CARDIFF // Arsene Wenger claimed £50 million (Dh300.6m) would not be enough to tempt him to sell Aaron Ramsey after his performance helped Premier League leaders Arsenal to a 3-0 win at the midfielder’s former club, Cardiff City.
The Wales international, who came through the Cardiff academy and is the youngest player to have represented the club, headed home the opener on Saturday from a Mesut Ozil cross in the 29th minute.
Substitute Mathieu Flaimini doubled the lead with five minutes remaining before Ramsey completed the scoring in stoppage time to make it 15 goals for club and country this season, moving Arsenal seven points clear at the top of the league table.
Both of Ramsey’s goals were applauded by the two sets of supporters after another virtuoso display in what is turning into a stellar campaign. Ramsey acknowledged the home fans by performing the club’s so-called Ayatollah celebration after finding the net.
Wenger heaped praise on Ramsey, 22, and, when asked if £50m would be enough to prise Ramsey away from the Emirates Stadium, said: “No. We don’t want to sell anybody, we want to keep the team together. I’ve suffered enough for years for having to sell the players. Now we are in a stronger position financially.”
Wenger said he also believes Ramsey can get even better.
“He keeps surprising me,” he said. “He has matured as a player and a person as well. We came here in the FA Cup a few years ago and he had a very difficult game. Now he shows how much he has developed as a person.
“I was a midfielder and I would have loved to have what he has.
“He can defend, attack and score goals. What more do you want? He is also young, another quality that I have lost.
“He can still develop. When you see the improvement in him in the last two years, then why should he stop now?”
Wenger added: “The reaction of the fans was fantastic. I’d like to see that much more. I have a big respect for that. They are proud to be Welsh here.”
Cardiff slipped to 17th in the table. The hosts improved after the break, with Wojciech Szczesny producing a great save to deny Fraizer Campbell an equaliser with the score at 1-0.
“The score is not a fair reflection of the game, but I am not going to apologise for having a go,” Cardiff manager Malky Mackay said.
Elsewhere, on-loan Barcelona youngster Gerard Deulofeu inspired Everton to a 4-0 home thrashing of Stoke City, continuing their free-scoring ways after last week’s thrilling 3-3 Merseyside derby against Liverpool.
Deulofeu scored Everton’s first just before half-time, with Seamus Coleman finding the net four minutes after the restart. Bryan Oviedo, filling in for the injured Leighton Baines, scored in only his second Premier League start in 18 months, and Romelu Lukaku capped the scoring with a close-range finish for his eighth league goal of the campaign.
In London, West Ham piled still more pressure on under-fire Fulham manager Martin Jol with a 3-0 victory at the Boleyn Ground. Mohamed Diame got the breakthrough after 47 minutes, and the one-two punch of Carlton Cole and Joe Cole made the three points secure with a goal each in the final 10 minutes.
West Ham sit 15th in a three-way tie on 13 points, ahead of Stoke and Cardiff on goal difference. Fulham are 18th on 10 points after six consecutive defeats, five of which came in league play.
Norwich City edged out Crystal Palace 1-0 at Carrow Road, picking up a valuable three points. Gary Hooper’s 30th-minute goal was the difference in a nervy match that saw Tony Pulis suffer a defeat in his first match at Crystal Palace manager.
Aston Villa and Sunderland played out a forgettable 0-0 draw at Villa Park, with the presence of Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, failing to spark either side to life. Villa have not won back-to-back league games at home since August 2010.
Sunderland rose off the foot of the table with the hard-earned point, going to 19th place on eight points, one better than last-place Crystal Palace.
Goals from Yoan Gouffran and Moussa Sissoko helped Newcastle United continue their rise up the table with a 2-1 home defeat of West Bromwich Albion. Gouffran nodded home after West Brom keeper Boaz Myhill botched a punch, and Sissoko answered a scoring drive by Chris Brunt with an equally powerful shot from distance. Newcastle moved up to fifth in the table with the win.
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