Late goals give Arsenal 4-2 win over Villa to halt slide

© Provided by The Associated Press – Sports Arsenal’s Jorginho, left, celebrates after scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — With Arsenal’s title aspirations in danger, new signing Jorginho came up big for the Gunners.

Jorginho’s shot from outside the area in second-half stoppage time bounced against the crossbar and off Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez before going into the net to put Arsenal ahead for good in a come-from-behind 4-2 win Saturday that halted a three-game winless streak in the Premier League.

© Provided by The Associated Press – Sports Britain Soccer Premeir League

Arsenal had to come from behind twice before the lucky bounce from Jorginho’s shot made it 3-2 in the third minute of stoppage time. Gabriel Martinelli then tapped in a fourth into an empty net on a quick counter after Martinez — the former Arsenal goalkeeper — had come up the field as Villa searched for an equalizer.

The win puts Arsenal three points above Manchester City atop the table ahead of the defending champion’s game against Nottingham Forest later Saturday. It also halted an alarming slump for Mikel Arteta’s team, which had looked in danger of suffering a fourth loss in five games in all competitions.

Villa went ahead in the just the fifth minute through Ollie Watkins, after Oleksandr Zinchenko had given the ball away cheaply. Bukayo Saka equalized with a perfectly struck volley in the 16th, but Villa reclaimed the lead in the 31st through Philippe Coutinho.

© Provided by The Associated Press – Sports Aston Villa’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez fails to save the goal from Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Zinchenko then scored his first Arsenal goal with a shot from just outside the area in the 61st to level for a second time, and the crucial bounces then all went the visitors’ way as Villa’s Leon Bailey hit the crossbar with a late chance before Jorginho — the former Chelsea midfielder who joined Arsenal in January — was more fortunate at the other end.

© Provided by The Associated Press – Sports Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah, centre on the ground, fails to score during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

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© Provided by The Associated Press – Sports Britain Soccer Premeir League © Provided by The Associated Press – Sports Aston Villa’s head coach Unai Emery gives instructions from the side line during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)