Arsenal vs Aston Villa LIVE SCORE: Premier League clash on NOW as Gunners look to close the gap – latest updates

9 – Arsenal 0-0 Aston VillaAnother deep delivery from a corner from Rice from the left, which finds Gabriel who rises highest to nod back across goal.

It falls kindly for Partey who somehow blazes over and doesn’t score from the edge of the six-yard box but the referee’s whistle had went for a foul on Martinez.

8 – Arsenal 0-0 Aston VillaTwo more corners in quick succession for Arsenal, this time coming in from the right.

Two decent deliveries from Odegaard but so far Villa standing up strongly and dealing with them well.

4 – Arsenal 0-0 Aston VillaArsenal come again and Rice is out on the left when picking the ball out the sky exquisitely.

He sends another cross into the box and Martinelli gets it back towards goal but it’s easy for Martinez to come off his line to collect.

3 – Arsenal 0-0 Aston VillaNearly 50 seconds after the corner was awarded, Rice swings the ball in deep beyond the far post.

It’s kept alive by an Arsenal head but it’s cleared to safety.

2 – Arsenal 0-0 Aston VillaGood start from the Gunners down their left with Lewis-Skelly and Odegaard involved.

It’s worked to Trossard who has his cross blocked for their first corner.

Huge expectation around the ground when that happens, of course.

KICK-OFF!Youri Tielemans gets the game underway at the Emirates.

Arsenal vs Aston Villa

Ready to goPre-match ✔️

Handshakes ✔️

Anthem ✔️

Ready for a start!

In the tunnelThe two sides are lined up in the tunnel ready for a start here.

The stadium announcer really trying to get the crowd going before the players emerge.

The fireworks inside the stadium helping with that as the players wander out behind captains Martin Odegaard and Emi Martinez.

Jordan Davies at the EmiratesSome good news for Arsenal fans after those late Liverpool winners – Bukayo Saka was strolling around pitch side WITHOUT crutches watching the warm-ups.

The Gunners man – who is recovering from hamstring surgery and targeting an early March return – was using crutches when doing the same thing ahead of the North London Derby in mid-week.

Boss Mikel Arteta yesterday told Saka to get some sunshine on holiday before he gets back to full fitness, so at least he can walk on the beach unaided!

How we standSo Arsenal are seven points behind Liverpool now and will be desperate to close that back to four tonight.

Aston Villa with the chance to climb three places and level on points with Newcastle if they win.

It’s all looking really tight, isn’t it?

Reminder of the teamsNO William Saliba for Arsenal as Jurrien Timber looks set to deputise at centre back. Gabriel Martinelli returns for Raheem Sterling in the forward areas.

For Villa, Jhon Duran returns to the bench alongside new boy Donyell Malen, with Ian Maatsen for Lucas Digne the only change to the starting XI

• Arsenal XI: Raya, Partey, Timber, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Odegaard, Merino, Trossard, Martinelli, Havertz
• Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Onana, Kamara, Rogers, Tielemans, Ramsey Watkins

Martin Lipton at the EmiratesHow quickly things change.

Just minutes ago, Arsenal fans were revelling in the news from Brentford, ready to celebrate Liverpool dropping more points and leaving the title door open.

Suddenly, this has become a “must win” game for the Gunners – and with another key piece of their jigsaw missing.

The Emirates fans knew they would be without Ben White, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. 

But the loss of William Saliba – club sources say the apparent hamstring strain he picked up at the end of the North London derby win over Spurs is “minor” – has altered the mood to one of nervousness.

Arsenal’s Prem win percentage with the French centre-half in the side is just under 72 per cent. Without him, they have won just five out of 12 – and lost a quarter of them.

And Villa, with Jhon Duran back on the bench – alongside new signing Donyell Malen – after his three game red card ban, will look to exploit Jurien Timber’s discomfort at centre-back, with Ollie Watkins, who torpedoed the Gunners’ title chances here last April, eyeing a repeat.

