Injury-hit Villa clawed back a little pride but took a beating from Arsenal at Villa Park to leave them worryingly close to the Premier League’s lower region.

A debut for Robert Pires against his previous club failed to inspire Gerard Houllier’s men, who were hopelessly outplayed in the first-half and fortunate to be only two goals behind at the interval.

Pires was taken off at the interval after failing to make any impact but Ciaran Clark, continuing in his emergency role as central midfield, twice brought Villa back within a goal of their opponents as Houllier’s team put up a better show after the break.

But it was only what Arsenal deserved when in stoppage Jack Wilshere clinched a victory they deserved.

Villa, already reeling from a dozen injuries, suffered a further blow with the late loss of Gabby Agbonlahor and their timid challenge reflected the lack of any weaponry up front to trouble the Gunners.

They were fortunate not to be further behind at the interval, such was the scale of Arsenal’s domination, but when the goals did come it was some lack lustre defending which contributed.

A mix-up between James Collins and Luke Young, who both challenged for the same ball just inside their own half without making contact, allowed Andrey Arshavin to sprint clear and then take a step inside to beat goalkeeper Brad Friedel with a right-footed shot.

Within a minute, Villa should have been two down only for Samir Nasri to fire a glorious chance into the side netting after dribbling around Friedel, with the home defence again uncertain and wide open.

But the relief was temporary.

A minute from the break, a brilliant save by Friedel kept out a point-blank header from a point-blank Marouane Chamakh header at the expense of a corner.

But when Arshavin’s delivery flew to the far post, Nasri was clear to smash a fabulous volley just inside Friedel’s left hand post.

Villa found a route back into the game when Clarke crashed home a stunning left foot drive in the 53rd minute, although it appeared John Carew was interfering as he stood in an offside position recovering from a blow.

But Arsenal’s two-goal lead was restored by some more precision football, which ended with Chamakh toe-poking the ball underneath the advancing Friedel just four minutes later.

Villa, replacing Carew with Stephen Ireland, kept plugging away however and, after Clark had fired a left-footer agonisingly wide, more pressure brought a corner.

Dunne headed back across goal, for his young team-mate to score with a second header.

But a third just would not come for Villa, who were frequently frozen out of possession by Arsenal’s superiority on the ball.

One final breakaway in the closing minutes finished with Chamakh providing the coolest of crosses, from which Wilshere headed home.