Aston Villa moved out of the Premier League relegation zone for the first time since 28 February, with one game to go, after Trezeguet’s priceless winner against Arsenal. Trezeguet beat Emiliano Martinez with a powerful first-time finish after Tyrone Mings had diverted a corner into the Egypt international’s path to lift his side above managerless Watford, who had started the day 17th before a heavy 4-0 home defeat by Manchester City, on goal difference. Villa’s second win in three games sets up a dramatic final day at the bottom of the table on Sunday, which Villa will begin level on points with Watford and three points ahead of Bournemouth - with two of those three teams likely to go down. Meanwhile, 16th-placed West Ham, who also play on Wednesday, still require one point to secure safety, although their goal difference ought to keep them up. Arsenal, playing in their first match since reaching the FA Cup final, can now finish no higher than eighth after a disappointing performance by Mikel Arteta’s side, Eddie Nketiah going closest to equalising with a header which hit the post. However, the Gunners will still have a big say in the relegation battle when they host Watford on Sunday. During the match, a banner reading “Back Arteta Kroenke Out’ was towed by an aeroplane over Villa Park in reference to Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke. Villa’s fate back in their own hands After Watford’s 2-1 win over Newcastle on 11 July, Villa looked down and out - seven points from safety with four games to go. But Dean Smith’s side have reacted magnificently in the closing stages of the season, beating Crystal Palace, drawing at Everton before overcoming Arsenal with a gritty display oozing in character to give themselves a fighting chance of staying up. Watford’s defeat earlier on Tuesday opened the door for Villa to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time in five months heading into the final day. Villa grasped the opportunity despite being forced to reshuffle their defence in the first half after Ahmed Elmohamady was forced off with an injury. Smith’s side have scored six goals since the restart with Trezeguet netting half of them, his latest an instinctive finish which beat Martinez for pace and power. Villa were forced to endure some nervous moments, particularly towards the end after substitute Keinan Davis wasted a glorious chance to double the lead after firing wide. Smith reacted to the final whistle by clenching his fist - Villa’s fate back in their own hands when they meet West Ham on Sunday. Villa will be safe if they win (presuming Watford do not win by two more goals than they do), or draw providing the Hornets do not win. But defeat would send Villa down if Watford avoid defeat or if Bournemouth win at Everton. Gunners take a step backwards This felt like a big step backwards for Arsenal after a positive spell in which they collected 13 points from six games. Having followed up victory over runaway champions Liverpool by beating Manchester City to seal a first FA Cup final visit since 2017, the Gunners did not force Villa keeper Pepe Reina into a serious save. It was the first time Villa had not faced any shots on target in a Premier League game since January 2016. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s stream of goals have been a highlight of his side’s season, but the Gabon forward was frustrated at Villa Park and his future remains a hot topic of conversation among supporters. “The quicker we do it the better because the player will be more focused, more determined and more calm,” said Arteta on the eve of this game when asked if Aubameyang, whose current deal expires next summer, will sign a new contract. It was Nketiah who went closest to scoring for the visitors, the England Under-21 forward heading against the post after connecting with a corner. The Gunners can still qualify for Europe but they will now have to win the FA Cup to play in next season’s Europa League. Aston Villa manager Dean Smith “It was a great performance but an even better result. We knew we had to show a lot of courage, heart and work rate and we did that. I can’t remember our keeper making saves. “We’d love to have had our fans getting us over the line but you could hear enough from the non-playing staff to do that. “We’ve been much better defensively over these eight games. We wanted to be better and the players were engaged with the video sessions we did [during lockdown]. “We needed this. We’ve got to go and do the same against West Ham on Sunday. “It’s a big boost, that’s for sure. We knew we had to win to catch Watford up. Now we’ve got the season in our own hands and that’s all you can ask for. “Watford can go and win at Arsenal so we have to make sure we win at West Ham.” ---- *The Guardian* *Tuesday, 21 July 2020* Mahmoud Trezeguet downs Arsenal to lift Aston Villa out of relegation zone Five days is a long time in football. Last Thursday, Aston Villa were left desolate when Theo Walcott’s equaliser at Goodison Park appeared