Santi saves Gunners

Arsenal 2 Aston Villa 1

The biggest positive Arsenal could take from Saturday’s victory, secured by two goals from Santi Cazorla, is that the match was won, despite obvious signs of nerves and clear problems in their defence against a Villa side that currently sits, perhaps temporarily given the way they played at the Emirates, in the bottom three. But next up is a trip to White Hart Lane on Sunday that will make or break Arsenal’s season.

Victory over Villa means Arsenal are only one point behind their derby rivals in the race for Champions League qualification, although Spurs can extend that margin tonight at West Ham. But there is no doubt Sunday’s game will have a huge impact on how Wenger is able to manage a crisis that has seen his team stripped of many of its star names over the last year and knocked out of the FA Cup and probably the Champions League in the space of one disastrous week this month.