Arsenal climb above Spurs after thrashing Villa
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ByEurosport
Updated 02/02/2015 at 09:25 GMT
Premier League, Emirates Stadium – Arsenal 5 (Giroud 8, Ozil 56, Walcott 63, Cazorla 75, Bellerin 90+3) Aston Villa 0
Mesut Ozil (AFP)
Image credit: AFP
Arsenal jumped above north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur to fifth in the PL table following a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Aston Villa at The Emirates.
Olivier Giroud put the Gunners ahead in the eighth minute after latching onto an exquisite flick from the fit-again Mesut Ozil, the Frenchman slotting home past Brad Guzan for his seventh goal of the season.
Villa kept the score in check until the break but the floodgates opened in the second half, Giroud repaying the compliment by playing in Ozil to score before Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla and Hector Bellerin completed the rout, the right back scoring his first goal for Arsenal in injury time.
For Villa, their dismal run continues and they have now gone over six games and incredible ten hours without scoring. And it may well be seven after their next match. The opponents? League leaders Chelsea at Villa Park.
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Arsenal's Santi Cazorla celebrates scoring a penalty against Aston Villa with Chuba Akpom (R) during their English Premier League soccer match at the Emirates Stadium in London, February 1, 2015 (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
KEY MOMENTS
6’ – RAMSEY CLOSE: Monreal tees up the Welshman for a shot and it’s just wide of a diving Brad Guzan.
8’ – GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Aston Villa: A lovely touch from Mesut Ozil puts in Olivier Giroud on goal. His first touch takes him a little wide but he recovers to plant a lovely finish past the advancing Guzan.
26’ – CAZORLA HITS THE POST: Nice play from the little Spaniard, who evades the attentions of Okore before seeing his shot rebound off the post with Guzan well beaten.
42’ – GOOD SAVE OSPINA: It’s a rare chance on goal for Villa as Weimann gets his header on target from Gil’s cross, only for Ospina to pull off a good reaction save.
56’ – GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Aston Villa: Ozil latches onto Giroud’s ball and slots a lovely finish past Guzan.
63’ – GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 Aston Villa: It’s Theo Walcott’s turn to score on his return, firing in a neat finish from Cazorla’s assist.
75’ –GOAL! Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa: Now Cazorla gets in on the act, slamming his penalty past Guzan and nearly taking the keeper’s hand off in the process after Akore upended Akpom in the box.
90+3’ – GOAL! Arsenal 5-0 Aston Villa: Bellerin completes the rout, grabbing his first for Arsenal after driving the ball home from Cazorla’s pass.
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Arsenal's Hector Bellerin (L) celebrates his goal against Aston Villa with Santi Cazorla during their English Premier League soccer match at the Emirates Stadium in London, February 1, 2015 (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
KEY STATS
The Gunners have now scored at least one goal in 17 consecutive PL home matches. Their last longer scoring streak at home was between April 2007 and November 2008: 29 matches.
Olivier Giroud scores his seventh of the season in the PL and second in two matches.
Theo Walcott scores his 50th goal in the English leagues and his first since 1 January 2014. He scores in two consecutive matches for Arsenal for the first time since May 2013, having scored against Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA cup fourth round last Sunday.
Arsenal score their 150th goal against Aston Villa at home in the top flight. They have only scored more against Everton (184), Manchester United (157) and Manchester City (151) in the top flight.
David Ospina has kept a clean sheet in his last four matches for Arsenal. Wojciech Szczesny has not kept a clean sheet for the Gunners in 10 matches.
Infostrada
TALKING POINT
An embarrassment of attacking riches: With Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil back and firing, Arsenal possess one of the most potent of attacks in the Premier League. Alexis Sanchez sat out the game with a hamstring injury, so someone will have to miss out when he returns, but who?
MAN OF THE MATCH
Mesut Ozil (Arsenal) A superb all round performance on his return to the Arsenal starting line-up, creating the first and adding a second to put his side on the way to victory.
PLAYER RATINGS
Arsenal: Ospina 7, Bellerin 7, Mertesacker 6, Koscielny 6, Monreal 6, Coquelin 6, Ramsey 7, Walcott 7, Cazorla 7, Ozil 8, Giroud 7. SUBS : Flamini 6, Rosicky 6, Akpom 7.
Aston Villa: Guzan 5, Hutton 6, Okore 5, Clark 6, Richardson 6, Sanchez 6, Delph 6, Cleverley 6, Weimann 5, Gil 7, Benteke 5. SUBS : Sinclair 6, Agbonlahor 6, Westwood 6.
MATCH IN A TWEET
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