Victory against Aston Villa secures flawless week for Arsenal

Olivier Giroud converted an early penalty for his 50th Premier League goal before Mesut Ozil set up Aaron Ramsey to sweep in another as Arsenal beat bottom-place Aston Villa 2-0.

Leicester will return to the summit if they beat faltering champions Chelsea at the King Power Stadium this evening, but either way Arsenal will take a slender lead into next Monday’s clash with title rivals City.

Off the back of last weekend’s 3-1 win over Sunderland and their qualification for the Champions League knockout stages against Olympiakos on Wednesday night, it has been a flawless week for Arsene Wenger’s men just when they needed to step up.

The 29-year-old has become only the seventh player to reach that landmark in the Premier League and the third fastest to do so, after Thierry Henry and Ian Wright.

Arsenal went a point clear of City and Leicester and three points above fourth-place Manchester United, which lost 2-1 at Bournemouth Saturday.

‘I believe he’s at the top of his game, ‘ said the Arsenal manager.

“He is questioned but finally the numbers get people to realise he is a good player”, said the Arsenal manager. I think he’s doing things on the training ground, he is picking up all the negatives and things we need to improve on, and looking over all the videos of what we have been doing.

“When you are behind you are always between wanting to equalise quickly, but, when you play Arsenal, or [Manchester] City or [Manchester] United, with such talent, you know if you open too much space you will be punished as well”.

“[Criticisms may be because] he doesn’t have electric pace, he prefers to play with his back to goal and bring others in, so he’s maybe not spectacular individually”. He is also mentally very strong.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted that he was a “bit anxious” ahead of yesterday’s game against Aston Villa.

But Aaron Ramsey started and finished a superb counter-attack to reward their first-half dominance – and ultimately seal victory over a Villa side who are eight points adrift of safety at the foot of the table.

“I believe he is at the top of his game”.

“Obviously I hope it continues to help us to stay top of the league and to have a chance to fight for the title”.

But Wenger said: ‘Every year we have seen teams survive who before Christmas people were saying have absolutely no chance. ‘I think he will do a good job, he needs to be given time, ‘ added Wenger.

Indeed, Drake’s impressive haul against Villa is still the most scored by a player in any top-flight game.

Villa tried a more pressing game as Per Mertesacker in particular came under pressure when he tried to play the ball out. The performance is not the one you expected but I never saw a player wearing the Villa shirt that was not proud to do that.