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Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League thanks to a 2-0 victory over Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in Saturday's late fixture. Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey were the scorers on a day when Liverpool would have gone top had they won.

Brendan Rodgers's visitors now find themselves back in third place, having briefly been in second on goal difference earlier in the day after Chelsea lost at Newcastle United. That made it the most important domestic fixture for both sides so far this season, with Arsenal now facing Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday before travelling to Manchester United next Sunday.

The game was also given extra spice by Arsenal's pursuit of Luis Suarez over the summer, when the Gunners lodged a bid of £40,000,001 ($63.7 million, 47.2 million euros) in the mistaken belief that it would trigger a release clause in the Liverpool striker's contract. Liverpool held on doggedly to a player who was serving a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic in April and he went into this game having scored six goals in five matches.

The game began at a frantic pace and Tomas Rosicky forced Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet into an early save. There was quickly a chance at the other end for Jordan Henderson, who robbed Cazorla and was allowed to reach the penalty area before scuffing a weak effort at goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Arsenal's reply was to take the lead in the 19th minute through Cazorla. The Spain midfielder was first to Bacary Sagna's cross from the right and headed against the post before netting the rebound. Liverpool were aggrieved when Henderson put the ball in the net after Suarez had played a free-kick to Daniel Sturridge, only for referee Martin Atkinson to rule that it had been taken too quickly.

A yellow card for Sagna for the initial foul did not appease the visitors and although Szczesny denied Kolo Toure from the retaken free-kick, the flag was up anyway. Liverpool's 3-5-2 formation had left them exposed down the flanks at times, but Jon Flanagan -- making his first Premier League appearance since April 2012 -- had been more impressive on the right than Aly Cissokho on the other side. Rodgers changed that at half-time, with Philippe Coutinho replacing Cissokho.

It pepped Liverpool up, and Suarez in particular, as he managed to get in behind the Arsenal defence three times in quick succession, but to no avail.

Olivier Giroud should have made it 2-0 after intercepting Toure's poor pass to Martin Skrtel, but the France striker chipped into the side-netting with only Mignolet to beat.

Arsenal did not let up, however, and were rewarded with a goal from Ramsey in the 59th minute, with the Wales midfielder finding the net from 20 yards with a swerving effort after demonstrating superior technique to set himself up from Mesut Ozil's pass. Suarez almost pulled one back, but saw his effort graze the far post.

Another chance came Suarez's way late on as Arsenal switched off, but the Uruguay forward fired across goal and wide, and the hosts saw out the final few minutes with no further alarm. A much needed win for Arsenal but, the tougher times lay ahead with a trip to Dortmund on Wednesday, a clash with Manchester United by the weekend and also a crucial game against in-form Southampton.

This win against Liverpool however is a good sign that Arsenal are part of the title race this season.

Arsene Wenger Match Reaction 

"It was a convincing win against a good team, and that's what we wanted," he told Sky Sports

"Of course everybody was waiting to see how we responded today, and we did that in a very positive manner.

Ramsey told Sky Sports straight after the game : "I just thought why not try an effort from distance and thankfully it went in.

"I was just waiting for the ball to sit up nicely so I could strike it cleanly, and I managed to do that.

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Arsenal desperately needed the points as well as they try to qualify for the Champions League and the Gunners romped home thanks to a brace from Lukas Podolski and strikes from Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey.Shaun Maloney had given Wigan hope with a first half equaliser, but the Latics, running on fumes after their Wembley heroics, will experience the unique anguish of becoming the first side to win the FA Cup and be relegated in the same season.

While Wigan, four points behind Sunderland with one game left, will be back in the second tier for the first time since 2005, Arsene Wenger's team are on course to play in the Champions League for a 16th consecutive season. They had fallen two points behind Tottenham after their north London rivals won at Stoke, but now head to Newcastle on Sunday knowing another win will guarantee a top four finish.

They would not even need three points if Tottenham fail to beat Sunderland at White Hart Lane. Martinez named the same starting line-up that stunned City, but the Latics seemed sapped of energy and they surrendered the lead in careless fashion in the 11th minute.

