
There are precious occasions in a manager’s career when the football flows, the fans sing his name and the world is a wonderful place. The briefest glance at Arsene Wenger’s face told us that this had been such an evening.

The cares and controversies of an arduous week had dissolved in a flood of goals. His team, skilfully constructed from a calamitous injury list, stylishly practised the football he preaches.

And his mood was such that he even allowed himself a rare statement of his basic philosophy: ‘My job is to win football matches, and make people happy’, he said

Santi Cazorla scored twice as Arsenal defeated Newcastle 4-1 in the Premier League on Saturday evening

Cazorla completed the scoreline from the penalty spot with a 'Panenka' penalty after Danny Welbeck was fouled in the box

Welbeck (right) was brought down inside the Newcastle penalty area by left back Paul Dummett in the dying moments of the match

Cazorla watches on as his ingenious penalty floats into the goal as he celebrates his 30th birthday in style

Cazorla (centre right) is congratulated on his second strike of the match by his Arsenal team-mates

MATCH FACTS, STATS, TABLE AND RATINGS Arsenal (4-1-4-1): Szczesny 6; Bellerin 7, Debuchy 7, Mertesacker 6.5, Gibbs 6.5; Flamini 6; Sanchez 7.5 (Coquelin 87, N/A), Oxlade-Chamberlain 7 (Maitland-Niles 90, N/A), Cazorla 7.5, Welbeck 7; Giroud 8 (Podolski 73, N/A) Subs not used: Martinez, Campbell, Ajayi, Sanogo Goals: Giroud 15 and 58, Cazorla 54 and 88 Booked: Bellerin, Oxlade-Chamberlain Manager: Arsene Wenger 7.5 Newcastle: Alnwick 4.5, Janmaat 5, Coloccini 6, Williamson 5.5, Dummett 6, Tiote 5, Colback 6.5, Gouffran 5, Perez 5 (Armstrong 82), Ameobi 4.5 (Riviere 56, N/A), Cisse 4 (Cabella 56, N/A). Subs not used: Woodman, Anita, Haidara, Vuckic. Goal: Perez 63 Booked: Tiote, Janmaat. Manager: Alan Pardew 5.5 Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire) 5 MOTM: Giroud Attendance: 59, 949 Players Ratings by Matt Barlow at the Emirates CLICK HERE for all the stats, goals - including Olivier Giroud's second goal (above) - and heat maps from The Emirates Advertisement

And it was then that we sensed how much he had been hurt by the furore which followed those doltish insults on Stoke station last Saturday evening.

Wenger does not reveal his private face so easily, he does not allow himself to appear vulnerable. But he actually deigned to speak of the Stoke incident: ‘99.9 per cent of the people in this country treat me with respect. I can take the other 0.1 per cent.’

He even spoke in vague reproach of the way he has been treated: ‘When you try to attack and you win, everyone says ‘‘well done’’. If you attack and don’t win, they say you are not realistic.’

Olivier Giroud (centre top) gave Arsenal the lead on 15 minutes with a towering header against Newcastle

Giroud (far left) watches on as his header sails into the top corner of the Newcastle net

The France international wheels away in celebration at giving the Gunners the lead in their Premier League encounter

Giroud (centre right) is congratulated on his strike by his fellow Arsenal team-mates at the Emirates Stadium

Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (left) tries to run past Newcastle full back Daryl Janmaat during their encounter

Arsenal striker Welbeck (centre) came close to doubling their lead but his shot went narrowly wide past the post

Cazorla (left) attempts to dribble past Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote during Saturday's Premier League match

DISTANCE COVERED STATS MINS PLD KM MILES Arsenal 111.6 69.4 Mathieu Flamini 90 11.9 7.4 Santiago Cazorla 90 11.4 7.1 Danny Welbeck 90 10.9 6.7 Newcastle United 111.7 69.4 Jack Colback 90 11.4 7.1 Daryl Janmaat 90 11.1 6.9 Cheick Tiote 90 11.0 6.8 *Data courtesy of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the Official Player Rating Index of the Barclays Premier League

He was in genuinely expansive form. But then, so were his team. Right from the start, Arsenal played enviably precise football at a dizzying pace. And with Newcastle total strangers to their recent impressive form, those who had doubted both Wenger and his team became swept up in the thrill of it all.

