Aston Villa against Arsenal

Free-kick to Villa. Hitzlsperger drifts it into the box, Campbell heads clear

Hitzlsperger takes a quick free-kick but, on the stretch, Mellberg can't direct his header

Toure breaks through the centre - but the offside flag has gone up

Villa make a triple change themselves. Gareth Barry is off for Peter Crouch. Lee Hendrie is replaced by Ulises de la Cruz. And Liam Ridgewell is on for Marcus Allback

Parlous looks for the run of Toure - playing up front, only for Mellberg to make the interception

Edu drags back Delaney - a chance for Villa. Hendrie delivers from the left flank, but his cross is headed clear

Both sides now look ready for the final whistle. Villa beaten, Arsenal happy with the 2-0 scoreline

Whittingham's shot is blocked by Gilberto

Time is running our for Aston Villa now, they don't look like many an inroad into Arsenal's advantage

Parlour unleashes an effort from the angle of the box and it flies inches wide of the upright, oh so close to a third for Arsenal

Hitzlsperger tries one from the edge of the box, but fires wide

Arsenal to make three changes. Ray Parlour replaces Freddie Ljungberg. Robert Pires is replaced by Edu and Kolo Toure is on for Nwankwo Kanu

Henry lays the ball off for Pires around the D, he looks to bend one into the top corner - and gets it horribly wrong and horribly wide. Goal-kick

With Sorensen off his line Cole opts to shoot from just ten yards inside the Villa half, but it goes way over

Now Angel climbs on Cole, and yet again the referee blows his whistle

Free-kick for Villa after a handball by Pires

Samuel brusts down the left, but yet again his final ball is woeful - far too deep and it gifts a goal-kick to the visitors

Villa continue to probe, but have rarely tested Lehmann - and are also in danger of being caught on the break

Hendrie's cross is met by the head of Barry, but it loops harmlessly over the bar

Now Ljungberg's cross, from the right, can only find the goalkeeper's hands

Samuel wins a corner this time. It's delivered from the left by Barry and Lehmann needs two attempts to claim

Samuel does well down the right, but delivers a poor ball into the gloves of Lehmann

Villa are still trying to get back into this game, despite the two-goal deficit

Vieira fells Hitzlsperger, yet another free-kick

Barry does well to play a sqaure ball to Allback eight yards out, but he's always leaning back and fires well over. Only a half chance

Henry picks out Pires at the back stick, only for the French winger to get his header wrong - goal-kick

Ljungberg is caught late by a nasty challenge from Barry. There's only one outcome - another booking

Hitzlsperger tries a powerful effort from just outside the box but hits Cygan

Henry moves forward on the right and plays a low ball across the face of goal - only for the outstreched boot of Ljungberg to send it wide

Samuel takes the free-kick, but the move breaks down

Hitzlsperger is dragged back by Vieira and the Arsenal skipper enters the book. And that yellow card means he will miss the Gunners' game against Manchester City in a few weeks' time

The penalty award was maybe a little harsh, it could be argued that Kanu ran into Mellberg, but that's history now and it's two goals for Henry

Sorenson, diving to his left, got a glove to the ball - but there was just too much power in Henry's penalty, and the Gunners are heading back to the top of the table

GOAL!!!!!

Henry steps up to take the penalty...

Kanu shows brilliant skill, dinking left and then right. But, as is so often the case, he tries to do too much - but Mellberg then blocks his run into the box and refree Halsey points to the spot

It's a brilliant curling effort from Angel but it just drops the wrong side of the bar, Lehmann was nowhere

Free-kick to Villa, five yards outside the box. Ljungberg and Gilberto stand in front of the ball to prevent the copycat quick shot. Angel takes...

Henry comes forward with pace and purpose. He shifts it past his man, but Sorensen is equal to the shot

Allback breaks through, and Lehmann has to come rushing out of his box to make the tackle with his feet. An important challenge

It's a good start from Villa again, just like the first half

Pires trips Delaney, free-kick

Angel cuts inside from the left, but his shot at the near post is a regulation save for Lehmann

Villa start the second period

The Villa crowd boo referee Halsey as he leaves the field - and goalkeeper Sorensen continues to protest. But it won't change the scoreline - 1-0 to the Arsenal.

