Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice as Arsenal got back to winning ways with a bruising 3-1 victory over Burnley at the Emirates.
Arsenal forward Aubameyang moved above Mo Salah in the scoring charts as he made it 12 for the season with a goal in each half, added to a late Alex Iwobi strike, giving them three points despite Ashley Barnes’ reply for Burnley.
The Clarets were game opponents and pushed Arsenal throughout the game, but they had no answer for Aubameyang’s finishing prowess as Unai Emery’s side recovered from two defeats in a week to get a welcome win before Christmas.
Both sides could have scored inside the opening few minutes, but we only had to wait until the 14th minute for the deadlock to be broken when Mesut Ozil, back in the starting line-up as captain, made an instant impact.
The German’s visionary pass found Saed Kolasinac who flicked the ball back for Aubameyang to fire home first time for his 11th Premier League goal of the season.
It was a strange feeling for Arsenal at half time as they went into the break leading a Premier League game for the first time all season, and they doubled their advantage just three minutes after the restart.
A sweeping move started from the edge of their own box and culminated in Alexandre Lacazette supplying Aubameyang to rifle a powerful drive that flew beyond Joe Hart to move him into the outright lead in the Premier League’s top scorer charts.
Burnley would not lie down though, and pulled a goal back just after the hour mark when Barnes stroked home from close range after Arsenal failed miserably to deal with a high ball into the box.
Sean Dyche's side tried to muster a late reply but it was Arsenal who had the final say as Iwobi fired home a scrappy third in injury time to settle the argument.
Arsenal 3-1 Burnley Opta stats
- Arsenal found themselves ahead in a Premier League game at half-time for the first time this season, last doing so against Huddersfield on the final day of last season.
- Courtesy of their 12 points, this is Burnley’s worst top-flight campaign after 18 games since 1970/71, when they had accrued 10 at this stage (3pts for a win) and were ultimately relegated.
- Arsenal have won their last 28 home league games against sides starting the day in the relegation zone since a 4-4 draw with Tottenham in October 2008.
- Burnley boss Sean Dyche has lost all seven of his Premier League meetings with Arsenal, more defeats in the competition than he has suffered against any other side.
- Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been directly involved in 19 goals in his 17 Premier League home games (14 goals, 5 assists).
- Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the outright top-scorer in the Premier League this season, with 12 goals.
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored 22 goals in his 31 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, five more than any other player for the club after 31 games in the competition (Thierry Henry next on 17).
- Alexandre Lacazette has registered assists in consecutive Premier League games for Arsenal for only the second time, and the first since December 2017.
- Since 2014-15, Ashley Barnes is one of just five players to score in the Premier League against all of the ‘big six’ sides along with Sadio Mané, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jamie Vardy and Georginio Wijnaldum.
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