Arsenal's final match of yet another season that has brought a top-four finish but disappointment on the whole is at home against basement side Aston Villa.

It should be an easy afternoon for the Gunners as Villa play their last match before dropping down to the Championship.

Arsenal

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A 19th consecutive Champions League finish – the Gunners, in third, are five clear of Manchester United in fifth – but once again Arsene Wenger has failed to win all the Arsenal fans back over.

There will be no trophy this year unlike the last two seasons, but Wenger is confident that he will at least see out his contract, which runs until the end of next season.

In fact, Arsenal will finish as high as second for the first time since 2005 if they win this match and North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur lose at Newcastle United.

The chance of that happening would have been much higher had Newcastle not been relegated in midweek, so now it looks like Spurs should be able to get at least a point at St James' Park and finish above their arch-enemies for the first time since Wenger took over in 1996.

Arsenal have finished the season on a solid run in the league, going unbeaten in their last nine matches, although five of them have been drawn, including last weekend's 2-2 scoreline at Manchester City.

Olivier Giroud scored in that match to end a 15-match scoring drought in the league, and he will be confident of netting again this weekend as he has scored in each of his last five appearances against the Birmingham club in all competitions.

The Gunners have been especially disappointing at home this term, averaging just 1.5 goals per game at home in the league – their lowest return since 1994-95 (1.3).

Wenger's men are unbeaten in their last 10 games on the final day of the season (W8 D2). The last team to beat them on the final day of a Premier League season was Birmingham City in 2005.

Recent form: DDWDWD

Villa

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Villa's status as one of the Premier League ever-presents is coming to an end after what has been a torrid season.

In years gone by they would have been right up there challenging for a top-four place with the likes of Arsenal, but the club has slowly decayed in recent times and not once this season have they looked good enough for the top tier.

The Villans have won none of their last 17 Premier League away games, losing 14 in that run. Their only win this season on the road so far was on the opening day against Bournemouth when things looked promising.

The basement club have also scored just seven goals in their last 14 Premier League road trips, but there was a somewhat positive result last weekend in their final home match.

Eric Black's side avoided a club-record 12th successive league defeat by drawing 0-0 against Newcastle, who were in desperate need of the points but will now go down with Villa.

Only Derby County, in 2007-08, have won fewer matches in a top-flight season than Villa's current tally of three and they have led in just eight league games this season.

Villa are also the only team in the Premier League not to have scored more than two goals in a match in 2015-16.

Recent form: LLLLLD

Team News

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Arsenal will be without Danny Welbeck, who faces nine months on the sidelines having suffered serious cartilage damage in his right knee.

The England forward only returned from a nine-month layoff because of an injury to his other knee earlier this year and will now miss out on Euro 2016.

Jack Wilshere is pushing for a place in Roy Hodgson's squad and could make his first start since last year's FA Cup final – incidentally against Villa – with Santi Cazorla also in contention. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Per Mertesacker are missing.

Alan Hutton and Ciaran Clark are fresh injury concerns for Villa, while fellow defender Kieran Richardson remains a doubt so teenager Kevin Toner is likely to retain his place.

Aly Cissokho is available again after suspension while striker Rudy Gestede has resumed training after injury ruled him out of the goalless draw with Newcastle last weekend.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Cech; Bellerin, Koscielny, Gabriel, Monreal; Ramsey, Elneny; Sanchez, Ozil, Iwobi; Giroud

Villa possible starting lineup:
Bunn; Hutton, Toner, Clark, Lescott, Cissokho; Sanchez, Gueye, Westwood; Ayew, Gestede

Head To Head

Aston Villa have lost nine of their last 11 meetings with the Gunners in all competitions (W1 D1), with the reverse a 2-0 Arsenal win in December.

In fact, Arsenal have scored 14 goals without reply in the last four meetings in all competitions with Aston Villa.

If the Gunners continue the trends on Sunday it will be the first time that they have won five consecutive league matches against Villa.

Villa do have some success at the Emirates, though, winning three times there since Arsenal's move from Highbury. Only Chelsea, with four wins, have been more successful at the stadium.

We say: Arsenal 4-0 Villa

Anything but a convincing home win here would be a huge surprise as Arsenal look to give their fans something to smile about before the summer break.

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