Quickfire goals from Jack Wilshere and Olivier Giroud sent Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win at Aston Villa on Monday night.
Wilshere put Arsenal ahead in the 34th minute at Villa Park and then provided the pass for Giroud to double the lead just a minute later.
Villa rallied late on and pulled one back with Christian Benteke’s first goal in four months, but they could not force an equaliser.
The hosts overcame a sickening injury to defender Nathan Baker and were enjoying a strong spell when the Gunners hit them with their double blow.
But after that the game seemed to be drifting away from Paul Lambert’s men until Benteke, who had again been looking ineffective, suddenly rediscovered his scoring touch after 76 minutes.
The closing stages were scrappy and frantic – amid which Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain made his longawaited Arsenal comeback – but there were no further goals.
Arsenal’s record of having not lost at Villa Park since 1998 was maintained but Villa’s finish, despite a run of just one win in seven games, will offer encouragement.
Baker was carried off on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask after being struck in the face by a Serge Gnabry shot. He suffered mild concussion and initial reports suggested the problem was not too serious.
Once play resumed Karim El Ahmadi could have given the hosts the lead when he volleyed over from a Fabian Delph cross.
Villa were having a decent spell but the visitors always possessed a threat on the counter and soon found their cutting edge.
Mesut Ozil released Nacho Monreal with a good ball down the left and the Spaniard’s pass inside was well controlled and clinically dispatched into the bottom corner by Wilshere.
Play had barely restarted when Delph was caught in possession and Wilshere lofted a precise ball into the path of Giroud.
The Frenchman, returning to the side after two games out, made no mistake as he fired his 12th goal of the season into the roof of the net.
Villa were stunned by the double blow and it was not until the second half, after a talking to by Lambert, that they started to threaten again.
Benteke’s late goal brought the game to life but Arsenal finished the job to reclaim top spot in the table.
