Match ends, Cardiff City 2, Arsenal 3.
CardiffCardiff City2ArsenalArsenal3
Arsenal secured their first away win of the season as they edged a pulsating Premier League encounter with Cardiff City.
Alexandre Lacazette's powerful late winner proved the difference in a contest full of attacking quality and defensive fragility.
The Gunners led twice, through Shkodran Mustafi's header and a curling effort from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, before Lacazette crashed home the winner on 81 minutes.
Victor Camarasa's first Cardiff goal, on the stroke of half-time, and Danny Ward's header had seemed as though they would earn Neil Warnock's side a point as they scored their first goals of the league campaign.
Ozil returns as Emery picks two strikers
Arsenal manager Unai Emery this week denied reports that he had fallen out with midfielder Mesut Ozil after the former Germany international withdrew from the squad that beat West Ham last weekend, citing illness.
There have been suggestions Ozil's style does not fit with a manager who demands high-energy pressing from his forwards, but Ozil started in an attacking-looking line-up that paired Aubameyang with France striker Lacazette up top.
Ozil and former Cardiff favourite Aaron Ramsey were given licence to roam in behind, and for large periods in the first half, Arsenal's shape and roving full-backs troubled Cardiff.
Emery's side took the lead on 11 minutes with a goal that will have left Warnock incredulous as Mustafi headed home, unopposed, from Granit Xhaka's corner.
But for a wonderful save from Neil Etheridge, who denied Nacho Monreal from point-blank range, the Gunners might have given Cardiff a mountain to climb inside 20 minutes.
However, as always seems to be the way on the road - Arsenal came into this game having lost eight of their past nine away games - the Gunners allowed the hosts a way back in by failing to either extend their advantage or keeping their opponents out.
The first period especially was a game full of attacking intent and flimsy defensive resistance on both sides and Lacazette underlined the danger he posed when he rattled the inside of the post on 33 minutes as Arsenal streamed forward.
Emery's men almost replicated their opening goal when Mustafi got a firm header to Xhaka's corner, but this time Etheridge repelled the danger.
Lacazette and Aubameyang struggled to find a rapport at times, but were perfectly in tune just past the hour mark when they combined beautifully to allow Aubameyang to curl home from just outside the area, his 150th goal in one of Europe's top five leagues.
Cardiff's quest for a goal is finally fruitful
While Arsenal always catch the eye in attack, the Bluebirds had failed to score in their first three fixtures back in the top flight, extending their run to 1,597 days without a Premier League goal since Peter Whittingham's penalty on 19 April 2014 against Stoke City.
They probably feared more of the same when they spurned a golden opportunity inside 10 minutes, when midfielder Harry Arter shot over the crossbar despite being presented the ball by Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech. Arter also shot over in first-half stoppage time as Cardiff looked a little bereft of ideas in attack.
Ward was within an inch or so of turning home Bobby Dercordova-Reid's cross, while the former Bristol City forward also acrobatically volleyed over after Ward failed to find a convincing touch following Junior Hoilett's cross.
It seemed it was going to be yet another frustrating half for Cardiff, but Arsenal allowed more shots on target to the opposition in their first three games (24) than any other Premier League side and on the stroke of half-time, they let the hosts in.
The Gunners failed to deal with Joe Bennett's cross and summer signing Camarasa stole in between Mustafi and Monreal, twisting away from the latter and rifling the ball past Cech into the roof of the net.
The Bluebirds barely created even a half-chance in the second period with Arsenal again seizing the advantage, but they found a goal from nothing with 20 minutes remaining when Sean Morrison flicked on a free-kick and Ward crashed home a header off the inside of the post.
It set up a grandstand finish where both sides pushed to win the match, with Reid bursting clear and firing straight at Cech, before Lacazette's stunning finish ensured all three points would head back to north London when he escaped Sol Bamba's slack marking and thundered the ball in at the near post.
Morrison's late header over the bar with Cech completely stranded almost provided even further drama, but Arsenal held on.
Man of the match - Alexandre Lacazette
Gunners improve on the road - the stats
- Arsenal have collected six points in their past three away Premier League games (W2 D0 L1), as many as in their previous 11 away games combined (W1 D3 L7).
- Cardiff are winless in six matches in all competitions (D3 L3), their worst run under Warnock and worst since a run of eight in January and February 2015.
- Since his Premier League debut in February, only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (15) has scored more Premier League goals than Aubameyang (11).
- Camarasa's goal for Cardiff ended a run of 415 minutes without scoring for the Bluebirds in league competition.
- All six of Mustafi's Premier League goals have been scored via set-pieces (three from corners, three from free-kicks), with five of them headed goals.
