• 90 mins

  COMFORTABLE FOR ARSENAL: Three goals, three points. A deserved and thoroughly excellent win for Arsenal.

• GOAL (MIKEL ARTETA, 90)

  90 mins

  SENSATIONAL FROM ARTETA! The midfielder steps up with the free-kick from 30 yards and curls a wonderful effort home past Given.

• 90 mins

  LICHAJ BOOKED: He picks up a booking for a poor challenge on Song.

• 90 mins

  FOUR ADDED MINUTES: That's how long Arsenal have to hold out for in this game. Can they get another to put this to bed completely?

• 90 mins

  VAN PERSIE HEADS OVER: That was a decent opportunity. Song's cross finds the captain inside the box, whose header cannons off a Villa defender for a corner.

• 89 mins

  COLLINS IN THE BOOK: The defender clips Arteta needlessly on the edge of the Arsenal box and gets a yellow for his troubles.

• 86 mins

  ARSENAL SEEING THIS OUT: There may have been a few nervy moments in this second period but overall this really has been a commanding display from Wenger's side. Just under five minutes left.

• 83 mins

  WEIMANN AT THE OTHER END: He's looked sharp since his arrival. The striker swivels for space inside the box but can't get enough power to trouble Szczesny. Djourou did enough too.

• 82 mins

  IS THAT A PENALTY?! Oxlade-Chamberlain leads the charge down the right-hand side before being felled inside the penalty area. But referee Phil Dowd says no. On replay reflections, it looks like Ireland got a slight touch.

• 80 mins

  DJOUROU DEFENDS WELL: Substitute Weimann tries to free up Ireland through the middle, but the Swiss centre back shepherds the midfielder out safely.

• 78 mins

  VILLA CHANGE: Hutton replaced by Lichaj

• 78 mins

  ARSENAL CHANGE: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on for Theo Walcott

• 75 mins

  RAMSEY FIRES WIDE: The Welshman spins away from his marker on the edge of the box, but fires a low drive just past the near post

• 73 mins

  ARTETA JUST OVER: The Spanish midfielder curls a beautiful effort in from the left but it dips just over the Villa bar. Good effort

• 72 mins

  #ARSENALLIVE: That's the hashtag to use if you want to have your say on Twitter. As ever we'll publish a selection of your comments right here

• 72 mins

  E-MAIL OUR COMMENTATORS: Go to www.arsenal.com/studio to get in touch with Dan and Nigel - they'll be fielding your comments throughout the game

• 70 mins

  IRELAND BOOKED: The Villa midfielder goes in late on Song and is booked

• 68 mins

  ARSENAL CHANGE: Andre Santos on for Kieran Gibbs

• 68 mins

  ARSENAL CHANGE: Gervinho is replaced by Aaron Ramsey

• 66 mins

  VILLA CHANGE: Weimann on for Emile Heskey

• 65 mins

  GIVEN SAVES! Rosicky lets fly from 25 yards but the Villa keeper gets down to palm his shot away. One-way traffic at the moment

• 63 mins

  SONG HEADS OVER: The Cameroonian midfielder leaps and meets the corner, but his header hits the ground and loops up and over the bar

• 62 mins

  ROSICKY SHOT BLOCKED: Arsenal are stroking the ball about confidently and the ball loops up the area and comes to Rosicky who volleys it into the face of Warnock and the ball goes out for a corner

• 59 mins

  VILLA PRESSING: The visitors make a rare foray forward and win a corner but Arsenal clear

• 57 mins

  CHANCE FOR ARSENAL: Rosicky breaks forward and plays a good ball out to the left to Gervinho, but the Ivorian's ball back misses his team-mate who was running into the box

• 53 mins

  VILLA CHANGE: Gary Gardner on for Chris Herd

• 52 mins

  WARNOCK BOOKED: Walcott looks to break on the right flank but the Villa left back takes him down and is booked

• 48 mins

  ROSICKY HEADS OVER: The Czech midfielder gets to Van Persie's near-post corner but heads well over the bar. Arsenal on the front foot once more

• KICK-OFF

  46 mins

  HERE WE GO AGAIN: The second half gets underway, can Arsenal maintain their energy levels after such a dominant first half?

