LONDON: Mesut Ozil answered his critics and lifted Arsenal out of their slump.

Arsenal’s record $70-million signing ended an eight-match scoring drought stretching back into last season, and also set up Danny Welbeck’s first goal for the club as the Gunners struck three goals in four minutes in a 3-0 win at Aston Villa on Saturday.

The playmaker’s influential performance came after manager Arsene Wenger said he should not be a “scapegoat” for a trio of domestic draws and Champions League loss.

The emphatic win ended Villa’s unbeaten start to the season.

Ozil fired his side ahead after 32 minutes, teed up striker Welbeck to open his Gunners account shortly after before an own goal by Villa’s Aly Cissokho ended the game as a contest after 36 minutes.

Southampton’s impressive start to the season continued as they won 1-0 at Swansea City, who played more than half the match with 10 men after Wilfried Bony was red-carded.

Victor Wanyama’s 80th minute goal moved Saints into second place with 10 points, two behind Chelsea who face champions Manchester City on Sunday and a point better off than Arsenal.

Under-pressure Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew saw his side stage a late comeback to draw 2-2 with Hull City.

Papiss Cisse struck twice as Newcastle hit back from 2-0 down at home to Hull to earn only their third point of the season and climb off the bottom of the table.

Niko Kranjcar’s superb late free kick rescued a point for Queens Park Rangers in an entertaining 2-2 draw at home to Stoke City while Burnley drew 0-0 at home to Sunderland.

Wenger had been forced to defend Germany World Cup-winner Ozil after the playmaker came under fire again following another uninspiring display in the Gunners’ 2-0 Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund in midweek.

But, played in by Welbeck, he made no mistake with a side-foot chance to put Arsenal ahead against Villa.

Minutes later, the roles were reversed when Ozil’s cross found Welbeck, who fired the ball into the roof of the net.

A stunned Villa then saw Kieran Gibbs’ cross-shot turned into their net by Cissokho, with Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain waiting to pounce.

At the Liberty Stadium, Bony was shown a red card in the 39th minute when he took away the legs of Maya Yoshida, his second bookable offence.

But it took until 10 minutes before time for Southampton to make their numerical advantage count thanks to a goal from substitute Wanyama — the Kenyan’s first goal for the Saints.

Newcastle, without a win in the league this season, fell behind three minutes after half-time when Nikica Jelavic put visitors Hull ahead with an acrobatic effort from 15 yards out.

Senegal midfielder Mohamed Diame doubled Hull’s lead in the 68th minute with a brilliant 25-yard shot.

However, Newcastle gave home fans something to cheer when, with 15 minutes remaining, Cisse powered in a shot at the near post following a fine pass from Cheick Tiote.

And three minutes from time, the Senegal striker made it 2-2 after Moussa Sissoko’s ball into the box was nodded down by Yoan Gouffran, Cisse smashed the ball in from six yards out.

In Saturday’s early match, QPR narrowly avoided their fourth Premier League defeat of the season as a fine late equaliser from Croatia midfielder Kranjcar rescued a 2-2 draw with Stoke at Loftus Road.

Mame Biram Diouf opened the scoring for visitors Stoke and, following Steven Caulker’s equaliser, it was Peter Crouch who restored Stoke’s lead against his former club.

But with just two minutes remaining, former Tottenham midfielder Kranjcar scored his first goal since January.

Published in Dawn, September 21st , 2014