Arsenal vs. Aston Villa: Score, Reaction from 2016 Premier League Game

An Olivier Giroud hat-trick led Arsenal to a second-place Premier League finish on Sunday as the France hitman saw the Gunners to a 4-0 thumping of Aston Villa, while Tottenham Hotspur finished third after dropping 5-1 at Newcastle United.

A quick header from Giroud gave manager Arsene Wenger's side an early lead, but the in-form frontman was made to wait until the final exchanges before he could fire in another two, while Villa stopper Mark Bunn scored an own goal in stoppage time.

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Jack Wilshere completed 69 minutes for the home outfit, and Santi Cazorla made his first Premier League start since suffering a serious knee injury in November, playing 88 minutes.

Despite this being a tough season for Arsenal fans at times, football broadcaster Dan Levy presented plenty reason for the fans to be upbeat: 

Aston Villa arrived at the Emirates having kept just their sixth clean sheet of the league campaign last time out, where they drew at home to fellow relegated party Newcastle.

However, the Birmingham visitors quickly found their chances of replicating that feat in north London reduced to rubble after Giroud got free of his marker to divert home a fifth-minute header. Bunn was left scrambling to his right after Nacho Monreal's cross found the Frenchman in space, but there was too much power behind the effort as Arsenal raced ahead.

Sky Sports Statto confirmed that despite his troubles this term—for one, he started the campaign behind Theo Walcott in the striker pecking order—Giroud has returned to end the 2015-16 season in strong fashion:

What's more, Match of the Day pointed to his heading exploits as a particular strength:

But that high-octane start couldn't be maintained, a problem the Gunners have experienced more than once this season. The remainder of the first period saw that killer touch lacking.

John Brewin of ESPN was one of those left unimpressed by the performance, which in his view provided evidence to the lack of quality in the Premier League at present:

However, the Gunners proved their lasting power against a downtrodden foe, and it was in the final quarter-of-an-hour that Giroud pounced on Villa's fading stamina with his second and third of the match.

Mesut Ozil crafted a chance for his team-mate in the 78th minute before a cutting Hector Bellerin through ball gave Giroud his hat-trick, but Match of the Day pundit Kevin Kilbane was less than impressed:

Substitute Mikel Arteta, in his final appearance for the club, forced Bunn into an own goal in added time, when his effort came off the frame only for the visitors' No. 1 to send it into his own net.

James Olley of the London Evening Standard highlighted Arteta's near-miss, almost capping his Gunners career with the perfect ending:

In some ways, a second-place finish only serves as further salt in the wounds for many Arsenal fans who might have felt their side was capable of beating Leicester City to the title this campaign.

At the very least, Giroud may well have staked his claim on a more prominent position in Wenger's plans next season, showing his worth to the club at the last hurdle, with Arsenal rallying to a fine finish.

Post-Match Reaction

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For all the lows that came before, Sunday's triumph was a resounding high for Arsenal, not to mention a reminder of their ongoing pattern in superior finishes against their most bitter rivals.

However, Wenger echoed the notion that a runners-up finish wasn't what the Gunners were hoping for this season, per the club's official Twitter account:

The tactician also pointed out this isn't the first campaign in which Spurs have looked capable of pipping their north London foes, only to ultimately fall short:

Wenger also had special words for departing duo Arteta and Tomas Rosicky, dubbing the pair "exceptional players" before they make their way through the exit this summer.