sport news

Ronald Koeman's hold over Arsene Wenger came to an emphatic end as Arsenal moved to within a point of the Champions League knockout stage with a thumping defeat of AZ.

Cesc Fabregas' double and strikes from Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby secured Wenger his first success against Koeman.

In the process the irrepressible hosts took their tally of home goals to 33 in 10 games this season, though Sergio Romero should have kept out Fabregas' trickled near-post effort (26).

But there was little the keeper could do to stop Nasri finishing his own superb work with a side-footed finish (43).

Fabregas then grabbed his eighth of the season from Andrey Arshavin's pass (52), and the Russian latched onto Eduardo's flick to tee up the goal of the night for Diaby (72)

Graziano Pelle hit the bar for the visitors, whose persistence was rewarded with Jeremain Lens' breakaway consolation.