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ROBIN VAN PERSIE was simply foursome as the Arsenal star inspired a demolition of Wigan. The flying Dutchman kept up his hot streak with the game's fourth goal and had a hand in two others to keep Roberto Martinez's men locked in the relegation zone. Mikel Arteta opened the scoring with a long-range effort midway through the first half before Thomas Vermaelen doubled the lead with a header a minute later. Gervinho added a third just after the hour with an easy tap-in before Van Persie slotted home Theo Walcott's cross for his 13th goal of the season. The result moved Arsene Wenger's men into fifth place above Newcastle, who lost 3-0 at home to Chelsea earlier in the day. The Latics began well and Victor Moses' well-struck shot could have gone anywhere when it deflected off Vermaelen but fortunately for the visitors it flew straight into the arms of Wojciech Szczesny. Arsenal, who were on a run of five successive Premier League victories prior to the Fulham draw, had offered little in the opening quarter of an hour. Wigan captain Gary Caldwell was fortunate in the 17th minute, though, as he got an attempted clearance from Walcott's low cross all wrong only to see the ball dribble into the hands of Ali Al Habsi. After a bright start, Wigan dropped deeper and deeper, and they paid the price in the 28th minute. First Vermaelen and then Arteta were given acres of space to run into, and the Spaniard took aim from 25 yards, although Al Habsi was right behind the shot and should have kept it out. A minute later Arsenal made it two with the simplest of goals. Van Persie, who has scored more goals this season than Wigan's entire squad, drove a corner to the back post where Vermaelen nodded in. The visitors were now dominating and Al Habsi went some way to redeeming himself with a good save to deny Van Persie, while the keeper then did just enough to force Gervinho wide after he had been played through. Wigan, who came back from two down to beat Arsenal here two seasons ago, appeared fortunate not to give away a penalty five minutes into the second half. A mistake from Steve Gohouri let in Aaron Ramsey and the Welshman was prevented from getting in a shot by a clumsy tackle from the defender, but referee Mark Clattenburg waved play on, to the disbelief of Ramsey and his team-mates. Van Persie continued his search for a goal, and he might have been wiser to go for goal with a header from Walcott's cross rather than trying to pick out a team-mate. Wigan were looking a little brighter and Ronnie Stam fizzed in a cross that just evaded Sammon before Mohamed Diame shot wide. But the result was put beyond any doubt in the 61st minute when Van Persie worked some space in the box and, although his shot was parried by Al Habsi, it fell perfectly for Gervinho. A Van Persie goal would have made it a perfect afternoon for Arsenal and he probably should have done better than shoot past the post a couple of minutes later. It looked like it might not be Van Persie's day but the Dutch sharpshooter finally got his name on the scoresheet when he tucked away Walcott's square pass with 12 minutes to play. Wigan: Al Habsi, Stam, Gohouri, Caldwell, Figueroa, Diame (McArthur 89), Jones, Gomez (Crusat 59), McCarthy, Moses, Sammon (Di Santo 59). Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Watson, Rodallega, Lopez. Booked: Caldwell,Gohouri,Diame. Arsenal: Szczesny, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Andre Santos, Ramsey,Song (Arshavin 80), Arteta, Walcott (Benayoun 80), Van Persie,Gervinho (Coquelin 80). Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Djourou, Chamakh. Booked: Song, Coquelin. Goals: Arteta 28,Vermaelen 29,Gervinho 61,van Persie 78. Att: 19,280 Ref: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).