• 45 mins

  #ARSENALLIVE: That's the hashtag to use if you want to have your say on Twitter. As ever we'll publish a selection of your comments right here

• 45 mins

  GET IN TOUCH: Go to www.arsenal.com/studio to get in touch with Dan and Nigel - they're fielding your comments throughout the game

• HALF-TIME

  45 mins

  HALF TIME: Arsenal 2-0 Aston Villa

• 45 mins

  GERVINHO DOWN: The Ivorian appears to have picked up a knock and he will receive some treatment. After a few moments he's back on his feet and okay to continue

• 42 mins

  ARSENAL IN CHARGE: Wenger's side look so confident this afternoon. They are two up, but it could be four and you just have to hope they don't take their foot off the gas because they have been terrific so far

• 39 mins

  OFF THE LINE BY WARNOCK! Gervinho and Van Persie break and a loose ball in the area comes to Van Persie, who nicks the ball away from Given and flicks it at goal but Warnock heads it over. So close to a third

• 37 mins

  CLOSE AGAIN: Vermaelen plays a good ball into the box and Van Persie gets his head to it and tries to loop it over Given, but the Villa keeper just gets his hand to it. Close

• 33 mins

  HE SCORES WHEN HE WANTS: A huge orange banner commemorating Robin van persie hangs from the upper tier of the North Bank. The captain will like that

• 30 mins

  WALCOTT ON FIRE: Rosicky turns superbly and plays Walcott in on the right. The England forward puts in a good cross but Collins just about clears

• 30 mins

  #ARSENALLIVE: That's the hashtag to use if you want to have your say on Twitter. As ever we'll publish a selection of your comments right here

• 29 mins

  E-MAIL OUR COMMENTATORS: Go to www.arsenal.com/studio to get in touch with Dan and Nigel - they'll be fielding your comments throughout the game

• 28 mins

  ARTETA SO CLOSE! Given pulls off a good save to deny Arteta, who let fly from 25 yards. Arsenal well on top

• 26 mins

  VAN PERSIE OVER! Arsenal really in the mood now and Gervinho cuts the ball back from the left byeline for the captain, but he half volleys well over the bar

• GOAL (THEO WALCOTT, 25)

  25 mins

  GOAL FOR ARSENAL! Theo Walcott slots the ball away after latching on to a lovely ball over the top by Alex Song

• 24 mins

  WELL PLAYED GERVINHO: Villa counter again as Agbonlahor sets Albrighton clear down the right but Gervinho tracks him back all the way and wins a free kick

• 21 mins

  CHANCE FOR VILLA: Ireland finds some space to the lef of the box and gets a cross in, but Vermaelen clears for a corner, which comes to nothing

• 20 mins

  BRILLIANT FROM ARSENAL: Vermaelen fires a lovely long pass out to the right for Walcott, who pushes it past his marker and runs on to it but Cuellar comes across to clear. Superb play

• 18 mins

  THE PERFECT START: Arsenal have been on top in these early stages and that goal will settle them right down. Villa are a threat on the break though, but the visitors must offer more going forward in search of an equaliser and that should open the game right up

• GOAL (KIERAN GIBBS, 16)

  16 mins

  GOAL FOR ARSENAL! Kieran Gibbs fires in at the near post after being played in at the edge of the area. That's his first league goal for Arsenal

• 15 mins

  PETROV BOOKED: The Villa captain goes in late on Arteta and has his name taken by Phil Dowd

• 13 mins

  VERMAELEN HEADS OVER: Arsenal win a corner and Van Persie bends it towards the Belgian, but his header goes well over the bar

• 12 mins

  VERMAELEN TO THE RESCUE: Albrighton counters again and just as he enters the box the Belgian comes across and clears, before starting an Arsenal attack