Villa started well enough, but Arsenal soon found their feet. The Gunners' goal was certainly cheeky and without doubt controversial

And there goes the half-time whistle

Villa are getting very frustated now, a lot of rash tackles flying in and three in the book already following the goal

Two minutes to be added on

Whittingham hacks Gilberto to the floor with a wild challenge. No attempt to play the ball, and a certain booking. That's his fifth of the season and he'll miss Villa's home game against Leeds

Arsenal playing the ball around well, in control again as we head to the break

Pires is the latest player to be fouled, by Whittingham

Lauren brings down Barry, another free-kick, taken short

The atmopsphere has died a bit following the Gunners' goal, the Villa fans had been in fine voice

Villa improving a bit as half-time approaches, but they're still finding it hard to find a way through

Whittingham loops a ball over the top for Allback, he finds the back of the net but is clearly yards offside

Henry blocks the run of Samuel and there's a chance to get the ball into the box. Hendrie delivers, but it's a poor cross and is headed clear

Vieira tries and audacious effort from 35 yards, which cannons off the head of Whittingham

Arsenal play keep ball and are beginning to look comfortable, Villa need half-time

Now Mellberg blocks the run of Ljungberg, and he'll enter the book for pesistant infringement of the rules

Cygan holds back Angel, free-kick

Barry looks for Angel but the flag goes up for offside, it's very tight but maybe just about right

Henry's shot is spilled by Sorensen, but the keeper is able to scramble to claim the loose ball

Henry clearly must have asked if he could take it quickly. Referee Halsey said 'yes' and Arsenal have the lead. Delaney is booked in the aftermath for his protests

The wall was still being set, Henry just took it before the whistle and it stands! Sorensen was at the other side of his goal and had no chance

GOAL!!!!!

Vieira is caught by a late challege from Johnsen and that's a free-kick to Arsenal in the D, a great chance for the opener. Henry takes it quickly...

Angel finds space on the right, he looks up and picks out Allback in the box. The Swede turns and shoots inches wide of the post. So close. It took a slight deflection, but goal-kick is the call.

Pires has been outstanding today, popping up all over the pitch looking to create the opening - or the breakthrough

Pires finds space on the right, he looks for Henry in the centre only for Johnsen to get back and clear

Henry returns to the action

There's a bit of trouble for the linesman - his flag has broken! The fourth official does his duty and runs on with a replacement

Delaney plays Angel through, he's in on goal and it's a great chance. Angel opts to lift it over Lehmann but it goes over the bar. Villa should have the lead.

The Villa fans are furious with Henry - they claim he's made a meal of the situation, but the striker is bleeding from the mouth

Henry chases the loose ball, followed by Samuel. And the Frenchman is caught in the face by the arm of Samuel and goes down needing a bit of treatment, and is forced off the field

Pires finds Ljungberg on the right, he cuts it back for Henry, who holds off Samuel. Henry gets in a shot but sees his effort blocked by a defender

Pires sidesteps to make space for himself before unleashing an effort from 25 yards, which Sorensen is able to keep out on the stretch and then grasp

Arsenal are taking control now after weathering the early storm

That was a great strike from Pires, the same execution as shown by Geremi for Chelsea a few weeks back. Again, the corner comes to nothing

The ball is played back towards the box by Cole, Samuel heads out only for Pires to try and audicious first time volley, which Sorensen has to push over the top

The delivery from Pires is poor, enabling Hendrie to clear his lines

Johnsen pushes Lauren. A chance to deliver into the box from the right-hand touchline for the Gunners

Kanu breaks into the box and gets to the byline, he looks to cut the ball back, it clips off Samuel and goes behind for a corner - almost an own goal. The set-piece comes to nothing

Corner to Villa, Johnsen comes up from the back. Barry delivers from the right - but straight into the hands of Lehmann

It's a good start from Villa, full of energy and running. Arsenal are not being allowed any time on the ball.

Hitzlsperger tries a shot from 25 yards, but it's wayward

Now the ball comes to Barry, Allback has space on the left and Barry tries to play him in, only for Lauren to stick out a boot and just intercept

Henry finds Angel, but he hesitates and Cole is able to make the tackle

Hitzlsperger wins the ball from Henry. The French striker is far from happy - he wanted a free-kick

Foul by Hitzlsperger on Ljungberg - high boot.

