Afternoon all! After nine long months, the end of the Premier League season is here and today, as always, all 10 games kick off at the same time. There is actually not that much to settle this year with the title and relegation sewn up, but it should still be an exciting day of action!

Neither side in our featured game here has that much at stake today. For Arsenal, they are hoping North London rivals Spurs slip up and offer them the chance to go second, while for Villa it's the last game of what has been a truly awful season. Let's get to the team news...

ARSENAL XI: Cech; Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Wilshere; Cazorla, Ozil, Alexis; Giroud
Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Elneny, Campbell, Iwobi

VILLA XI: Bunn; Lyden, Lescott, Toner, Cissokho; Sanchez, Westwood, Gueye; Bacuna, Ayew, Sinclair
Subs: Guzan, Richards, Adama, Gil, Hepburn-Murphy, Gestede, Grealish

Starting with the home side and Arsene Wenger has made four changes to the side that drew 2-2 at Manchester City last weekend – Coquelin, Wilshere, Cazorla and Ozil in for Elneny, Ramsey, Iwobi and Welbeck.

Ramsey, Elneny and Iwobi drop to the bench, while Welbeck is out for around nine months after damaging cartilage in his right knee at the Etihad a week ago. For Wilshere, it is his first start since last year's FA Cup final – incidentally against Villa – while Cazorla also makes a long-awaited return. It's the little Spaniard's first appearance since November.

For the visitors, Eric Black makes two changes in what is likely to be his final match in caretaker charge of the club. Ciaran Clark and Alan Hutton miss out through injury, with Joe Lyden and Aly Cissokho coming in as Villa switch to a 4-3-3 formation. Cissokho is back from suspension.

Right, just before we get fully into build-up for this contest, let me just point you in the direction of our overriding coverage of all 10 final-day matches. Have that open in another tab if you want to keep on top of things as well as following this match in detail. I'll let you know of any goals in the Newcastle-Spurs game and the battle between the two Manchester sides for the last top-four place as that's all that affects either of these two teams.

So, click here to remind yourself of how the table looks after 37 games of the season. Arsenal are third and assured of Champions League football for the 19th season in a row, while Villa are 17 points behind fellow relegated sides Newcastle and Norwich.

The only way Arsenal can finish second and deny arch-rivals Spurs a first finish above them in the Arsene Wenger era is if they win here and Spurs lose at Newcastle. That likelihood of that would have been much higher if Newcastle were not relegated, but the Magpies might still spring a surprise at home on the last day of the season. If the Gunners do go second, it will be the first time in 11 years they have been in the top two. Arsenal can also drop to fourth if they lose and Man City win at Swansea.

Although you could argue that second is progress, Arsenal are one of several sides who will be wondering how on earth Leicester City, a club that needed a supreme run of form just to stay up last season, have won the title. Also, there will be no FA Cup or another trophy this year like Arsenal have managed the previous two seasons.

Many Gunners supporters believe that it is time for Wenger to call it a day, but the Frenchman is confident that he will at least see out his contract until the end of next season, which will be his 21st in charge of Arsenal. The Frenchman probably needs to splash some cash this summer having failed to purchase a single outfield player last year and the latest is that he wants at least three new players.

So who are Arsenal going to sign this summer? Well, there is some particularly interesting chatter from across the Channel, with multiple French reports claiming that Leicester's standout central midfielder N'Golo Kante has decided that he wants to join the Gunners. James Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata have also been linked, while players like Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and Theo Walcott could be on their way.

For Villa, today marks their last top-flight match for at least a year. They were one of the few ever-presents since the inception of the Premier League, with their last relegation in 1987. On that occasion they came straight back up, but it's going to be a really hard task to manage that again next season.

BREAKING: Some odd news from Old Trafford, where supporters in two of the stands have been evacuated. Really not sure what exactly is going on, but you can keep up to date with it here. There's likely to be a delay to kickoff there.

