Arsenal 5-0 Burnley: Gunners stroll as Arsene Wenger bids farewell to the Emirates

By Gerard Brand at The Emirates

Monday 7 May 2018 00:07, UK

Arsenal secured sixth place in the Premier League on Arsene Wenger's final home game as manager as they saw off Burnley 5-0 on Sunday.

On an emotional day at the Emirates, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring from close range (14), and his strike partner Alexandre Lacazette doubled Arsenal's lead (45+3) after good work from Hector Bellerin.

A full house at the Emirates, all donning red 'Merci Arsene' t-shirts, saw Sead Kolasinac make it 3-0 on 54 minutes, driving superbly into the far corner following a burst from midfield by Jack Wilshere.

Alex Iwobi made it four with a thumping effort in space from 12 yards out (64), and Aubameyang got his second with 15 minutes remaining, poking home from close range.

The result means Arsenal will enter the Europa League at the group stage next season, while Burnley will finish seventh.

After Wenger was given a guard of honour by both sets of players before the game, Arsenal took the lead on 14 minutes through Aubameyang's seventh in 11 games, tapping in from close range after Lacazette's cross-shot.

Lacazette made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time, converting from eight yards with his outstretched left leg from Bellerin's cross, with Arsenal in complete control for the first 45 minutes.

Burnley's first chances came after the break; Sam Vokes could only head at Petr Cech from close range, and Aaron Lennon forced Cech into an awkward save at his near post, but Arsenal got going again shortly after.

After Wilshere broke out of midfield with a quick turn of pace, Kolasinac finished off from the left of the box with a thumping left-footed drive past Nick Pope.

Iwobi continued the procession, firing into the roof of the net after Burnley gave him too much space in the box from Aubameyang's square pass, and the creator then turned scorer again as Aubameyang turned home in between the Burnley centre-backs from eight yards after Bellerin's cross.

Sub Danny Welbeck hit the crossbar with a fine long-range effort late on as Arsenal entertained the home fans for the last time under the 22-year stewardship of Wenger.

Managers

Arsene Wenger: "It's very emotional. It's the last time and it's such a long time. Such a big love story, and of course you don't want to end it - but everything comes to an end.

"I think it's a season of contrast, we've won 15 of 19 home games and have scored a lot of goals - it might be our best home season in my 22 years. But it didn't end like we wanted it."

Opta stats

This was Wenger's 606th and final home game in charge of Arsenal (W415 D120 L71), with this the 27th time that his team have won by five or more goals on home soil.
Indeed, no manager has taken charge of more Premier League home games than Wenger (414), winning 286 of those; only Sir Alex Ferguson has won more in competition history (305).
Arsenal will finish the season having scored 54 league goals at the Emirates; their joint-highest tally of home goals in a Premier League campaign, along with 2004/05 (54).
Sean Dyche suffered his 50th defeat as a manager in the Premier League, however only 11 of those have come this season; compared to 19 in 2014/15 and 20 in 2016/17.

Man of the match - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Plenty of contenders, but the Gabonese striker did everything right on Sunday. His two finishes were poacher-like, but it was not just his prowess in the attacking third which impressed

Arsenal's fans responded very well to Aubameyang tracking back on several occasions, showing that the left-wing role, and the running that comes with it, may suit him.

What's next

Arsene Wenger's last games as Arsenal manager come at Leicester on Wednesday night and Huddersfield on Sunday at 3pm, while Burnley are at home to Bournemouth on Sunday in their final game.