Arsene Wenger thinks Arsenal will be in perfect shape for their crunch clash with Manchester City.

Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 2: Arsene Wenger has hailed a “great week”, after Olivier Giroud scored again and Arsenal followed up Champions League qualification with a climb to the top of the Barclays Premier League by comfortably beating rock-bottom Aston Villa.

Aston Villa 2 Watford 3: Remi Garde is contemplating changes in a bid to plug Aston Villa’s leaky defence.

Steven Fletcher scored his second Group D hat-trick against Gibraltar tonight.

Scotland 2 Germany 3: Scotland would probably have settled for two goals against the world champions before this Euro 2016 Group D qualifier kicked off but, crucially, the three they conceded leaves them behind Ireland in the playoff hunt.

With Gibraltar v Ireland on September 4 regarded by many – if not Martin O’Neill – as a foregone conclusion, there will almost be as much interest from Irish supporters in the Georgia v Scotland and Germany v Poland games which also take place in European Championship Group D on the same day.

Alan Hutton has moved to brush off Aston Villa’s FA Cup disappointment and insisted they are making progress.

A pipe bomb has been discovered in a car in the North.

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths and Dundee ‘keeper Scott Bain have been called up to the Scotland squad for their Euro 2016 qualifier against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on June 13.

Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood has warned Jack Grealish after the midfielder was pictured inhaling nitrous oxide.

Aston Villa v QPR: Tonight Villa Park, 7.45pm Tim Sherwood has urged Aston Villa to man up as he labelled their clash with relegation rivals QPR the club’s "biggest game" for years.

Louis van Gaal would not rule out an 11th-hour tilt at the title after watching his Manchester United team blow Aston Villa apart at Old Trafford.

Christian Benteke is missing with a hip injury for Aston Villa’s FA Cup quarter-final meeting with West Brom.

FA Cup Quarter-Final

Premier League

Aston Villa 2 West Brom 1

Hull’s players have anointed newly-arrived Mike Phelan as the Barclays Premier League’s first “assistant manager of the month”.

Aston Villa 2 Bourmemouth 1: FA Cup Fourth Round: Villa Park had been tipped as a likely scene of a surprise yesterday and it did not disappoint. Just not in the way anyone anticipated.

Carles Gil helped fire Aston Villa into the FA Cup fifth round as they avoided an upset to beat Bournemouth 2-1.

Chelsea again have outright possession of top spot in the Barclays Premier League following a 2-0 victory over Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.

Aston Villa 0 Crystal Palace 0

Swansea 1 Aston Villa 0

Gabriel Agbonlahor’s red card against Manchester United has been overturned after Aston Villa won their appeal.

Louis van Gaal admits Manchester United’s draw at Aston Villa could end up costing them the title.

Louis van Gaal will not make a call on Radamel Falcao’s future until the striker has an extended run in the Manchester United first team.

West Brom 1 Aston Villa 0

Leicester full-back Paul Konchesky’s red card against Aston Villa on Sunday has been rescinded.

Aston Villa 2 Leicester 1

Aston Villa 2 Leicester 1

Aston Villa fans saw Roy Keane as their saviour. The decision to make him assistant manager came at a time when all the fans I knew were baying for blood.

Aston Villa 1 Southampton 1

Nathaniel Clyne rescued a point for Southampton as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.

Scotland’s assistant manager Mark McGhee surprised nobody when asked yesterday to identify the principal threat to Scottish hopes in Friday night’s crucial Euro 2016 qualifier at Celtic Park.

Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has been handed a boost after it emerged yesterday that Scotland right-back Alan Hutton is a doubt for the crucial Euro 2016 qualifier at Parkhead on November 14.

Scotland boss Gordon Strachan is convinced their European Championship qualifying group will go down to the wire – and he thinks his side have every chance of being involved following another step forward in Warsaw.

EURO 2016 Group D Qualifier

Poland 2 Scotland 2

Premier League

Yaya Toure sent a message to his critics as he and Sergio Aguero struck late to secure a 2-0 win for Manchester City at Aston Villa.

Alan Hutton has hailed his Aston Villa team-mate Jack Grealish by claiming the Ireland U21 winger can become "world-class".

Alan Hutton insists Roy Keane’s "volcanic" personality has been key to Aston Villa’s impressive start.

Welcome to your Friday morning briefing. Let us ensure you’re up to speed on what’s happening and are prepared for the day ahead.

Alan Hutton insists Roy Keane’s “volcanic” personality has been key to Aston Villa’s impressive start.