arsenal (AST 2-2 ARS)
• 57’ CROSSBAR! - Nketiah’s headed effort hits the bar (AST 2-1 ARS)
• 31’ GOAL! - Coutinho sends Villa back in front (AST 2-1 ARS)
• 16’ GOAL! - A rocket from Saka brings Arsenal level (AST 1-1 ARS)
• 11’ OFF THE LINE! - Mings rescues Villa with goalline clearance (AST 1-0 ARS)
• 5’ GOAL! - A brilliant finish from Watkins puts Villa in front (AST 1-0 ARS)

[18 February 2023 12:31 · Michael Jones]

Kick off: Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal

Eddie Nketiah kicks off the match and sends the ball back to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. He feeds it out to the right side where Bukayo Saka wins an early throw in.

Arsenal will want to impose themselves on the match as quickly as possible.

[18 February 2023 12:26 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa vs Arsenal

Here come the teams.

John McGinn and Martin Odegaard lead out their respective teammates. Arsenal will jump back to the top of the Premier League table should they defeat Aston Villa today.

Villa, meanwhile, are targeting a place in the top 10 and will draw level on points with Chelsea should they be victorious at Villa Park.

Kick off is up next.

[18 February 2023 12:22 · Michael Jones]

Villa without Mings

Aston Villa have won just one of their 12 Premier League games since promotion when Tyrone Mings hasn’t started. That was a 1-0 victory over Norwich in December 2019.

They have drawn two and lost nine of those matches.

[18 February 2023 12:18 · Michael Jones]

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings signs new contract

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings has signed a new deal with the Premier League club.

Villa have not disclosed details of the new contract for Mings, whose previous deal was set to expire at the end of next season.

A club statement read: “Aston Villa is delighted to announce Tyrone Mings has signed a new contract with the club.

[18 February 2023 12:14 · Michael Jones]

Three in a row?

The Gunners have lost successive away games in all competitions, as many as in their first 14 this term. They last lost three away games in a row in December 2021, while they’ve not done so without scoring since December 2009.

[18 February 2023 12:10 · Michael Jones]

Slow starters

Unai Emery’s side have conceded a top-flight high of nine goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season.

Should they get through that period Aston Villa could be able to pile the pressure on Arsenal with the in-form Ollie Watkins searching for more goals.

[18 February 2023 12:06 · Michael Jones]

Arsenal must remind themselves of their brilliance against tricky Aston Villa

Just over a month ago, the murmurings began. A 2-0 away win at north London rivals, Manchester City suffering a derby defeat the day before. Eight points the gap. They couldn’t, could they?

Skip forward to Wednesday night, as Erling Haaland fired home City’s third, and Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League was no more.

If a month feels a long time in today’s unrelenting footballing world, Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal squad will now appreciate that better than most.

There can be no period of reflection, no time to lick the wounds. Arteta must rouse his troops immediately. Just three days on from that crushing defeat lies Saturday’s tricky encounter away against Aston Villa, a team now managed by his predecessor Unai Emery.

[18 February 2023 12:02 · Michael Jones]

Gunners on the road

Arsenal have taken 25 points out of a possible 33 in their 11 top-flight away fixtures this campaign, just three shy of their tally in the whole of last season.

[18 February 2023 11:58 · Michael Jones]

Close to the top

This is the first time since 20th August that Arsenal are starting a round of fixtures not on top of the Premier League table but they could end the day there if they defeat Aston Villa and Manchester City fail to beat Nottingham Forest in the 3pm kick off.

[18 February 2023 11:54 · Michael Jones]

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta calls for protection ahead of ‘very difficult’ Aston Villa trip

Mikel Arteta has called for the Premier League to offer all clubs the protection of not being forced to kick-off early on a Saturday having played on a Wednesday night.

Champions League teams do not have to play in the 12.30pm slot on a Saturday if they have played in Europe on the Wednesday night.

However, Arsenal will kick off at Villa Park just 63 hours after the full-time whistle blew in their 3-1 loss to title rivals Manchester City.

Speaking in 2020, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp fumed in an interview with BT Sport after his side had been held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton in the early kick-off having faced Atalanta in the Champions League.