Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez on target as Arsenal thrash Swansea
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Updated 14/01/2017 at 17:13 GMT
Liberty Stadium, Premier League: Swansea City 0 Arsenal 4 (Giroud 37, Cork og 54, Naughton og 67, Sanchez 73)
Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring for Arsenal against Swansea
Image credit: Reuters
Olivier Giroud netted his fifth goal in his last five games as Arsenal thrashed Swansea 4-0 to make it a first home game to forget for manager Paul Clement.
The Gunners were fortunate to be ahead at the break after a below-par display despite the return of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez to the line-up.
Swansea looked solid and went close with Kyle Naughton’s effort saved by Petr Cech before Giroud scored from close range.
But the Gunners bombarded the Welsh side’s goal in the second period and were rewarded with two fortunate own goals with Alex Iwobi’s shot looping in off Jack Cork and Naughton turning in a cross into his own net.
And they sealed the rout with Sanchez volleying in from close range, but the Chilean looked frustrated at being substituted in the closing stages for Danny Welbeck and was spotted shaking his head on the bench.
The result sees Arsene Wenger's climb into third place while the Swans remain in 19th position.
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Alex Iwobi celebrates an Arsenal goal against Swansea
Image credit: Reuters
TALKING POINT
Should Swansea have been awarded a penalty in the first half? With the score at 1-0, Ki Sung-yueng went down after a challenge from Laurent Koscielny. It looked to be minimal contact and the South Korean was booked for diving. But it was a 50-50 incident which went in favour of the visitors.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal): In the week he signed a new contract, the Frenchman was a rock at the back and dealt with the threat of the towering Fernando Llorente. His positional play was brilliant as he reduced the home side to long-range efforts.
PLAYER RATINGS
SWANSEA: Fabianski 6, Kingsley 5, Mawson 4, Fernandez 4, Naughton 5, Sigurdsson 5, Ki 6, Cork 5, Llorente 5, Routledge 6, Dyer 6. Subs: Fer 5, Borja 4, McBurnie 5.
ARSENAL: Cech 6, Gabriel 5, Mustafi 5, Koscielny 8, Monreal 6, Xhaka 5, Ramsey 5, Alexis 6, Ozil 5, Iwobi 6, Giroud 7. Subs: Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Perez 5, Welbeck 5.
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Olivier Giroud (L) scores for Arsenal against Swansea
Image credit: Reuters
KEY MOMENTS
11’ - SO CLOSE! Naughton fizzes a low shot from the edge of the area across goal and its tipped wide by Cech. The set piece is punched clear by the keeper, it falls to Cork who snatches at his effort and it goes over the bar.
28’ – SANCHEZ CHANCE! The Chilean fires in a shot from distance towards the near post which is smothered by Fabianski.
37’ - GOAL! Swansea 0-1 Arsenal: Giroud slams the ball in from close range and appears to have injured himself in the process. Sanchez's cross finds Ozil whose header is blocked but it falls to the Frenchman who fires the ball into the roof of the net.
43’ - CONTROVERSY! Ki is booked for diving after going down under a challenge from Koscielny in the area with the Frenchman appearing to pull his leg back. There was minimal contact but it was a tough call to make for the referee.
53’ - GOOD SAVE! Ramsey's low effort from eight yards is parried by Fabianski after a brilliant ball from Sanchez after the Chilean had an initial shot blocked.
54’ - GOAL! Swansea 0-2 Arsenal: Iwobi's deflected effort from a tight angle balloons into the net after hitting Cork, which will probably go down as an own goal.
67’ - OWN GOAL! Swansea 0-3 Arsenal: Naughton turns the ball into his own net from Iwobi's low cross. Fabianski can do nothing, it can be a cruel game sometimes.
75’ - GOAL! Swansea 0-4 Arsenal: Sanchez hooks the ball into the net from close range after Oxlade-Chamberlain's cross was inadvertently played into his path from Routledge.
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Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny challenges Fernando Llorente of Swansea
Image credit: Reuters
KEY STATS
There were 22 overseas players in the teams' line-ups as no Welshman started for Swansea and no Englishman for Arsenal. Only once has this occurred in the Premier League, in the 4-1 away win for Arsenal against Portsmouth in 2009.
Olivier Giroud has scored in each of his last nine starts for Arsenal in all competitions, netting 11 goals in total.
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