Wenger: Garde must get time at Aston Villa

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.

A 50th Premier League goal from Olivier Giroud, a penalty converted four days after his Champions League hat-trick against Olympiakos Piraeus, swiftly brought more gloom to Villa Park after eight minutes.

“It’s a big game, we want to win at home and beat City at home”.

Villa have not won since the opening day of the season and are eight points from safety after 16 Premier League matches having extended their longest run without a win. It will be an interesting one but we at least can recover first and prepare then. In the second half it was a bit more hard physically because we gave a lot on Wednesday night and you could see that the legs were a bit exhausted.

“I know that Villa was fighting to survive and it was maybe a set of important points to win against a team low on confidence”.

It took an age for referee Kevin Friend to point to the spot but when he did Giroud sent Brad Guzan the wrong way for his 50th league goal for Arsenal.

Giroud now has 14 goals for Arsenal this season, and Wenger thinks the 29-year-old in beginning to win round those who query his elite credentials.

Wenger said to Arsenal Player, “I’m very proud and happy of the spirit we show”.

“I think it’s probably the tie of the round and it’s not going to be easy”, he added. “Sometimes, he’s frustrated that he doesn’t get the same balls back but he’s a very important link in our game”, he said. “Mentally he is very strong”.

Arsenal striker Giroud snapped up the ball in a flash when the visitors were awarded an early penalty. “Naturally he is more of a central midfielder but I pushed him out wide for a while”. I still believe we have the talent to win games. “I’m convinced the fans will enjoy the football”.

“We are coming into a period of games [Newcastle, Norwich, Sunderland] over the next two or three weeks which are must-wins for us”.

Leandro Bacuna then threatened with a curling effort which drifted just over after being gifted space on the edge of the box, but Villa’s failure to score while on top would cost them as Arsenal improved once again.

If he misses one game, it would come at home against Leicester on 13 February.

“I have the feeling that the best team won but I have regrets”.