FIVE-STAR GUNNERS Red-hot Giroud in warm-up for United
ARSENAL could hardly be in better shape, heading into their next big-game test against Manchester United.
Arsene Wenger’s men made it 12 Emirates league wins in a row as they continued their emphatic response to losing their last top-six tussle against Manchester City earlier this month.
Strikes from Alexandre Lacazette, two-goal Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and the magnificent Mesut Ozil made it three league wins on the spin since that loss.
The Gunners have scored eight without conceding in that mini-run. United, visitors on Saturday evening, be warned.
Arsenal did have to weather a Huddersfield storm either side of the break before putting the game to bed with a threegoal, four-minute blast and a late fifth by Giroud as they heaped more awayday misery on the Terriers.
But the night saw Arsenal end in party mood, with the Gunners putting in a display that suggested they have their mojo back.
And it looked like there would be only one winner after just three minutes.
Granit Xhaka fed Aaron Ramsey, whose clever backheel played in Lacazette to beat Jonas Lossl with ease.
For a while it was defence against attack and, when they wanted to step it up, some of Arsenal’s football drew gasps.
Lacazette almost produced a jaw-dropping second goal when he span and chipped Lossl in one movement in the 31st minute, but Martin Cranie got back to hook the ball off the line and Sead Kolasinac put the rebound over.
At times, though, it was so easy for Arsenal that sloppiness crept in and they gave Huddersfield little glimmers of hope.
Defender Mathias Jorgensen headed Chris Lowe’s free-kick over.
Boss David Wagner was furious when Steve Mounie was denied a penalty after being bumped by Shkodran Mustafi. Then Laurent Koscielny had to produce a last-ditch block to prevent Colin Quaner equalising. Huddersfield raced out of the blocks after the break.
But Quaner was denied by Petr Cech and Mounie by a Nacho Monreal block before the Arsenal keeper luckily slapped the loose ball on to the bar and over.
It was getting nervous around the Emirates.
But then three goals swept all the anxiety away.
Not long after hitting the post, Giroud, who replaced Lacazette at the break, finished off a brilliant, five-pass, four-man move to make it 2-0. Sanchez got in on the act a minute later when he buried Ozil’s cross and the German completed the flurry himself when he raced on to Ramsey’s pass to beat Lossl.
And Giroud made it five, with three minutes left, after Kolasinac bullied his way into the box.