The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Villa grab lifeline with vital win
PREMIER LEAGUE: Smith’s side move above Watford with just one game to go
ASTON VILLA 1 ARSENAL 0
Aston Villa grabbed a priceless Premier League survival lifeline last night, beating Arsenal to climb out of the drop zone with one match to play.
Trezeguet netted a crucial winner to clinch a 1-0 victory which lifts Villa out of the relegation zone for the first time since February.
The winger set up a dramatic finale on Sunday with Villa, Watford and Bournemouth locked in a three-way battle against the drop.
Dean Smith’s side are now above the bottom three on goal difference ahead of the trip to West Ham, who are out of danger thanks to their own superior goal difference.
Watford visit the Gunners on Sunday while Bournemouth, three points behind the other two, travel to Everton with Villa, on -26, one goal better off than both their rivals For Arsenal, they will need to rely on an FA Cup win next month to return to Europe and could finish as low as 10th.
The Gunners hit the post through Eddie Nketiah but never found the form which saw them beat Liverpool and Manchester City in their previous games.
Dion Dublin scored twice the last time Villa beat Arsenal at home in 1998, with the team including England boss Gareth Southgate and an 18-year-old Gareth Barry.
Steps’ cover of Tragedy was number one in the charts, but if Villa escape relegation on the final day there will be a happy ending.
Back then Arsenal were champions but the title feels a long way away for the Gunners despite the promising early signs of Mikel Arteta’s debut season.
Villa’s win sent Watford slipping into the bottom three after Raheem Sterling hit a brace as Manchester City returned to form with a 4-0 win over the Hornets at Vicarage Road.
England international Sterling netted his 28th and 29th goals of the season to help Pep Guardiola’s side bounce back following Saturday’s 2-0 FA Cup semifinal defeat to Arsenal.
Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte added further efforts in the second half to make it another miserable fixture for Watford against City, but it was a welcome result for 19th-placed Bournemouth who live to fight another day.
Kevin De Bruyne edged to within one of Thierry Henry’s Premier League assist record when his free-kick was headed home by Laporte to give City’s captain for the night his 19th of the topflight campaign.