Arsenal tops Villa 1-0, strengthens hold on 4th place in EPL

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Arsenal has strengthened its hold on the final Champions League spot in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa secured by a first-half strike by Bukayo Saka. The England international latched onto a ball that was weakly cleared by the Villa defense and lashed a low shot past unsighted goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from the edge of the area in the 30th minute. Arsenal moved four points clear of fifth-place Manchester United and within five of third-place Chelsea in its bid to return to the Champions League. This season is the first in a quarter of a century that Arsenal has not been involved in European competition.