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Goals from Kieran Gibbs, Theo Walcott and Mikel Arteta gave Arsenal victory over Aston Villa and took their winning run to seven Premier League matches. Gibbs exposed some poor defending and goalkeeping from Villa to put the hosts in front with a crisp low finish. Arsenal were dominating their opponents and doubled the lead when the excellent Walcott collected Alex Song's lofted ball and slotted past Shay Given. Arteta wrapped up the match in stoppage time with a stunning free-kick. It was another important result for the Gunners, moving them three points above fourth-place Tottenham and continuing their superb upturn in form. For much of the season their hopes of a top-four finish looked in serious doubt, but that now looks comfortably within their grasp. The jeers at Emirates Stadium have turned into rapturous cheers and Arsene Wenger's men were serenaded off the pitch at full-time. Their day did not start quite so well as centre-back Laurent Koscielny pulled out of the side after feeling a knee injury during the warm-up. More trouble loomed when his replacement, Johan Djourou, required lengthy treatment after being struck in the face by Emile Heskey's arm. But the Swiss recovered and following a Marc Albrighton drive that sailed over shortly after the re-start, Arsenal were in total control. Villa simply had no answer to the pace of wingers Walcott and Gervinho, and they allowed Arsenal's central players far too much time and space to pick passes to the pair. There was an early warning when Given parried Walcott's strike after a sharp exchange between Walcott, Bacary Sagna and Robin van Persie. Villa were desperately lacking the defensive leadership of injured captain Richard Dunne, never more so than when Arsenal opened the scoring. Alan Hutton, Stilyan Petrov and Chris Herd stood still as Gibbs collected Gervinho's pass fired in an effort that Given should have saved. Five minutes later, Walcott skilfully met Thomas Vermaelen's diagonal ball and ghosted behind Stephen Warnock before Carlos Cueller arrived with vital clearance. Villa had lost only one of their previous eight away games and they briefly threatened when Ireland broke clear and crossed towards Heskey, only for Vermaelen to intercept. Arsenal were swiftly back on the front foot, though, and their reward came when Song found Walcott and he stepped inside Cuellar to side-foot home. Given saved well from a Van Persie header and Arteta's drive, while a flying Warnock brilliantly nodded Van Persie's goalbound shot over the bar.