Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League after easing to a 2-0 victory at Burnley.
But the victory was marred by an injury to Viktor Gyokeres after the striker had enjoyed his best 45 minutes in an Arsenal shirt.
Gyokeres had scored the opener before playing a wonderful pass to create the Gunners’ second, but was forced off at half-time with a muscular injury.
But by then, Arsenal had already done enough to claim a ninth successive win.
“At the moment, Arsenal look unbeatable,” former Gunner Paul Merson said on Soccer Saturday. “They defend so well. Apart from the free-kick that hit the post with the last kick, Burnley never looked like scoring.
“They are a well oiled machine with a lot of talent in that machine, and that is very unusual. That is not a good cocktail for everyone else.”
The Arsenal machine rolls on…
It was trademark Arsenal and they unlocked Burnley’s organised defence from a corner, Gyokeres heading home from close range for his sixth goal of the season after Gabriel Magalhaes has flicked the ball back into the danger area from the back post.
The Gunners weren’t letting Burnley up for air.
Gabriel rose highest to head Kyle Walker’s long throw away and Arsenal produced a scintillating counter to double their advantage. Gyokeres’ brilliant cross-field pass released Leandro Trossard down the left. His clipped cross into the box was met by the late arriving Declan Rice, who headed past Martin Dubravka and into the corner of the net.
Arsenal, who replaced Gyokeres at the break with the striker an injury concern, coasted to the end of the game.
My only worry for Arsenal is they looked a completely different side when Viktor Gyokeres was forced off. They were nowhere near the same team.
Chances were sparse at both ends as the Gunners saw out their victory with ease.
With the last kick of the game, substitute Marcus Edwards rattled the post with a stunning free-kick as he came inches away from ending Arsenal’s run of clean sheets.
But it was another comfortable afternoon for Arteta’s men, who have now won their last seven games in all competitions without conceding. They are unbeaten in 12 and racked up nine wins on the spin as they moved seven points clear at the top of the table.
Arteta: Arsenal’s first-half display at Burnley was one of the best
Arteta said his side’s first-half display was “one of the best we have played”.
He said: “Very happy because Turf Moor is a really tough place to come. They’ve lost once in 18 months against Liverpool in the last kick of the game by a penalty, so that tells you the difficulty of that.
“We started the game exceptionally well. I think the first half is one of the best that we’ve played, scored two goals, generated another two or three big chances and conceded nothing.
“And that was a platform, because in the second half we dropped the standards, especially with the ball, and with our intentions to play more forward. But again, defensively, we were exceptional.”
‘Arsenal’s quality shone through’
Declan Rice celebrates after doubling Arsenal’s lead at Burnley
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice:
“They’ve maybe lost once in like 18 months [at home]. We knew it was going to be tough, so we had to stick to our principles.
“Our quality shone through and we could have scored four or five in the first half.
“It’s important we keep scoring goals. Two goals are perfect for us.
“If you look at the second goal as a whole, we’re defending a long throw from our own half. Big Gabby wins the ball and I keep running with the ball. I was like a traditional number nine!
‘Arsenal look unbeatable’
Sky Sports Paul Merson on Soccer Saturday:
“At the moment, Arsenal look unbeatable.
“They defend so well. Apart from the free-kick that hit the post with the last kick, Burnley never looked like scoring.
“Everything that comes into the box is cleared. They head everything and they have two defenders that want to defend, and two full backs that want to stop crosses.
“Then there’s Declan Rice. He wouldn’t have been far off a 10 out of 10 against Burnley. He just doesn’t stop all game. It was a phenomenal performance.
Declan Rice heads Arsenal into a 2-0 lead at Burnley
“My only worry for Arsenal is they looked a completely different side when Viktor Gyokeres was forced off.
“They were nowhere near the same team.
“Mikel Merino came on and he knitted the play together well but they never really got up the pitch and threatened in the second half.
“They are a well oiled machine with a lot of talent in that machine, and that is very unusual. They are an efficient machine but have so much talent.
“That is not a good cocktail for everyone else.”
Story of the match in stats…
Arsenal continue to impress…
Arsenal have won seven consecutive games without conceding in all competitions for just the second time in the club’s history, previously doing so between September and October 1987 (also a run of seven).
The Gunners have kept a clean sheet in seven consecutive matches in all competitions for the first time since doing so between March and April 1999 (also a run of seven). In the club’s history, only between April and October 1903 have the Gunners kept more successive shutouts in all competitions (eight in a row).
Arteta’s side have won nine consecutive games in all competitions, their longest winning run since October 2018 (11 wins in a row under Unai Emery).
