GIROUD’S ON FIRE
French striker’s high five
MAN of the moment Olivier Giroud struck his fifth goal in five games to pile more misery on struggling QPR.
And Alexis Sanchez scored his first in eight games as Arsenal picked up where they left off against Everton.
There was still a nervy climax for boss Arsene Wenger after Charlie Austin fired home with eight minutes left.
But they held their nerve to keep a grip on third spot in the Premier League.
Rangers came out determined to make a statement, pressing the ball wherever they could and not giving Arsenal’s players a moment’s peace.
David Ospina twice saved from Austin before the Gunners had registered a shot on target and then dived full-length to deny Matt Phillips.
But he was almost caught out when Austin unleashed a thunderous 25-yard effort and was grateful to see it whistle past his post.
Arsenal suffered a blow when new signing Gabriel Paulista limped off with an injury just 37 minutes in, to be replaced by Laurent Koscielny.
But QPR had problems of their own when Nedum Onuoha was forced off after a nasty clash of heads with Steven Caulker.
Rob Green then saved well from Santi Cazorla, who tested him on the volley after some neat one-touch build-up play.
Mesut Ozil looked nailed on to score just after the break when Tomas Rosicky raced to the byline and fizzed in a low cross but he couldn’t get a proper contact.
The German appealed for a penalty – and TV replays showed he should have had one as Karl Henry had a hand on his shirt and pulled him back at the vital moment.
Arsenal got stronger as the game wore on and Sanchez fired a shot wide of the far post as the pressure grew.
You could sense the tension growing among the home fans – but Phillips had them out of their seats when he took aim with a half-volley from 25 yards but again it whistled just wide of the upright.
Rangers were defending deeper and deeper but Arsenal still struggled to break them down – until the crucial moment finally came in the 65th minute when Ozil stormed through midfield to feed Sanchez and he played in Kieran Gibbs.
The full-back’s shot was blocked by Clint Hill but fell kindly for Giroud to stab home.
Soon afterwards it was two as Sanchez wriggled this way and that inside the box before beating Green at his near post.
Austin pulled one back after Phillips set him up on the edge of the box but Rangers couldn’t find an equaliser. QPR (4-4-2): Green; Furlong, Onuoha, Caulker, Yun; Phillips, Henry, Sandro, Hoilett; Zamora, Austin. Subs: McCarthy, Hill, Wright-Phillips, Isla, Kranjcar, Vargas, Zarate. ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Bellerin, Gabriel, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Coquelin, Cazorla; Rosicky, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud. Subs: Martinez, Koscielny, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Chambers, Welbeck. Referee: Kevin Friend.