Over to you ArsenalAnd we now look ahead to that Arsenal vs Aston Villa game tonight.

The home players will have been out warming up with the crowd inside the ground likely abuzz at Liverpool about to drop points.

Now the crowd need to find an energy about them to kick this side on as they can’t afford to fall further behind.

Premier League results so far

• Newcastle 1-4 Bournemouth
• Brentford 0-2 Liverpool
• Leicester 0-2 Fulham
• West Ham 0-2 Crystal Palace
• Arsenal vs Aston Villa (5.30pm)

Graham Hill at the King PowerBoos ring around the King Power Stadium as Leicester’s seventh straight league defeat is confirmed. 

Goals from Emile Smith-Rowe and Adama Traore after the break sealed Fulham’s win.

But Leicester are deep in relegation trouble and the fans let boss Ruud van Nistelrooy and director of football Jon Rudkin know exactly what they though of them.

Dan King at the Gtech Community StadiumNot bad for a “s**t Andy Carroll”.

Darwin Nunez has rammed the taunts of the Brentford fans down their throats with two stoppage-time goals that send Liverpool seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.

These are the days when titles can be won and lost. Arne Slot’s side were moments away from giving Arsenal even more fresh hope ahead of their teatime kick off against Aston Villa.

In between Nunez’s strikes, the travelling fans were taunting the home crowd with “He’s just a s**t Andy Carroll”. Now they are singing “Liverpool, Liverpool, top of the league” and “We shall not be moved”.

FT: West Ham 0-2 Crystal PalaceA Jean-Philippe Mateta second half double the difference in this all-London affair.

Graham Potter’s face tells a story, what a job he has on his hands…

FT: Leicester 0-2 FulhamA seventh league defeat on the bounce for Leicester who look bang in bother.

Emile Smith Rowe and Adama Traore with the second half goals for Fulham.

FT: Brentford 0-2 LiverpoolThey left it late but Darwin Nunez rescues Liverpool and sends them SEVEN points clear of Arsenal with the Gunners playing later.

What an injury time double that is!

90+3 – GOAL!! Brentford 0-2 LIVERPOOLHe’s only gone and made it two – two for DARWIN NUNEZ in stoppage time!!

A fast counter attack from Liverpool as Salah sends Elliott away down the right and the black shirts pile forward.

Elliott slides a pass into the box where Salah and Nunez are, and the latter takes initiative, sets himself and lashes into the roof of the net from 10 yards.

More ecstatic celebrations – a huge moment!

90+1 – GOAL!!! Brentford 0-1 LIVERPOOLWOULD YOU BELIEVE IT!!??

Sensational scenes in the away end as the Liverpool fans go wild!

A monumental late goal in the title race and it’s DARWIN NUNEZ of all people!

Harvey Elliott slides Trent Alexander-Arnold into the box on the right side of the area and he needs two bites at the cherry to get the ball across goal and there is Nunez to sweep home from a few yards out.

His shirt is off as he rushes to the supporters with his team-mates – he’ll be booked for that!

HUGE!

89 – GOAL!! West Ham 0-2 CRYSTAL PALACELukasz Fabianski brings down Eddie Nketiah and there’s no doubt it’s a penalty.

Nketiah is holding the ball but passes it off to JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA who strolls up to the spot and manages to squeeze it under Fabianski.

A poor penalty in truth but they all count – and that wraps up the game!

PENALTY CRYSTAL PALACEA chance for Crystal Palace to wrap up the points at the London Stadium!

81 – Brentford 0-0 LiverpoolDouble change for the visitors as Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones replaces Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.

A huge eight minutes to play.

80 – RED CARD WEST HAM – MAVROPANOS!Two bookable offences for Konstantinos Mavropanos in this second half and he’s off for an early bath.

West Ham already looked like they were struggling to get back level, that task looks a whole lot tougher now.

West Ham 0-1 Crystal Palace