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

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Ramsey, Buendía, Coutinho, Watkins.

Subs: Olsen, Sanson, Traoré, Chambers, Ings, Bailey, Chukwuemeka, Iroegbunam, O’Reilly.

Arsenal: Leno; Cedric Soares, White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Tierney; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Lacazette, Smith Rowe.

Subs: Okonkwo, Holding, Tavares, Swanson, Lokonga, Elneny, Pepe, Hutchinson, Nketiah.

Arsenal can close to within five points of Chelsea in third with victory at Villa Park today. More importantly, Mikel Arteta’s side would open up a four point gap on Manchester United below them, with a game in hand. Arsenal have 51 points from 27 games, United have 50 from 29, West Ham have 48 from 29 and Spurs have 48 from 28. Tottenham meet West Ham tomorrow in a crucial match for the top-four picture.

Villa meanwhile are quietly consolidating their position in the top half, and can stamp their authority on ninth spot with three points here.

The team news will be landing shortly and it will be interesting to see how Steven Gerrard fills the left-back berth following the injury to Lucas Digne which has ruled him out until after the international break. Bukayo Saka is having a fantastic season on Arsenal’s right wing and the thought of the England winger up against the ageing legs of Ashley Young, should Young fill in, would have Arsenal fans licking their lips.

Follow live updates as Arsenal aim to keep their top-four bid on track against 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 face a short turnaround ahead of a potentially tricky trip to Villa Park.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said the scheduling of his side’s meeting with Villa was “not fair” but victory would put pressure on top-four rivals Manchester United, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur and see 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, however, and Gerrard’s side will look to get back to winning ways in front of their own fans.