Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal: Gunners snatch late win at Villa Park in Premier League to reinvigorate title bid

Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time after coming from behind twice to beat Aston Villa 4-2 to keep their Premier League title hopes alive.

Mikel Arteta saw his side go behind on five minutes after a fine finish from Ollie Watkins for his fourth goal in four games.

The Gunners responded well and equalised 11 minutes later when Tyrone Mings could only head the ball into the path of Bukayo Saka who rifled the ball into the roof of the net.

Villa continued to frustrate the visitors with their solid defensive work and aggressive tackling which isolated Eddie Nketiah and Martin Odegaard.

And they caught them out again before half-time when Emi Buendia dummied a cross, allowing Philippe Coutinho to stroke the ball into the net for his first goal of the season.

Arsenal dominated the second half with Nketiah hitting the bar. Their possession play was eventually rewarded when Oleksandr Zinchenko equalised with a brilliant low strike after a short corner on the hour mark for his first goal of the club.

The home side, who barely created a chance following Coutinho's goal, brought on Jacob Ramsey, Leander Dendoncker and Leon Bailey in search of a spark.

And it was Bailey who came closest with a long-range strike which Aaron Ramsdale tipped onto the bar. Arsenal then snatched victory in stoppage time with two goals.

Jorginho's strike crashed into bar, bounced down and hit Villa 'keeper Emi Martinez on the head before going in. And in the dying seconds, Gabriel Martinelli rolled the ball into an empty net after Martinez had gone forward for a corner.

Arteta's side are now three points above Manchester City with both teams having played 23 games.

The Gunners, who had gone four games without a win in all competitions, looked on course for another defeat when going behind early on and again before half-time. But their levels did not drop at any point and they continued to carve out plenty of chances. It looked as though victory was going to elude them when Martin Odegaard, Gabriel and Nketiah missed big chances in the second half. But they did not give up, were patient with their buildup play - especially from corners - and eventually their effort was rewarded in one of the most entertaining games of the season.

The winger scored with a brilliant strike. He looked like he was going to go off after getting strapping on his ankle. But he soldiered on and was a threat throughout.

ARSENAL: Ramsdale 6, White 7, Saliba 5, Gabriel 7, Zinchenko 7, Jorginho 7, Xhaka 6, Saka 9, Odegaard 8, Trossard 6, Nketiah 5. Subs: Martinelli 7, Tomiyasu n/a, Viera n/a.

ASTON VILLA: Martinez 5, Cash 6, Konsa 7, Mings 6, Moreno 8, Kamara 8, Luiz 7, McGinn 7, Buendia 6, Watkins 7, Coutinho 7. Subs: Bailey 7, Ramsey 6, Dendoncker 5, Digne n/a, Duran n/a.

5' - GOAL FOR VILLA! Cash with a good run from right back, chips it over the top to Watkins who fires it into the bottom right corner.

16' - GOAL FOR ARSENAL! White's cross is tamely headed clear by Mings, it falls to Saka who lashes it into the roof of the net.

32' - GOAL FOR VILLA! Coutinho, who has been very quiet, scores with a shot from the edge of the box from Moreno's cutback.

56' - WOODWORK! Good move. White's cross finds Nketiah whose lopping header hits the top of the bar.

61' - GOAL FOR ARSENAL! From a short corner, Zinchenko with a brilliant low strike from the edge of the box.

78' - BIG CHANCE! Nketiah robs Konsa and finds Odegaard who misses from around 12 yards out.

82' - TOP SAVE! Bailey's right-footed worldie is saved onto the bar by Ramsdale.

90'+3 - GOAL FOR ARSENAL! Martinelli cuts it back for Jorginho whose shot hits the bar, hits Martinez and goes in!

90'+7 - GOAL FOR ARSENAL! Martinez is coming up for the corner. Its cleared away, Martinelli is running through and scores into an empty net.

Arsenal win a league game outside of London after trailling at half-time for the first time since December 2009 (2-1 v Liverpool).