Wenger:We were outstanding against Villa

Arsène Wenger paid tribute to his "outstanding" players after watching them rack up a seventh consecutive Premier League victory on Saturday. Goals from Kieran Gibbs, Theo Walcott and Mikel Arteta secured a comprehensive 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium as Arsenal opened up a three-point lead on Tottenham in the battle for third place. This is the first time since 2007 that Wenger's side has enjoyed such a long winning run and the class of 2012 have arguably had it tougher with Spurs, Newcastle, Liverpool and Everton all defeated in recent weeks. "It is a very successful run and we want to keep it going," Wenger told Arsenal Player. "We kept the momentum on Saturday with a great start. We came out of the blocks with pace, technique, movement, and I feel in the first 35 minutes we were outstanding. "It gives us two big wins in a week because when you go to Everton and play Aston Villa at home and get six points, without conceding a goal, that is a fantastic achievement. If you saw Everton, they won at Swansea and that is a difficult place to go as well. I am very pleased with my players. "Our target now [is to tighten our grip on third place]. I believe we have to focus on our performance and play for each other, fight for each other, then we have a chance." Mikel Arteta's splendid free-kick put the seal on Saturday's victory and Arsenal's potency from dead-ball situations is not lost on Wenger. "We have been waiting for set-pieces but this week don't forget we scored from a corner [at Everton] and we scored from a free kick," he said. "I look at the stats of some other teams, for example Aston Villa - I think they didn't score from a corner since September - so it is difficult for everybody."