Hitzlsperger floats in a free-kick from the right flank, and Angel just fails to get on the end of it. Goal-kick

Cygan looks for Henry and Pires, and after a bit of ping-pong in the box Delaney is there to clear

Hitzlsperger stands over it, but it's Hendrie who curls it into the box - only for Campbell to head clear

Campbell fouls Whittingham, and that's a free-kick ten yards outside the box

Arsenal get the game underway

Arsene Wenger makes just the one alteration to his starting line. Young striker Jeremie Aliadiere is injured and makes way for Kanu.

Aston Villa manager David O'Leary makes three changes, two of them enforced. Striker Darius Vassell (hamstring) and midfielder Gavin McCann (knee) both fail to recover from knocks suffered against Liverpool and are replaced by Marcus Allback and Thomas Hitzlsperger. O'Leary also decides to bring back Ronny Johnsen into the heart of the Villa defence in place of Dion Dublin.

Arsenal know that just a point will send them back to the top of the Premiership table. Join us live from 14.00 GMT.

Free-kick for Villa after a handball by Pires

Samuel brusts down the left, but yet again his final ball is woeful - far too deep and it gifts a goal-kick to the visitors

Villa continue to probe, but have rarely tested Lehmann - and are also in danger of being caught on the break

Hendrie's cross is met by the head of Barry, but it loops harmlessly over the bar

Now Ljungberg's cross, from the right, can only find the goalkeeper's hands

Samuel wins a corner this time. It's delivered from the left by Barry and Lehmann needs two attempts to claim

Samuel does well down the right, but delivers a poor ball into the gloves of Lehmann

Villa are still trying to get back into this game, despite the two-goal deficit

Vieira fells Hitzlsperger, yet another free-kick

Barry does well to play a sqaure ball to Allback eight yards out, but he's always leaning back and fires well over. Only a half chance

Henry picks out Pires at the back stick, only for the French winger to get his header wrong - goal-kick

Ljungberg is caught late by a nasty challenge from Barry. There's only one outcome - another booking

Hitzlsperger tries a powerful effort from just outside the box but hits Cygan

Henry moves forward on the right and plays a low ball across the face of goal - only for the outstreched boot of Ljungberg to send it wide

Samuel takes the free-kick, but the move breaks down

Hitzlsperger is dragged back by Vieira and the Arsenal skipper enters the book. And that yellow card means he will miss the Gunners' game against Manchester City in a few weeks' time

The penalty award was maybe a little harsh, it could be argued that Kanu ran into Mellberg, but that's history now and it's two goals for Henry

Sorenson, diving to his left, got a glove to the ball - but there was just too much power in Henry's penalty, and the Gunners are heading back to the top of the table

GOAL!!!!!

Henry steps up to take the penalty...

Kanu shows brilliant skill, dinking left and then right. But, as is so often the case, he tries to do too much - but Mellberg then blocks his run into the box and refree Halsey points to the spot

It's a brilliant curling effort from Angel but it just drops the wrong side of the bar, Lehmann was nowhere

Free-kick to Villa, five yards outside the box. Ljungberg and Gilberto stand in front of the ball to prevent the copycat quick shot. Angel takes...

Henry comes forward with pace and purpose. He shifts it past his man, but Sorensen is equal to the shot

Allback breaks through, and Lehmann has to come rushing out of his box to make the tackle with his feet. An important challenge

It's a good start from Villa again, just like the first half

Pires trips Delaney, free-kick

Angel cuts inside from the left, but his shot at the near post is a regulation save for Lehmann

Villa start the second period

The Villa crowd boo referee Halsey as he leaves the field - and goalkeeper Sorensen continues to protest. But it won't change the scoreline - 1-0 to the Arsenal.

Villa started well enough, but Arsenal soon found their feet. The Gunners' goal was certainly cheeky and without doubt controversial

And there goes the half-time whistle

Villa are getting very frustated now, a lot of rash tackles flying in and three in the book already following the goal

Two minutes to be added on

Whittingham hacks Gilberto to the floor with a wild challenge. No attempt to play the ball, and a certain booking. That's his fifth of the season and he'll miss Villa's home game against Leeds

Arsenal playing the ball around well, in control again as we head to the break

Pires is the latest player to be fouled, by Whittingham

Lauren brings down Barry, another free-kick, taken short

The atmopsphere has died a bit following the Gunners' goal, the Villa fans had been in fine voice

Villa improving a bit as half-time approaches, but they're still finding it hard to find a way through

Whittingham loops a ball over the top for Allback, he finds the back of the net but is clearly yards offside

Henry blocks the run of Samuel and there's a chance to get the ball into the box. Hendrie delivers, but it's a poor cross and is headed clear