• 9 mins

  CLOSE FOR ARSENAL! Arsenal break up the right and Van Persie flicked the ball back to Walcott, whose shot was saved by Given. The ball came back to Sagna, but he fired high and wide

• 8 mins

  ALBRIGHTON LETS FLY: Villa break on the counter and Albrighton gets to the edge of the box but fires just over the bar for Villa. Dangerous

• 6 mins

  VAN PERSIE'S SHOT BLOCKED: Gibbs breaks upfield and plays in the Dutch striker but his shot from a tight angle is blocked. The corner comes to nothing

• 5 mins

  HE'S BACK ON HIS FEET: Djourou should be okay to continue, he is getting a final swipe of the magic sponge on the touchline and he's soon back on the field

• 4 mins

  LONG STOPPAGE: Djourou remains on the floor receiving treatment, and it has been a couple of minutes now, which has made for a strange start to the game

• 2 mins

  DJOUROU DOWN: The centre back seemed to get a knock in the face by Emile Heskey as they competed for a high ball. He's receiving treatment and while the challenge was not malicious, it wasn't pretty

• KICK-OFF

  1 mins

  AND WE'RE OFF! Arsenal will be kicking from left to right for the first half this afternoon and we are underway at a sunny Emirates Stadium

• 0 mins

  MUAMBA BANNER: A banner to celebrate former Gunner Fabrice Muamba is being passed around by supporters in the North Bank prior to kick off

• 0 mins

  AND HERE THEY COME: The players are streaming out of the tunnel and on to the pitch to a rapturous reception from the Emirates crowd. Let's hope they have much more to cheer this afternoon

• 0 mins

  MINUTES AWAY: The Emirates is filling up fast and the atmosphere is building. What a chance this is to cement their top-three chances this is for Arsenal this afternoon

• 0 mins

  LATE TEAM NEWS: Laurent Koscielny has a slight knee injury and has been replaced by Johan Djourou. Carl Jenkinson steps on to the bench

• 0 mins

  MAJOR OPPORTUNITY: With Chelsea and Tottenham ending goalless, Arsenal have the opportunity to go three points clear of Spurs and eight clear of Roberto Di Matteo's side in fifth

• 0 mins

  Kick off is as 3pm today (UK time), with Dan Roebuck and Nigel Winterburn as the commentary team, but our Matchday Show gets underway 25 minutes earlier. Make sure you tune in for an exclusive pre-match interview with Arsene Wenger, highlights of the Everton match and all the latest team news ahead of today’s game

• 0 mins

  SUBS: Guzan, Bannan, Weimann, Lichaj, Baker, Gardner, Carruthers

• 0 mins

  ASTON VILLA: Given, Hutton, Collins, Cuellar, Warnock, Petrov, Herd, Albrighton, Ireland, Heskey, Agbonlahor

• 0 mins

  SUBS: Fabianski, Santos, Djourou, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Benayoun, Chamakh

• 0 mins

  ARSENAL: Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Gibbs, Song, Arteta, Rosicky, Gervinho, Walcott, Van Persie

• 0 mins

  TEAM NEWS: Arsene Wenger has made one change to the side who beat Everton on Wednesday, with Gervinho replacing Aaron Ramsey

• 0 mins

  Alex McLeish’s side may be without the injured England international Darren Bent, but they have only lost three times away from home in the league this season. That puts them behind just Manchester United, who have only lost once away from home

• 0 mins

  Villa meanwhile have been struggling for form in recent months, although their 1-0 victory over Fulham on March 10 has boosted morale

• 0 mins

  The Gunners have beaten Villa twice already this season, including that dramatic 3-2 comeback victory in the FA Cup fourth round in January

• 0 mins

  Arsene Wenger’s side are in fantastic form, having won six league matches in succession, and they will be favourites to extend that run today

• 0 mins

  Welcome to Arsenal Player for live coverage of the Gunners’ clash against Aston Villa at a sun-drenched Emirates Stadium this afternoon