When Santi Cazorla lofted over a corner, Wigan's statuesque defenders allowed the ball to bounce just six yards from goal and Podolski, having escaped some slack marking from James McArthur and Emmerson Boyce, took full advantage as he stooped to head past Joel Robles.

Over 20,000 Wigan supporters had celebrated their triumph at Wembley, but the tiny group, numbering no more than 500, who made the return trip to north London were beginning to get a sinking feeling in the torrential rain.

Wigan's sloppy defending has been their Achilles heel this season and they were almost caught out again when Laurent Koscielny was gifted yards of space to poke Cazorla's corner wide from close-range.Yet somehow Wigan were level in first half stoppage-time.

Scottish winger Maloney forced Mikel Arteta to concede a free-kick in a dangerous area after surging clear of the midfielder, who responded with the slightest of nudges. Maloney picked himself up to take the set-piece and curled a superb strike over the wall and past Wojciech Szczesny.

Wigan should have been in front at the start of the second half when Arouna Kone played a one-two with Callum McManaman to earn a clear sight of goal, but the Ivorian striker's shot was parried by Szczesny. James McCarthy then turned to fire home, only to see the linesman's offside flag halt his celebrations. But those two narrow escapes provoked a response from Arsenal and Cazorla forced a brilliant double save from Robles.

Wigan suffered a significant blow when in-form winger McManaman was stretchered off just before the hour. Wenger's men were finding space on the flanks far too easily and Wigan's failure to adapt proved fatal in the 63rd minute.Cazorla made a run that left Roger Espinoza trailing in his wake and the Spaniard whipped over a low cross which Walcott bundled past Robles's weak attempted save.

Wigan needed an immediate response, but instead they were dealt a hammer blow five minutes later as more woeful defending allowed Podolski to put the game beyond reach. Cazorla won a header far too easily and Wigan's defenders showed no urgency as Podolski ran clear to flick his shot over the hopelessly exposed Robles.

Ramsey put the seal on Wigan's relegation in the 71st minute as the Welsh midfielder sprinted away down the left before lashing into the roof of the net. The atmosphere at the Emirate stadium tonight was exceptional, the fans made the ground electrifying and the players step up their game with an outstanding display. The game was a beauty to watch.

It all goes down to the final game at ST. James Park were Arsenal's last win on the ground was a 3-1 win in 2009.

"It was one of my most important goals and hopefully there can be a few more next weekend," Walcott told Sky Sports.

"I am so proud of the guys because we deserved it.

"I felt like we had to take the initiative and make runs in behind, which we weren't really doing in the first half.

Wigan Manager Match Reaction

"We've got one more game. We need to reflect and share our good feelings with the fans after winning the FA Cup," he told BBC Sport.

"I never expected this," he said. "The players have been great ambassadors for Wigan Athletic. I don't think we've deserved to be in the bottom three but we are.

1. Santi Cazorla is the first Arsenal player to get four assists in a single Premier League game since Fabregas v Blackburn in Oct 2009

2. Theo Walcott seven attempted passes, four complete. three crosses attempted one complete.

3. Full Time Stats Arsenal v Wigan Shots 21-11 On target 10-2, Fouls 12-11 Duels Won 54%-46%, Pass Accuracy 81%-84%, Possession 48%-52%

4. Only two players have been subbed off more often in a single Premier League season than Podolski (22 times).

6. Santi Cazorla/Podolski have combined for seven goals this season, the joint-most in the PL along with Giroud/Walcott.

What are you thoughts on the game? Who was your MOTM? Are you confident that we can beat Newcastle at their ground to seal Champions League Football. Personally I don't see no reason why not! COYG

Inconsistency at the start of the season cost Arsenal are a shot of being in contention for the Premier League but with the Arsenal recent good run of form ever since that 2 0 win over Bayern Munich Sant Cazorla believes the Gunners are on the up and consistency of results are getting better. 

Booked: Gibson, Pienaar, Barkley
Referee: Neil Swarbrick 

Attendance: 60,071

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