The movement was bewildering, the imagination dazzling. In Santi Cazorla, greatly enjoying his 30th birthday, and the imperious Olivier Giroud, they had players capable of setting the tone, dictating the terms.

Arsenal performed like a team brimming with breezy confidence, and when Per Mertesacker’s header struck the inside of the Newcastle crossbar after eight minutes, their football was denied the lead it deserved. Yet the opening goal was delayed only until the 15th minute and was the product of another sublime passing sequence, which culminated in Alexis Sanchez flighting a cross and Giroud towering above Daryl Janmaat for his emphatic scoring header.

Arsenal appeared to have fashioned a second a few moments later, when Danny Welbeck scuffed a scoring shot beyond young Jak Alnwick. But Welbeck was deprived for an apparent clip on Janmaat, leaving Wenger to fret and fume for the only time.

When Arsenal are in this mood, they can be almost unplayable. Yet they desperately sought a second goal to ease the nerves of their supporters, and it might have come most dramatically in 32 minutes when Sanchez hoisted an exquisite sand-iron of a chip into the six-yard box and Welbeck allowed it to fall over his shoulder before meeting it with a volley. It passed a foot beyond the far post, and it might have been one of the goals of the season.

But Arsenal demonstrated why they needed the insulation of further goals, when a free-kick dropped inside their own box and Papiss Cisse hit Wojciech Szczesny from a handful of yards.

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Cazorla gave Arsenal a 2-0 lead in the 54th minute with a delicate left-footed chip over Newcastle goalkeeper Jak Alnwick

The diminutive Spain international watches on as his left-footed chip sails beautifully into the Newcastle goal

Cazorla (right) hugs team-mate Alexis Sanchez who provided him the assist for his goal at the Emirates

Arsenal striker Giroud (left) celebrates his second strike in their 4-1 Premier League win against Newcastle on Saturday

Giroud's second of the match came following a neat flick at the near post from a Hector Bellerin cross

Giroud (left) watches on as his strike nestles into the roof of the Newcastle goal to give them a 3-0 lead on 58 minutes

The 28-year-old (second left) is mobbed by his team-mates as they celebrate his second strike against the Magpies

Newcastle were finally discovering their game, and the entertainment was totally absorbing. Despite having been largely outplayed, Newcastle were still in the match. And their mood early in the second half added to the home misgivings.

But the Arsenal goal on 54 minutes was both brilliant and soothing. Sanchez, taking up all the difficult, uncomfortable positions, touched a short pass inside the area. Cazorla, with a small miracle of balance and technique, looked up, found his feet, and chipped the chance into the wall of the net.

Four minutes later, it seemed over. Mathieu Flamini instigated the adventure with a probing ball from deep. A swarm of red-shirted attackers made themselves available, Hector Bellerin played a precise cross from the right, and the excellent Giroud appeared at the near post to devour the opportunity.

But Arsenal always offer teams a chance, and this was no exception. On 63 minutes, Jack Colback struck a free-kick from the left and Ayoze Perez, quite unmolested, diverted the scoring header.

Arsenal seemed destined to finish this one with nerves stretching. Then, with six minutes remaining, a section of the Arsenal fans burst into a chant of ‘There’s Only One Arsene Wenger’. It was clearly aimed at those who have been attacking the old chap of late, and the demonstration of loyalty produced one final flourish.

Welbeck accelerated once more into the Newcastle area, and a bumping of bodies with defender Paul Dummett produced the inevitable penalty.

Cazorla sauntered up and chipped nervelessly, Wenger gave a small, approving nod and Arsenal were handsomely home. Asked about the possibilities in tomorrow’s Champions League draw, he replied: ‘Maybe I will go to church at the weekend.’

At the end of such a week, a few words of thanks to the Almighty might not go amiss.

Ayoze Perez (far right) soon reduced the scoreline for the visitors with a diving header on 63 minutes at the Emirates

Arsenal fans showed their support for their boss Arsene Wenger by chanting 'There's Only One Arsene Wenger'

Ainsley Maitland-Niles came on in the last few minutes of the match to make his Arsenal Premier League debut aged 17