Back to Villa and we still don't know who will be in charge next season. Roberto Di Matteo is the current favourite with the bookmakers, with Nigel Pearson also fancied. There was one story I saw this morning that claimed they would be making a big offer to lure Tony Pulis from West Brom this summer. Can't see that happening.

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. That surely won't change today.

Arsenal, meanwhile, 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 Villa's neighbours Birmingham City in 2005.

PREDICTION: Pretty much everything points to an Arsenal win today and I can't see Villa causing them any problems – 4-0 to the home side.

The only good omen for Villa is that they do have some success at the Emirates, winning three times there since Arsenal's move from Highbury. Only Chelsea, with four wins, have been more successful at the stadium.

H2H: 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.

KICKOFF! The sun is out in North London as referee Mark Clattenburg gets us underway. Arsenal kick off, with Villa in their yellow and black away kit today.

It has been a disappointing campaign on the whole for Arsenal, but one player who has again progressed well this year is Bellerin. He is arguably the best right-back in the league at the moment and at just 21 he sure does have a bright future ahead of him.

That didn't take long! After a period of pressure it's Giroud who finds the corner with a firm header from Monreal's cross. That's six games in a row against Villa in which the Frenchman has scored!

BREAKING: Oh my! Man United's game at home to Bournemouth has been ABANDONED after a suspect package was found at Old Trafford. Follow developments here.

CHANCE! Back to the Emirates and Villa almost level! Ayew gets away from Bellerin and although the striker lifts the ball over Cech, it is scrambled away in the six-yard box.

CHANCE! Cazorla curls over a free kick and Gabriel is up to meet it but can't get enough on the ball to beat Bunn in the Villa goal.

A shot on target for Villa! The visitors have actually done OK since going behind inside five minutes. It's Westwood who takes aim, but it's an easy save for Cech.

UPDATE: ARSENAL FANS, you are on course to go second as Spurs have just fallen behind at Newcastle. Wijnaldum with the goal. Also, Man City are winning at Swansea and on course to hold on to fourth place, although there will be no pressure from United with the match at Old Trafford abandoned.

Hello! Replays show that Arsenal's goal should not have stood. In the build-up to Giroud's header Ozil appeared to keep the ball in play, but a camera along the byline shows that the ball was out of play when the German pulled it back. It didn't directly lead to the goal, but Arsenal should have given the ball up.

Sanchez usually buries these, but Villa do well to get a block in and prevent the Chilean's effort getting on target.

Arsenal want a penalty, but Clattenburg says no after Toner appeared to haul over Giroud in the box.

Just a reminder that Arsenal are second in the live, as-it-stands table with Spurs losing at Newcastle. Imagine if Spurs throw it away now!

UPDATE: Some other goals to let you know about – Everton 1-0 Norwich, Stoke 0-1 West Ham, West Brom 1-1 Liverpool.

Arsenal go full Arsenal with some nice passing before trying to force it too hard as Ozil looks for Giroud but overhits it when he could have tried to shoot.

CLOSE! Fabulous stuff from Sanchez as he weaves his way past two players on the left wing before cutting inside and curling a shot just wide of the target.

MISS! Oh deary me, Jacky Wilshere! Sanchez crosses from the left and Wilshere is arriving completely unmarked but slices the ball wide with his weaker right foot. He was a little off-balance and on his weaker foot, but he has to score there. England boss Hodgson is in attendance today and he has a wry smile on his face. A bad miss, but good intent I guess.

Not sure how I feel on Wilshere going to the Euros. On his day he offers midfield drive that many of his compatriots don't, but does he deserve a spot. This is his first start of the season today and you have to question his sharpness over others.

Villa have been under the cosh for a while but they have a rare bright moment as Sinclair's shot goes just wide. Bacuna keeps it in but Monreal is there to clear away with Ayew waiting to tap home.

UPDATE: SPURS 2-0 DOWN AT NEWCASTLE! Amazing! What a collapse it has been the last few weeks from Pochettino's side!

Remember, Arsenal have not finished as high as second since 2005!

The weird thing is, as long as the scoreline stays at just 1-0 then Villa could spoil Arsenal's party. They have had the odd bright moment and Arsenal will be desperate for a second.

