AP:

THE fight for Champions League qualification from the Premier League intensified yesterday, with Arsenal dismantling Aston Villa in its biggest win of the season and Southampton surrendering third place after a surprise home loss to Swansea.

Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott - starting their first league games after long injury lay-offs - were among Arsenal's five different scorers in a 5-0 win at Emirates Stadium, continuing the free-scoring form of Arsène Wenger's team, and leaving relegation-threatened Villa with an unwanted record.

For the first time in its 141-year history, Villa has gone six league games without a goal.

Arsenal stayed fifth but is now level on points with Southampton, which failed to translate its dominance into goals before being caught out by Jonjo Shelvey's 83rd-minute shot in a 1-0 defeat.

A frustrating afternoon was completed for Southampton when left back Ryan Bertrand was sent off in the 89th for a dangerous tackle.

Only five points separate third-place Manchester United and seventh-place Liverpool with 15 games remaining, in what is shaping up to be a scramble for the final two Champions League spots behind the top two of Chelsea and Manchester City.

On current form, Arsenal is looking good to return to Europe's top competition for an 18th straight season.

A miserable afternoon for Villa began when Ozil flicked a long pass through to Olivier Giroud, who surged clear and chipped the goalkeeper in the eighth minute. The roles were reversed in the 56th, Giroud playing in Ozil for the Germany playmaker to slot a low finish into the corner.