Arsenal remain in third place in the Barclays Premier League table after a 2-1 win against London rivals QPR.
QPR started the game the brighter, with Zamora and Austin working well to put the early pressure on the Gunners. Ospina was called into action the 18th minute when Hoilett played in a brilliant cross into the penalty box towards the head of Austin, but Ospina sprang from his line and punched to ball clear from danger. Zamora and Austin combined again in the 20th minute when Gabriel allowed the ball to bounce deep inside the Arsenal half which allowed Zamora to beat Gabriel off the ball lay it off to an on running Austin, but his first time volley went straight to Ospina.
Arsenal looked like they had woken up earlier than usual when in the 28th minute, Ozil produced a brilliant piece of skill to start an attack for the North London side. The World Cup winner then laid the ball off to Sanchez who set up Rosicky but his shot was parried away by Green.
Ospina pulled off a brilliant piece of goalkeeping when Philipp’s cross managed to curl all the way to the bottom right-hand corner, but the Colombian keeper at the last second got down at tipped the ball away to keep the score at 0-0. Arsenal’s injury list added a new member when Gabriel looked like to pull his hamstring, and Koscienly replaced the Brazilian. Austin came close for the R’s again when his striker from 20-yards out went millimetres past the post in the 37th minute.
Cazorla had the best chance of the half for Arsenal in the 44th minute when the little Spaniard played a great one-two with Giroud on the edge of the penalty box, but Cazorla’s volley was well saved by Green.
Arsenal flew out of the barricades for the second half when Tomas Rosicky burst down the right wing the play ball into Ozil, but the ball was cleared away by Henry. However Sanchez picked up the lose ball and played in Giroud, who brought out another good save from Green.
Sanchez should had opened the scoring in the 49th minute when the Chilean was played through on goal by Giroud but the winger took too long to pull the trigger and the ball was cleared by Rob Green. Philipps came close for the hosts when his first time volley from 20-yards out sailed past the post in the 58th minute.
Finally in the 64th minute the deadlock was broken when an Arsenal counter attack saw Sanchez lay off Gibbs down the left wing. The left back played a scruffy ball into Giroud and the Frenchman placed the ball under Green from six-yards out to give Arsenal the lead. Arsenal almost had a second when Sanchez charged through on goal, the forward cut in on his right side nut his shot was well saved once again by Rob Green.
Sanchez again should had doubled the lead when possession was lost by Hill on the edge of the QPR box, Sanchez dashed to the ball but he took to long and Green cleared the danger away in the 69th minute, but seconds later Sanchez redeemed himself with a fantastic solo goal. The former Barcelona man collected the ball yards away from the corner flag and the Chilean dribbled his way though two QPR players before slotting the ball at the near post to double Arsenal’s lead, and to end his seven game goal drought.
Ozil almost joined in on the goal scoring party when his shot from just outside the box was tipped onto the post by the QPR keeper in the 76th min.
QPR pulled a goal back from Charlie Austin when the English striker picked the ball up from outside the box and with a great turn. The striker fired the ball past Ospina with an unstoppable shot to make the score 2-1 in the 82nd minute.