to have inflicted a fatal wound in their effort to escape relegation. But now they have control of their destiny after a deserved, battling win in which Arsenal rarely came close to puncturing a marvellously drilled back line. Watford’s heavy defeat to Manchester City earlier in the evening gave Villa an opening they took with relish, performing with admirable rigour and scoring an excellent first-half decider through Mahmoud Trezeguet. As a result, they are now outside the relegation zone for the first time since late February. For Arsenal, previously buoyant, the season’s success now hangs purely on their FA Cup final against Chelsea. Europa League qualification through the league is now impossible and Mikel Arteta may come to regret a flat, imprecise display. Anyone wondering whether Villa would be tightened or loosened by their opportunity felt their thoughts disrupted, in the opening minutes, by the persistent hum of a light aircraft dispatched with the visitors in mind. “Back Arteta, Kroenke out,” read the banner trailing behind the plane, which circled the stadium several times and had presumably been commissioned by supporters familiar with the manager’s recent entreaties for pre-season investment. One particular group of fans was quick to claim credit on social media. Arteta had found sufficient resources to make six changes, their FA Cup heroics against Manchester City having weighed heavily on already-stretched legs. At Wembley, Arsenal had willingly surrendered more than two-thirds of the possession; against Villa no such drastic measures ought to be necessary and they promptly began on the front foot, switching the ball to their wing-backs with purpose only to be let down by a combination of inadequate delivery and, particularly on the part of Ezri Konsa, alert defending. Before the half-hour, though, Villa had made the breakthrough. They had not threatened much in the early stages, a harmless looping header from John McGinn aside, and seemed caught between poles now that their plight was not one of sheer desperation. There appeared a danger the game might pass them by but then Trezeguet provided an emphatic reminder of their threat. If the goal’s conception was orthodox, its execution was masterful. Conor Hourihane’s delivery has been Villa’s primary source of chances in recent weeks and now he was at it again with a left-footed corner towards the onrushing Tyrone Mings, who could not make proper contact but may have got the slightest of touches. Either way, the ball reached an unattended Trezeguet a few yards inside the right corner of the box and his half-volley, sliced viciously inside Emiliano Martínez’s near post, was unstoppable. Trezeguet had scored twice in Villa’s previous home game, a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. The winger has been a mercurial customer throughout his career but appears to have picked a handy time to develop a ruthless streak. Moments before his flash of the right boot another Egypt international, the right-back Ahmed Elmohamady, had been replaced by Frédéric Guilbert due to a hamstring injury. But Arsenal, for all their intent, showed little sign of capitalising on any defensive disarray before half-time. A Dani Ceballos shot, skied over from 20 yards after a clever free-kick from Cédric Soares, was all that resembled an opening and, with Villa newly buoyant, their problems could have worsened. Trezeguet headed too close to Martínez when seeking another double and then Jack Grealish, previously quiet, cut in from the left to fade a dipping effort inches wide of the far upright. It came as no surprise to see Granit Xhaka deployed for the second half in place of Lucas Torreira, who had looked lost and, as well as being booked, at one point incurred the visible frustration of David Luiz. There was no immediate improvement, Villa instead forcing a succession of early corners, but Arsenal slowly began to awaken. Bukayo Saka has been supremely efficient all season so it was a surprise to see him spoon high over the bar after a cross from Soares. In fairness the ball had fallen on his weaker right foot; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang soon experienced a similar issue when, spinning on to an Eddie Nketiah delivery and attempting a shot with his left, he allowed the excellent Konsa to block. Guilbert saw a shot deflected wide at the other end before Arteta, clearly frustrated by Arsenal’s lack of incision, introduced Kieran Tierney and Nicolas Pépé. Now they were effectively operating with a four-man forward line but Villa had shown little sign of being exposed by the time mid-half drinks were taken. Aston Villa could have sealed the win with 15 minutes left when Keinan Davis, who had just come on, was released sent clear after a sparkling run from Grealish. The striker dragged his shot wide and was made to sweat almost immediately when Nketiah headed against the inside of Pepe Reina’s post. But Villa rode out a wave of late pressure and this season’s great escape is now in sight.