Vieira tries and audacious effort from 35 yards, which cannons off the head of Whittingham

Arsenal play keep ball and are beginning to look comfortable, Villa need half-time

Now Mellberg blocks the run of Ljungberg, and he'll enter the book for pesistant infringement of the rules

Cygan holds back Angel, free-kick

Barry looks for Angel but the flag goes up for offside, it's very tight but maybe just about right

Henry's shot is spilled by Sorensen, but the keeper is able to scramble to claim the loose ball

Henry clearly must have asked if he could take it quickly. Referee Halsey said 'yes' and Arsenal have the lead. Delaney is booked in the aftermath for his protests

The wall was still being set, Henry just took it before the whistle and it stands! Sorensen was at the other side of his goal and had no chance

GOAL!!!!!

Vieira is caught by a late challege from Johnsen and that's a free-kick to Arsenal in the D, a great chance for the opener. Henry takes it quickly...

Angel finds space on the right, he looks up and picks out Allback in the box. The Swede turns and shoots inches wide of the post. So close. It took a slight deflection, but goal-kick is the call.

Pires has been outstanding today, popping up all over the pitch looking to create the opening - or the breakthrough

Pires finds space on the right, he looks for Henry in the centre only for Johnsen to get back and clear

Henry returns to the action

There's a bit of trouble for the linesman - his flag has broken! The fourth official does his duty and runs on with a replacement

Delaney plays Angel through, he's in on goal and it's a great chance. Angel opts to lift it over Lehmann but it goes over the bar. Villa should have the lead.

The Villa fans are furious with Henry - they claim he's made a meal of the situation, but the striker is bleeding from the mouth

Henry chases the loose ball, followed by Samuel. And the Frenchman is caught in the face by the arm of Samuel and goes down needing a bit of treatment, and is forced off the field

Pires finds Ljungberg on the right, he cuts it back for Henry, who holds off Samuel. Henry gets in a shot but sees his effort blocked by a defender

Pires sidesteps to make space for himself before unleashing an effort from 25 yards, which Sorensen is able to keep out on the stretch and then grasp

Arsenal are taking control now after weathering the early storm

That was a great strike from Pires, the same execution as shown by Geremi for Chelsea a few weeks back. Again, the corner comes to nothing

The ball is played back towards the box by Cole, Samuel heads out only for Pires to try and audicious first time volley, which Sorensen has to push over the top

The delivery from Pires is poor, enabling Hendrie to clear his lines

Johnsen pushes Lauren. A chance to deliver into the box from the right-hand touchline for the Gunners

Kanu breaks into the box and gets to the byline, he looks to cut the ball back, it clips off Samuel and goes behind for a corner - almost an own goal. The set-piece comes to nothing

Corner to Villa, Johnsen comes up from the back. Barry delivers from the right - but straight into the hands of Lehmann

It's a good start from Villa, full of energy and running. Arsenal are not being allowed any time on the ball.

Hitzlsperger tries a shot from 25 yards, but it's wayward

Now the ball comes to Barry, Allback has space on the left and Barry tries to play him in, only for Lauren to stick out a boot and just intercept

Henry finds Angel, but he hesitates and Cole is able to make the tackle

Hitzlsperger wins the ball from Henry. The French striker is far from happy - he wanted a free-kick

Foul by Hitzlsperger on Ljungberg - high boot.

Hitzlsperger floats in a free-kick from the right flank, and Angel just fails to get on the end of it. Goal-kick

Cygan looks for Henry and Pires, and after a bit of ping-pong in the box Delaney is there to clear

Hitzlsperger stands over it, but it's Hendrie who curls it into the box - only for Campbell to head clear

Campbell fouls Whittingham, and that's a free-kick ten yards outside the box

Arsenal get the game underway

Arsene Wenger makes just the one alteration to his starting line. Young striker Jeremie Aliadiere is injured and makes way for Kanu.

Aston Villa manager David O'Leary makes three changes, two of them enforced. Striker Darius Vassell (hamstring) and midfielder Gavin McCann (knee) both fail to recover from knocks suffered against Liverpool and are replaced by Marcus Allback and Thomas Hitzlsperger. O'Leary also decides to bring back Ronny Johnsen into the heart of the Villa defence in place of Dion Dublin.

Arsenal know that just a point will send them back to the top of the Premiership table. Join us live from 14.00 GMT.