- Arsenal captain Robin van Persie is delighted with the scoring record.
Van Persie has revealed his pride at equalling Thierry Henry's club record for the most Premier League goals in a calendar year.
The Dutchman has scored 34 times in 2011 and has two matches left this year to surpass the all-time Premier League record of 36 goals by Alan Shearer in 1995.
Van Persie, who equalled Henry's tally with his penalty in the win at Aston Villa, said: "It is a big honour to equal Thierry's record because he is probably the best player Arsenal ever had. To achieve what he did in a year is really special. It makes me proud.
"I think it has helped that I haven't missed a single Premier League game and featured for 90 minutes in most of them.
"When you have a good run, and you feel fresh and fit, you try things, you take more risks here and there than, for example, if you are just coming back from injury. You always need a couple of games (to get fully sharp) when you're back from injury.
"As a striker I think it is really important to have a go. If you look at my performances, I take more risks now because I know with the team behind me I will always get more chances.
"It's not that I only get one chance normally, I always get one, two, three, sometimes four chances in a game. That sort of tells me that I can take a risk here and there."
- Arsenal captain Robin van Persie insists they're not out of the title race.
The Dutchman believes there will be many twists and turns before the outcome of the title is resolved.
Van Persie said: "It is still early. We've only played 17 games, we're not even halfway so anything can happen in this league."
Arsenal have lost 8-2 at Manchester United and won 5-3 at Chelsea already this season.
"Our result against Manchester United was a bit of a surprise, our result away at Chelsea was a big surprise, and then Manchester United lost to Manchester City 6-1 so anything is possible," Van Persie said.
"The way we look at it is that we challenge for every single game and we will see what that will bring us."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger accepts the Gunners are not currently contenders for the Premier League title.
Wenger's team are still 12 points adrift of Roberto Mancini's City side heading into Christmas, and the Frenchman concedes challenging for a Champions League spot is more realistic than aiming for top spot at present.
Wenger said: "We are out of the title race as things stand because we are very far away from Manchester City.
"It was important to get back on track at Villa, a place which is always difficult to go to, but it is too early to say we are back in the title race.
"But then we've just had two difficult away games in succession while City have had two home matches they've won."
Wenger added: "If we can get back to within six points of City, then you can start to speak about being title contenders.
"As things stand, we are still in a good race for the top four."
- Arsenal captain Robin van Persie has credited their summer signings for their amazing form turnaround.
Van Persie has led the way with 16 goals in the top flight and even he has been shocked by the strength of Arsenal’s response.
“Maybe a little bit,” he said. “We had to get used to the new players [who signed at the end of August].
"I have to give lots of credit to Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker, Thomas Vermaelen and Yossi Benayoun - great characters, really helpful in every area. When I need assistance, they are always helping me.
"Mikel, for example, played seven years at Everton, two years at Rangers and you can tell he’s an experienced player. Yossi is similar, Per Mertesacker has played close to 80 times for Germany. They have really helped me."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is delighted with the improvement of his defence this season.
Wenger is thrilled with what he’s seen.
“We are stable defensively,” he said. “Our defensive record since the 8-2 defeat at Manchester United has improved tremendously and you could see that again today.
“In the first half we were dominating well but even in the second half when we were under pressure we still kept our shape.
“We got away with one or two difficult situations but there is an improvement there.”
- Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker says they proved themselves under pressure at Aston Villa this week.
The Gunners were fancied to beat struggling Aston Villa but had to wait until Yossi Benayoun’s 87th-minute header to secure a narrow 2-1 victory.
“We felt the pressure because of the bad game against Man City [on Sunday] but we have now won away from home again,” Mertesacker said.
“We were under pressure but we found a good solution with the first goal. We created some good chances but not as much as we thought at the beginning as Villa were always quick. Gabriel Agbonlahor was in some good situations [to score] but defensively we did a good job.
“Villa are a confident side. We thought because of their bad run that they were struggling, but I didn’t feel that today.”
- Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie hailed their match winner Yossi Benayoun after victory over Aston Villa.
Van Persie was delighted for Benayoun to score the winner with a rare header from his corner with just three minutes remaining.
He joked: "It was really good for Yossi as well because he has been training unbelievably, trust me.
"Everyone was hoping for him to get a chance and he took it. Everyone is so pleased for him."
- Yossi Benayoun was delighted to prove Arsenal's match winner against Aston Villa.
He came off the bench on Wednesday and headed a late winner in the Gunners' 2-1 Premier League win at Aston Villa.
The Israeli international said: "I don't know if I felt the goal was coming, but every time I get the chance to play I'm doing my best.
"I didn't play in the last two games and of course you get a bit frustrated. You wait for your chance and I'm glad I scored the winner."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is delighted with the attitude of on-loan Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun.
Benayoun came off the bench with 10 minutes remaining to score his third goal of the campaign, heading home from Robin van Persie’s 87th-minute corner.
Wenger had previously sympathised with Benayoun’s lack of match action this season and was quick to praise the Israel international’s attitude after the game.
“He is well integrated in the group, is a fantastic professional and has a great spirit,” Wenger said.
“He is a very intelligent boy and tonight he did fantastically well when he came on. The changes who came on did very well and stabilised our game I think - Yossi came on and won us three fantastic points.
“You go to City and then to Villa and I have to give fantastic credit to my players, they have given absolutely everything in the last three days with two difficult away games.
“For us to respond well was vital. I was a bit nervous I must say because for us you have experience and history with us coming to Aston Villa - it is always these kinds of games where it is marginal to win or to lose.
“I was a bit nervous because I knew how important it was to win and I knew that it would be a difficult game.”
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to push through a deal for Manchester City fullback Wayne Bridge.
Wenger expects Kieran Gibbs, who had a hernia operation in October, to be out for at least four more weeks, which will be enough for the Arsenal boss to step up his interest in loaning Bridge from Manchester City.
Former England international Bridge has been told he can leave Manchester City whenever he wants and could make a loan return to London, seven months after completing six-month spell with West Ham.
- Manchester United and Arsenal will reportedly battle it out for Anderlecht midfielder Lucas Biglia according to his agent.
The 25-year old Argentine has emerged as a target for the Gunners in the past few weeks with United now jumping on board to join Italian outfit Fiorentina as potential suitors.
But Biglia’s agent, Enzo Montepaone, has admitted his €8million-rated client could remain atAnderlecht despite the winter interest.
"Fiorentina, Arsenal and Manchester United? The interest of those clubs is real,” he said.
"He would easily earn double than at Anderlecht but his first intention is to grow and he wants a club where he can do that.
"Lucas has a contract with Anderlecht until 2015 and if the club don't want to sell, he will continue to play there.
"What offer could be agreed with Anderlecht? The agreed minimum is €8million (£6.6m).
"We have time until 1st February."
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