Just the one minute of added time.

Giroud's early header is the difference at the Emirates, but that's only half the story with Spurs 2-0 down at Newcastle. As it stands, Arsenal will finish second for the first time in 11 years! Stay tuned for the second half coming up shortly.

Odd moment before the start of the second half as both sides emerge from the tunnel but have to wait for referee Clattenburg!

KICKOFF! Back underway at the Emirates, with no half-time changes from either side.

Arsenal had scored this far into the first half, but it's been a slow start to the second period so far.

Giroud looks for the run of Wilshere but his through-ball is overhit as Bunn gets there first.

Bit of a nervy moment for Arsenal as Lescott pulls away unmarked at the back post. He heads it back across goal but the Gunners are able to clear it.

Swift counter-attack from the home side as Wilshere brings it forward. He finds Ozil on the right and German does well to pick out Cazorla at the back post. The Spaniard could try to head at goal, but he looks for a teammate and fails to find one.

You have to say fair play to Villa's fans, they have turned out in force for their Premier League farewell and they're trying to enjoy it as much as possible. Plenty in fancy dress in the away end.

"Easy, easy!" chant the Villa fans as they win a pair of corners. The ball almost drops to a yellow shirt on the second one, but Sanchez nips in to clear.

UPDATE: Spurs pull one back through Lamela at Newcastle, now 2-1 there at St James' Park. Arsenal still on course to finish second but another Spurs goal would change that.

Intricate passing from the Gunners, but it results in nothing as Monreal's cross is cleared away.

SAVE! We haven't really had any clear-cut chances in 20 minutes since the resumption, but Villa go close here as Ayew stabs at goal from a tight angle. Cech would have needed to make a mistake for it to go in but he's got safe hands.

UPDATE: Newcastle striker Mitrovic is sent off, so that will give Spurs a boost up in the North-East.

ARSENAL SUB: Wilshere's afternoon is done as Elneny takes his place. He hasn't done much today, but Hodgson looks fairly happy in the stands.

Arsenal free kick about 20 yards out in a great position, but Sanchez curls it harmlessly over the bar. Really surprising how little the hosts have threatened in the second half.

CHANCE! Here is a chance for Arsenal, but Elneny blazes a volley over the top after lovely interplay between Ozil and Sanchez.

UPDATE: HUGE ROAR at the Emirates because 10-man Newcastle have just gone 3-1 up against Spurs thanks to a Wijnaldum penalty. Incredible!

Seconds later it's Cazorla with the shot but it's too close to Bunn and an easy save for the Villa keeper.

That should be game over here and Arsenal fans are having a whale of a time! Ozil gets to the byline and cuts back for the Frenchman, who finishes well at the near post for his second goal of the afternoon.

And another! This time it's Bellerin who finds the striker with an incisive through-ball and Giroud slides in to finish under Bunn for his hat-trick!

It's a first Premier League hat-trick for Giroud and the 37th by an Arsenal player in the Premier League era.

CHANCE! It should be four, but Sanchez is denied by Bunn after racing through on goal.

UPDATE: UN-BE-LIEV-ABLE! Spurs are now 5-1 DOWN against 10-man Newcastle. The Magpies, relegated remember, have scored three since having a man sent off!

ARSENAL SUBS: Couple of changes for the home side as Arteta and Campbell replace Cazorla and Ozil.

CHANCE! Elneny could make it four but he only hits the side-netting.

It looks like Arteta has signed off his Arsenal career in style with a goal, but his shot came back off the crossbar and will go down as a Bunn own goal because it was coming out until it hit the Villa keeper.

A hat-trick from Olivier Giroud as Arsenal astonishingly finish second in the Premier League thanks to Spurs' 5-1 defeat at Newcastle United.

Click here to see the Premier League table, which is not yet final because Man United's game against Bournemouth was postponed.

Anyway, that's us all done here! Thanks for joining SM today and throughout the rest of the season. Enjoy the summer and stay tuned for plenty of reaction up and down the country.