- Aubameyang's strike from outside the box ended his personal run of 76 consecutive goals from inside the box in club football - his last from outside the box before today was against Spurs for Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League in March 2016.
- Lacazette has been directly involved in seven goals in his past five Premier League starts (5 goals, 2 assists).
- Ward made his first Premier League start - 3,305 days after his first appearance in the competition for Bolton Wanderers in August 2009.
'We are evolving' - what they said
Arsenal head coach Unai Emery speaking to Sky Sports: "I enjoyed the win. In the 90 minutes it was difficult. I think we controlled the match not every time but 70% on the pitch with possession, positioning attacking movement. It's important to continue working.
"One goal for Lacazette, one for Aubameyang, but I think every other player worked well with commitment we want. We are happy for that and we are evolving."
Cardiff boss Neil Warnock speaking to Sky Sports: "It's tough but I really enjoyed the game, it was a great game to watch from the sideline and I thought we were always in it.
"Top teams take their chances, there's a lot to work on but we didn't want to park the bus - we wanted the fans to enjoy it and I felt we gave them a good game here. We could've got a result really."
What's next
After the international break, Arsenal travel to St James' Park to face Newcastle. and Cardiff face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Both games are on Saturday, 15 September (15:00 BST).
Line-ups
Cardiff
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Etheridge
- 5Ecuele Manga
- 4Morrison
- 22Bamba
- 3Bennett
- 21CamarasaBooked at 77minsSubstituted forMadineat 89'minutes
- 7ArterBooked at 90mins
- 8Ralls
- 33HoilettBooked at 71mins
- 14De Cordova-Reid
- 9WardSubstituted forZohoreat 84'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Peltier
- 10Zohore
- 13Paterson
- 18Cunningham
- 23K Harris
- 24Madine
- 28Murphy
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Cech
- 2BellerÃnBooked at 51mins
- 20Mustafi
- 5Papastathopoulos
- 18MonrealBooked at 25mins
- 29GuendouziBooked at 58minsSubstituted forTorreiraat 70'minutes
- 34XhakaBooked at 66mins
- 10ÖzilSubstituted forWelbeckat 84'minutes
- 8Ramsey
- 14AubameyangSubstituted forMkhitaryanat 89'minutes
- 9Lacazette
Substitutes
- 4Elneny
- 7Mkhitaryan
- 11Torreira
- 12Lichtsteiner
- 16Holding
- 19Leno
- 23Welbeck
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 32,316
Match Stats
Home TeamCardiffAway TeamArsenal
- Possession
- Home28%
- Away72%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away11
- Corners
- Home3
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Cardiff City 2, Arsenal 3.
Post update
Attempt saved. Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt saved. Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Aaron Ramsey.
Post update
Hand ball by Granit Xhaka (Arsenal).
Booking
Harry Arter (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Lucas Torreira (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Harry Arter (Cardiff City).
Post update
Offside, Arsenal. Aaron Ramsey tries a through ball, but Alexandre Lacazette is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt missed. Sean Morrison (Cardiff City) header from the right side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Kenneth Zohore following a set piece situation.
Post update
Foul by Nacho Monreal (Arsenal).
Post update
Bobby Reid (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Henrikh Mkhitaryan replaces Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Gary Madine replaces VÃctor Camarasa.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Danny Welbeck replaces Mesut Özil.
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Kenneth Zohore replaces Danny Ward.
Goal!
Goal! Cardiff City 2, Arsenal 3. Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Lucas Torreira.
Post update
Attempt saved. Bobby Reid (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Danny Ward.
Booking
VÃctor Camarasa (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Sokratis (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Comments
Join the conversation
Did someone order a Spursy?
Absolutely hilarious.
Sorry, didn't quite catch your answer in amongst your deluded guff... how many times have you won the premiership, or as said, anything in the past 40 years?
I'll wait for the answer....
And wait
And wait
And wait
And wait
And wait............
In reality they bottled a Champions league knock out game against Juventus and won the Makita Tournament once.
The irony, eh?
"Emery is a total idiot and has to go. Can we not get Wenger back...?"
I knew this would happen.
20 years of stability, and now we're on the manager-go-round trying to dump every one of them after a few mediocre games.
I didn't want Wenger to go.
Now, I want to give Emery a chance - at least two seasons. Otherwise, we're screwed.
They’ve beaten Newcastle, Fulham and a very poor Utd yet carry on like they’re Barcelona. How could such a great team lose to Watford?
Absolute mugs! Scuttle off back to Middlesex now tiny tots!
Please can everyone keep their eyes peeled for my little missing scallywag.
He goes by the nickname N17.
Watford to finish above Spurs? Spurs has nothing in the tank today. Doesn’t bode well for CL football. Another case of Europa come January? How I’d love to see the gunners remind them of their inferiority in the Europa as well as the PL.