Arsenal 4 Norwich 0: Aubameyang becomes fastest Gunners player score 50 Premier League goals after Tim Krul howler
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG grabbed his 50th Premier League goal in record time to send Arsenal up to seventh place in the table. The £60million striker became the fastest player in Gunners’ history to reach his half century, shaving four games off Thierry Henry’s 83-match mark. Aubameyang’s 33rd minute strike was swiftly followed by Granit Xhaka’s first […]
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG grabbed his 50th Premier League goal in record time to send Arsenal up to seventh place in the table.
The £60million striker became the fastest player in Gunners’ history to reach his half century, shaving four games off Thierry Henry’s 83-match mark.
Aubameyang’s 33rd minute strike was swiftly followed by Granit Xhaka’s first goal of the season as miserable Norwich were pushed another step closer to relegation.
And the Gunners skipper wasn’t finished there, pouncing on another defensive howler midway through the second-half to take his season’s tally to 22.
Norwich have been on their knees well before Black Lives Matter protests became commonplace in the Premier League.
They travelled to North London seeking their first win at Arsenal in 28 years but seemingly beaten before their coach was even parked up.
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Even taking in-form Manchester United to extra-time in the FA Cup on Saturday did not appear to have done much for their fragile confidence.
And that pessimism was soon to prove well-founded as they found themselves pinned into their own half by Arsenal’s slick passing play.
Aubameyang tested Krul’s reflexes with the first shot of the game after being set up by Xhaka’s tenth minute pass.
And the Arsenal captain was on target again with a tame header from a Dani Ceballos cross which proved to be easy meat for the Norwich keeper.
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Alexandre Lacazette also failed to test Krul as much as he should have done with another header straight at the Dutchman.
David Luiz was next to try his luck with an ambitious long-range free-kick which skidded off the turf straight into Krul’s arms.
But just when the visitors were starting to think they might just be able to get away with something, they were undone by their keeper’s horrible 33rd minute error.
Ben Godfrey’s back-pass should have been dispatched with ease but Krul’s cack-handed attempt to dribble past the incoming Aubameyang proved to be a disastrous decision as the £60million striker was left with a tap-in.
It was a carbon copy of the goal which Eddie Nketiah had been gifted by Southampton keeper Alex McCarthy during last week’s 2-0 win at St Mary’s.
And it was a present which Arsenal were not going to look down their noses at as they continue to cling on to their unlikely dream of Champions League qualification.
Daniel Farke could barely contain his frustration as all his plans were undermined by yet another self-inflicted wound.
And the demonstrative German knew the game was up four minutes later when Xhaka claimed his first goal of the season.
Kieran Tierney’s ball into the channel was pulled back by Aubameyang for Xhaka to sweep a first-time shot inside the near post.
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Once again Krul didn’t exactly cover himself in glory as he allowed the ball through his legs but in fairness he was also entitled to expect much better protection from his defenders.
And he was left absolutely helpless midway through the second-half when Josip Drmic inexplicably passed straight to Aubameyang for Arsenal’s killer third.
Cedric Soares celebrated his move with a debut screamer to make it 4-0 at the death as the Canaries were ruthlessly exposed by the Gunners yet again.