Cape Argus

Gunners shoot to top of table

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ARSENAL eased to a comfortabl­e 2-0 victory at Aston Villa yesterday to soar to the summit of the Premier League and leave their hapless opponents rooted at rock bottom.

A 50th Premier League goal from Olivier Giroud, a penalty converted four days after his Champions League hat-trick against Olympiacos , swiftly brought more gloom to Villa Park after eight minutes.

Mesut Özil then produced his 13th assist of the season to allow Aaron Ramsey to slot home a goal in the 38th minute and enable Arsenal to move on to 33 points, one point clear of Manchester City and Leicester City.

Leicester have the chance to regain top spot when they host Chelsea tonight.

Villa improved in the second half as Arsenal took their foot off the gas, but manager Rémi Garde, who as a player was once signed by Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger, could only hear the grumbles of discontent as his side went a club-record 15th league game without a win.

“Overall for us, it was a great week,” Wenger said on Sky Sports, referring to his side’s midweek heroics when they managed, against the odds, to qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions League once again.

The defeat left Villa stranded at the foot of the table on six points from 16 games, six adrift of 19th-placed Sunderland.

It was not just Giroud who was able to celebrate a landmark achievemen­t. Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech equalled David James’ all-time Premier League record with his 169th clean sheet, in 349 games, prompting Wenger to hail him as “an absolute all-time great”.

Giroud’s splendid week quickly gained a new sheen when Arsenal were awarded a penalty, which referee Kevin Friend took a while to consider before adjudging that Theo Walcott had been bundled over unfairly in the area by Alan Hutton.

From the spot, Giroud converted his 14th goal of the season and 50th Premier League goal in all for Arsenal in 113 appearance­s, a landmark reached quicker for the Gunners only by Ian Wright and Thierry Henry.

Arsenal, in effortless command, struck again thanks to the industry of Ramsey, who won the ball not far outside his own box from Idrissa Gueye to set up a dazzling counter, then sprinted up the field to get on the end of Özil’s unselfish square pass and double the lead.

At White Hart Lane, Tottenham Hotspur went 1-0 up in the first half through midfielder Eric Dier late in the first half, but ultimately surrendere­d the points to Newcastle, who started the day in 18th position.

The Magpies equalised via Aleksandar Mitrovic in the 74th minute, and ensured the victory with a goal by Ayoze Pérez in the thrid minute of optional time.

Liverpool, 10th at the start of the day yesterday, sneaked a point at Anfield against West Bromwich Albion, after having been 1-0 up after 21 minutes.

Jordan Henderson netted first, but West Brom were level nine minutes later through Craig Dawson, and ahead on 73 minutes courtesy of Jonas Olsson. The Reds made it 2-2 via Divock Origi in the sixth minute of time added on. – Reuters

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 ?? REUTERS ?? SECOND STRIKE: Aaron Ramsey, facing camera, celebrates after putting Arsenal 2-0 up at Villa Park yesterday, and ensuring his side would go top of the EPL log.
REUTERS SECOND STRIKE: Aaron Ramsey, facing camera, celebrates after putting Arsenal 2-0 up at Villa Park yesterday, and ensuring his side would go top of the EPL log.
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