ARSENAL’S 17-YEAR unbeaten record in the league at Villa Park remained intact, after the Gunners won 2-0 in the Premier League’s early game today.
Bottom-of-the-league Aston Villa’s woes continued as Olivier Giroud handed the visitors the lead with an eighth-minute penalty.
In scoring, Giroud became just the seventh Arsenal player to score 50 goals for the club in the Premier League – Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Robin van Persie, Denis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Theo Walcott are the others.
The decision to award the penalty was somewhat controversial, however. Although penalising Alan Hutton for bringing down Theo Walcott appeared to be the correct call, there was a long delay before the decision was made and the referee eventually awarded the penalty.
Aaron Ramsey then doubled the Gunners’ advantage shortly before half-time, finishing off a sweeping counter-attacking move, with Ozil claiming his 13th assist of the season in the process, unselfishly squaring to the Welshman to tap home.
Despite a second-half appearance from the newly recalled Jack Grealish and an improved display after the break, Villa struggled to find an opening and are still eight points away from safety as a result.
