BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) – Arsenal have strengthened their stance in the last Champions League place in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, secured by a strike in the first half by Bukayo Saka.
The English international hit on a ball that was weakly cleared by Villa’s defense and made a low first shot past the invisible goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from the edge of the area in the 30th minute.
Arsenal – missing first-choice goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale due to injury and form winger Gabriel Martinelli due to illness – were in control for most of lunch at Villa Park despite the brief reversal of their loss to Liverpool on Wednesday night.
Saka was a constant threat and his well-taken goal brought him to nine in the league this season, during which he established himself as a regular on the right wing.
Arsenal moved four points from fifth-placed Manchester United and within five of third-placed Chelsea in their bid to return to the Champions League. This season is the first in a quarter of a century that Arsenal have not been involved in European competition.
Arsenal also have a match over United that is not in action this weekend.
Ninth-place Villa were stunned by Arsenal’s intensity in midfield and had only a few views on goal, mostly in the second half. At least 68 minutes into the game, Ollie Watkins had to leave the pitch due to a knee injury.
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