Olivier Giroud caps ‘great week’ for leaders

Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 2: Arsene Wenger has hailed a “great week”, after Olivier Giroud scored again and Arsenal followed up Champions League qualification with a climb to the top of the Barclays Premier League by comfortably beating rock-bottom Aston Villa.

Giroud, hat-trick hero of the Gunners’ all-important Champions League triumph over Olympiakos during the week, fired home his 50th Premier League goal to set up the win at Villa Park yesterday. That enabled them to climb above Manchester City and Leicester City in the title race.

The in-form Frenchman also played a part in the breakaway goal that was started and finished by Aaron Ramsey and which wrapped up the points for Arsenal and piled more misery on Villa, who have now gone 15 games without a win and are well-adrift at the bottom.