Published: 19 October, 2013
By TOM FOOT at the Emirates

Premier League
ARSENAL 4, NORWICH CITY 1

ARSENE Wenger challenged his players not to lapse into a "comfort zone" after watching Arsenal see off Norwich 4-1 and move two points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Two from goals Ozil, one from Ramsey and an extraordinary team move rounded off by Wilshere made it six wins from eight in the league on a day when Manchester United and Liverpool dropped points.

Gunners boss Wenger said: "It is a question of how consistent can we be. How much are we able not to get into a comfort zone? Most of the time in October in recent years we would be behind, but this year we are in a good position."

There were seven quick-fire first-time flicked passes between Cazorla and Giroud before the Arsenal number 10 netted a goal that epitomised Wenger's footballing philosophy. 

Cazorla passed to Wilshere in central midfield, who zipped it back to the Spaniard on the edge of the box. Cazorla laid off first time to Giroud who flicked it back to Wilshere who, while surging forward, caught the pass that was slightly behind him with a stretched boot, steering it back to Giroud. The Frenchman’s instinctively angled return split three defenders and Wilshere passed it majestically into the bottom corner, with a side-foot volley.

After the match, Wenger said: "It was certainly one of the best goals and one that I enjoy the most because it was a team goal. I would like the team to play like that always."

Matt Flamini was subbed off for Aaron Ramsey after 38 minutes with concussion, according to Wenger, and the game began to swing into Norwich's favour.

Ozil settled the nerves after nodding Arsenal two goals up, meeting a Giroud cross after a swift counter-attack. The goal came against the run of play and it was no surprise when Norwich got one back on 68 minutes.

Jonathan Howson found space on the edge of the box after a poor Mertesacker clearance fell to him. He smashed into the bottom right corner from distance.

It was edgy with 15 minutes to go until Ramsey picked up a Wilshere pass inside the box, dropped his shoulder to send one defender sliding, repeated the trick on the next and buried beneath the on-rushing Ruddy.

Another fine strike for the Welsh goal machine who cannot stop scoring. And it was Ramsey again who expertly pulled back a pinpoint Rosicky cross for Ozil to tap home on 87 minutes.
Fans – singing "walking in a Wenger wonderland" at the end – did not want this one to end and few could be seen making early exits to beat the traffic.

ARSENAL: Wojciech Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud, Santi Cazorla, Mathieu Flamini, Kieran Gibbs.

Attendance: 60,009