Arsene Wenger full of praise for “outstanding” Aaron Ramsey

Following his midweek hat-trick against Olympiakos Piraeus which kept Arsenal’s Champions League hopes burning, Giroud’s latest contribution prompted Wenger to tell reporters the 29-year-old was in his pomp – and still improving.

“He is questioned sometimes but finally the numbers get people to realize he is a good player”, Wenger said. First we performed under the pressure of a nightmare November to grind out a win over Sunderland and then we put our previous record away to Olympiacos firmly to one side when our backs were to the Champions League wall and we followed that by showing great professionalism to get the job done away to Aston Villa.

“The second half was more hard for us and we had to defend well”.

Eric Dier’s 39th-minute header set Spurs on course for a win that would have seen them move above Manchester United in fourth place in the table, only for Mitrovic to poke home a 74th-minute equaliser just two minutes after coming on.

“I personally believe it’s very unlikely, but Sanchez is Sanchez and you never know! Maybe we were lucky with one or two opportunities for Villa, but overall it was a controlled performance”.

Defeat left Villa bottom and eight points from safety and defender Joleon Lescott admitted they lacked fight to stop Ramsey making it 2-0. “Ramsey was outstanding today”, Wenger said.

Giroud netted his 14th goal of the season and 50th in the league for Arsenal after Theo Walcott was tugged back in the area by Villa’s Alan Hutton.

The visitors found a crucial second goal prior to the interval, as Ramsey won possession from Gueye despite appearing to get little of the ball with the tackle, and the Welshman finished a counter-attack just seconds later by slotting home after the Villa defence had parted to gift space to Mesut Ozil. “I don’t have any reproach for my players”.

Arsene Wenger played Aaron Ramsey on the right because he thought it could help balance the team and in a way it did.

Hernandez’s goals at the BayArena sealed Leverkusen’s valuable victory which lifts it up to sixth as it claimed only its second win in its last nine games.

Norwich are a team that we always seem to do well against in recent seasons so if omens are anything to go by hopefully we can take something against them.

“We have to maintain our focus and belief”.

Paddy Power are offering new customers enhanced odds of 10/1 on Leicester to beat Chelsea on Monday night. I still believe we have the talent to win games.

“I think the three points were very important, more than the way we played”, said Pellegrini.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s fortuitous stoppage-time goal had earlier given Manchester City a 2-1 win over managerless Swansea City that sent Manuel Pellegrini’s side above former leaders Leicester on goal difference.