Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said Olivier Giroud gave Arsenal 'presence' during their win over Newcastle at the Emirates – the French striker scored twice

Published: 13 December, 2014
by TOM FOOT at the Emirates Stadium

Premier League
ARSENAL 4, NEWCASTLE UNITED 1

MANAGER of the month Alan Pardew was brought crashing back down to earth after watching his resurgent Newcastle side overwhelmed by an exceptional Arsenal performance.

The visitors – tied with Arsenal in the league before the match – were outclassed across the pitch with Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud grabbing a brace each.

A chorus of “There’s only one Arsene Wenger” rang around the stadium on 90 minutes and after the match the Gunners manager said: “I am grateful for that, yes, I enjoyed it. But most important for us is the way we play football. We scored great goals today. I cannot fault any performance today, everyone played well.”

He added: “If you try to attack and you win, everyone says well done. If you don’t, people attack you. We have to be confident enough to keep to our style. I have worked 18 years in this country and I know that job is to make people happy. If people are not happy, I will have to leave.”

He praised the “presence” of 6ft 3 Giroud whose header put Arsenal in front on 15 minutes. It was no more than the Gunners deserved after a storming start, and minutes later Welbeck stuck the ball in the net again, only for his a crafty dinked finish to be ruled out for a innocuous foul on Fabricio Coloccini.

Welbeck next saw his brilliant David Platt-style swivel volley, hit from a scooped through-ball from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whistle wide. 

Cazorla made it two on 54 minutes after collecting Alexis Sanchez’s perfectly weighted pass and showing quick feet to surge into the box but at an angle to the goal. He looked to have gone too far wide, but expertly cut a clipped finish back across the face of keeper Jak Alnwick.

On 58 minutes, right-back Hector Bellerin drove a pass across the face of goal and Giroud stuck out a foot to angle an extraordinary flick in off the post and crossbar.

The in-form Ayote Perez, born in the Canary Islands, grabbed one back with a diving header on 65 minutes.

But Arsenal always looked comfortable and, on 88 minutes, Cazorla put the match out of sight with a cheeky "Panenka" from the penalty spot. 

At the end Alan Pardew was asked to described Newcastle's performance in three words, to which he replied: "No. No. No."

Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny, not in the squad for today’s match, will be out for “a few weeks”, Wenger also revealed.

Arsenal remain sixth in the league and the Champions League draw is on Monday. 

ARSENAL: Szczesny, Mertesacker, Debuchy, Bellerin, Gibbs, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Maitland-Niles, 90), Cazorla, Sanchez (Coquelin 86), Welbeck, Giroud (Podolski, 67).
Subs not used: Martinez, Ajayi, Campbell, Sanogo, Aisnley Maitland-Niles 
Attendance: 59,494