Arsenal manager Wenger in awe of ‘special’ Mkhitaryan

Aaron Ramsey became the 20th player to score a Premier League hat-trick for Arsenal, more than any other team can boast in the competition.

Victory saw Arsenal close the gap on the top four to five points and manager Arsene Wenger was happy with the early indications from his side’s January overhaul as Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud also departed.

Wenger was anxious about the Armenia star’s mental state after a nightmare spell at Manchester United spent mostly on the bench. “That’s the secret to being efficient”. And we finished very well.

“Overall, I think as well we have a game based on team spirit so that kind of acceptance is very important and when they show on a football field that they accept our game, they are even easier to integrate into the team”. “Because they have similar qualities to what our game is about. It was a pathetic first-half performance”.

“He’s not completely fit but of course you see the quality of him – movement, the sharpness, the quality of his finishing”.

He added: ‘It is as exciting as a new signing. The Blues were under the cosh early and after the home side kept the ball following a blocked Mezut Ozil free kick, Henrick Mkhitarian fired a low cross into the six-yard box and Ramsey turned it past Jordan Pickford.

Ramsey would go on to shine alongside his all-star team-mates as he hit his first career hat-trick with the Gunners wrapping up a well-deserved win. Shkodran Mustafi flicked on at the near post and Koscielny stole in ahead of Mangala to convert a stopping header.

Aubameyang faces a late fitness test but is unlikely to be thrown straight into the starting XI. Arsenal’s new number 14 didn’t have to wait much longer to net his first goal.

By no means did Koscielny steal the goal from Aubameyang but the new man certainly would have scored if not for the French defender beating him to the ball.

Speaking before the match to Sky Sports, Allardyce said: “They haven’t scored as many goals as they have done in recent years at this stage of the season which gives us an opportunity to try and shut them out”. Ramsey completed his treble in the second half from Mkhitaryan’s cutback, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed in a consolation.

Petr Cech, suffering from a calf injury, was then forced to make way for David Ospina.