Arsenal rolled to a 4-0 win over struggling Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium yesterday.
The win means Arsenal are now unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games, and means the Gunners are only two points behind fourth placed Chelsea.
The result will pile pressure onto the beaten home team, as Wigan now sit at the bottom of the league table two points adrift of safety.
After Arsenal were knocked out of the Carling Cup quarter-finals by Manchester City in midweek, Arsene Wenger responded by saying his men would renew their focus on qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
“I consider the (Premier League) the most important. More than anything else it is important to finish in the top four,” Wenger told BBC Sport.
The Gunners are only one spot outside of the top four, and their current form makes them a strong contender to once again qualify for Europe’s elite tournament.
The on-fire Dutch striker Robin van Persie has been the leading light behind Arsenal’s rejuvenation in form, and at the DW Stadium, Van Persie was one of four different scorers for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta fired Arsenal into a 28th minute lead with a shot that went through the hands of Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi. That lead was doubled only a minute later when Thomas Vermaelen headed home a Van Persie corner.
After going in at the interval two goals down, Wigan tried to respond early in the second half. Victor Moses broke free down the right flank, but his dangerous cross was fired just wide by Mohamed Diame.
Arsenal had a penalty appeal denied when Aaron Ramsey went down under a Steve Gohouri challenge, but the Gunners did extend their lead in the 61st minute.
Al-Habsi saved from Van Persie, but the rebound was spilled in front of goal and Ivory Coast international Gervinho was on hand to tap home the loose ball.
Van Persie then rounded off the 4-0 victory for the Gunners when he fired home after good work from Theo Walcott.
After a slow start to the season, a resurgent Arsenal team is now looking to re-establish themselves as one of the top dogs in the Premier League.
“There is a difference between the team at the start of the season and now and we can still improve,” a pleased Wenger told BBC Sport after the game. The Frenchman is correct, and the 8-2 mauling suffered at Old Trafford seems a long time ago given the Gunners current form.
With Arsenal having already qualified for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, and receiving a home FA Cup draw against Leeds United, there is plenty of reason for optimism among the Emirates Stadium faithful.
LINEUPS
WIG – Al-Habsi, Gohouri, Caldwell, Stam, Figueroa, McCarthy, Moses, Gomez (Crusat 59), Jones, Diame (McArthur 89), Sammon (Di Santo 59).
ARS – Szczesny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Santos, Arteta, Walcott (Benayoun 80), Ramsey, Song (Arshavin 80), Van Persie, Gervinho (Coquelin 80).
SCORING SUMMARY
ARS – Mikel Arteta (Thomas Vermaelen) 28’
ARS – Thomas Vermaelen (Robin van Persie) 29’
ARS – Gervinho (Robin van Persie) 61’
ARS – Robin van Persie (Theo Walcott) 78’
LiveSoccerTV Man of the Match: Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
Attendance: 19,280
The result will pile pressure onto the beaten home team, as Wigan now sit at the bottom of the league table two points adrift of safety.
After Arsenal were knocked out of the Carling Cup quarter-finals by Manchester City in midweek, Arsene Wenger responded by saying his men would renew their focus on qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
“I consider the (Premier League) the most important. More than anything else it is important to finish in the top four,” Wenger told BBC Sport.
The Gunners are only one spot outside of the top four, and their current form makes them a strong contender to once again qualify for Europe’s elite tournament.
The on-fire Dutch striker Robin van Persie has been the leading light behind Arsenal’s rejuvenation in form, and at the DW Stadium, Van Persie was one of four different scorers for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta fired Arsenal into a 28th minute lead with a shot that went through the hands of Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi. That lead was doubled only a minute later when Thomas Vermaelen headed home a Van Persie corner.
After going in at the interval two goals down, Wigan tried to respond early in the second half. Victor Moses broke free down the right flank, but his dangerous cross was fired just wide by Mohamed Diame.
Arsenal had a penalty appeal denied when Aaron Ramsey went down under a Steve Gohouri challenge, but the Gunners did extend their lead in the 61st minute.
Al-Habsi saved from Van Persie, but the rebound was spilled in front of goal and Ivory Coast international Gervinho was on hand to tap home the loose ball.
Van Persie then rounded off the 4-0 victory for the Gunners when he fired home after good work from Theo Walcott.
After a slow start to the season, a resurgent Arsenal team is now looking to re-establish themselves as one of the top dogs in the Premier League.
“There is a difference between the team at the start of the season and now and we can still improve,” a pleased Wenger told BBC Sport after the game. The Frenchman is correct, and the 8-2 mauling suffered at Old Trafford seems a long time ago given the Gunners current form.
With Arsenal having already qualified for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, and receiving a home FA Cup draw against Leeds United, there is plenty of reason for optimism among the Emirates Stadium faithful.
LINEUPS
WIG – Al-Habsi, Gohouri, Caldwell, Stam, Figueroa, McCarthy, Moses, Gomez (Crusat 59), Jones, Diame (McArthur 89), Sammon (Di Santo 59).
ARS – Szczesny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Santos, Arteta, Walcott (Benayoun 80), Ramsey, Song (Arshavin 80), Van Persie, Gervinho (Coquelin 80).
SCORING SUMMARY
ARS – Mikel Arteta (Thomas Vermaelen) 28’
ARS – Thomas Vermaelen (Robin van Persie) 29’
ARS – Gervinho (Robin van Persie) 61’
ARS – Robin van Persie (Theo Walcott) 78’
LiveSoccerTV Man of the Match: Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
Attendance: 19,280
