A wonderful display of technically correct football saw Arsenal beat Reading 4-1 putting a smile on Arsene Wenger’s face.
The home side were rarely tested by their visitors who are the cloud of relegation looming over their heads. Arsenal cruised to a comfortable victory handing Reading new boss Nigel Adkins a loss in his first competitive game as manager. Owing to this loss the Reading Royals have fallen to the bottom of the league table due to a worse goal difference.
Reading and Arsenal have managed to have entertaining high scoring matches this season in both the league and the domestic cups. A total of 19 goals had been scored in their previous meetings.
This victory has boosted Arsenal’s chances of Champions League qualification especially due to the loss Chelsea were handed by Southampton. The loss hopes a boost with a comfortable win over relegation-threatened Reading.
Gervinho, Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud and Mikel Arteta all got their names on the score sheet and ensured all three points for the Gunners. Hal Robson-Kanu headed home in the second-half giving his team a consolation strike.
Wenger made four changes to the side that defeated Swansea City two weeks back. Bacary Sagna, Aaron Ramsey, Gervinho and Tomas Rosicky all got a starting spot in this game.
Since the start of the game Arsenal looked like they had a mission pressing in the Reading half constantly. Just ten minutes into the game Gervinho tapped home from close range after getting a pass across goal from Cazorla.
Just a few minutes later Arsenal should have been awarded a penalty, but referee Chris Foy decided that play should go on. Replays suggested otherwise to which the Emirates crowd showed discontent.
Early in the second half the Gunners doubled their lead making it 2-0 through Cazorla who finessed the ball into the right bottom corner of the goal from just outside the box. This time it was Gervinho who claimed the assist after some neat trickery to get away from a host of defenders. Six minutes later the tie was put to rest after Giroud slotted home from the edge of the six-yard box.
Hal Robson-Kanu bravely threw himself at a Jobi McAnuff cross to head home at the far post making it 3-1, but this time a comeback look unlikely.
Arteta put the nail in the coffin ten minutes from time as he calmly slotted home a penalty after a foul on Oxlade Chamberlin, putting the game to rest.