Benayoun snatches victory for Gunners

Arsenal’s Yossi Benayoun celebrates with Theo Walcott after scoring at Villa Park.

IT WAS a game of landmarks and personal accolades but the most telling contribution in the end came from Arsenal’s on-loan star Yossi Benayoun.

While Robin Van Persie may have equalled Thierry Henry’s club record of 34 goals in a calendar year, and Aston Villa winger Marc Albrighton etched his own name into the history books with the 20,000th Premier League strike, Benayoun’s late winner settled an absorbing encounter.

His header three minutes from time enabled Arsene Wenger to extend his own excellent record at Villa Park and ensure he has not lost here since December 1998. While he may have admitted aspirations of the title are over, following the defeat at Manchester City, their hopes of a top-four place remain alive, and emerging victorious in the face of adversity bodes well for the future.

It was difficult not to feel sympathy for Alex McLeish, the Villa manager.

Booed off after a wimpish display against Liverpool on Sunday, Villa were condemned to a fourth defeat in five home games but this was an infinitely better display, although it was marred by the late dismissal of Alan Hutton, for an appalling challenge on Thomas Vermaelen.

Without four of his specialist full-backs due to injury, Wenger had no option but to throw in Francis Coquelin on the right and Arsenal appeared ripe for the taking.

But Ciaran Clark’s needless tug at Theo Walcott in the area on 16 minutes presented referee Jonathan Moss with an easy decision to award a penalty and handed Arsenal the initiative through the most predictable of sources.

Was there any doubt Van Persie would score? The spot kick was emphatic — his 16th Premier League goal of the season.

Stephen Ireland was recalled by McLeish for his first start since October but the midfielder appeared confused with his role, playing in a deep-lying position behind Agbonlahor, and was substituted shortly before half-time with an injury.

And Ireland’s replacement, Barry Bannan, came agonisingly close to making an immediate impact by bending a free kick narrowly over with his first touch.

But Albrighton etched his name into Premier League history nine minutes into the second period when he capitalised on a weak header from Vermaelen to break into the area and coolly slot the ball under Wojciech Szcesny’s body.

The goal lifted the home side and Arsenal’s weaknesses were painfully evident as they were put on the back foot. But they still had enough.

Van Persie was convinced Arsenal should have had another penalty when Stephen Warnock brought down the Dutchman but all he received was a booking.

But it was Van Persie’s corner that allowed Benayoun to head home the winner and extend their hoodoo over Villa. The home side’s frustration was complete when Hutton received a second booking for scything down Vermaelen though McLeish finally appears to have something to build on.

ASTON VILLA: Guzan 7; Hutton 5, Dunne 8, Cuellar 6, Warnock 6; Albrighton 7 (Delfouneso 88), Petrov 6, Ireland 5 (Bannan 45 6), Clark 6; N’Zogbia 7, Agbonlahor 5.

ARSENAL: Szczesny 6; Coquelin 6, Mertesacker 6, Koscielny 6, Vermaelen 7; Ramsey 7 (Arshavin 81), Frimpong (Rosicky 66 6), Arteta 6; Walcott 7, Gervinho 6 (Benayoun 81), Van Persie 7.

Referee: J Moss