Arsenal analysis: Five-star Gunners show what they can do when they finally release the handbrake

Arsenal's frontline continued its menacing run of form as Arsene Wenger's side secured a convincing 5-0 win against Huddersfield.

Alexandre Lacazette's first-half strike set Arsenal on course for a 12th straight home win whilst a second-half blitz that saw Olivier Giroud score either side of goals from Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil ensured victory.

Though Arsenal wobbled in the 65 minutes between Lacazette's opener and Giroud's first they turned up the style as Huddersfield tired and enter Saturday's clash with Manchester United in an optimistic mood.

James Benge assesses the key points at the Emirates...

Three minutes into this game, Arsenal were cruising to a 12th home win in a row. Alexandre Lacazette had finished off an exceptional passing move with a driven left-footed strike and Huddersfield looked spellbound.

It took the Terriers some time to overcome that initial shock but in that time Arsenal played with the handbrake on, as Arsene Wenger would put it. Their delivery from wide, and Sead Kolasinac in particular, left a lot to be desired.

By the time Huddersfield did begin to exert themselves, Arsenal had not carved out the requisite advantage. Too often found themselves defending for their lives, as when Petr Cech slapped a ball against his crossbar under pressure for Steve Mounie.

A lightning one-two-three punch from Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil secured victory with 20 minutes left to go but had Arsenal not taken their foot of the gas, they would have been in cruise control for much more of this game.

What a blessed relief it is for Arsenal that Shkodran Mustafi’s move to Inter Milan collapsed in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Though there were personal reasons that meant the World Cup winner was open to a move, the Gunners were surprisingly willing to cash in on a £35million signing after just a year.

After a stuttering second half of his debut campaign, Mustafi is back to the form that made him seem such a shrewd investment in the weeks after he arrived. His style of play makes him well-suited for the heart of the back three, where he is able to focus on winning the physical duel with the opposition’s most dangerous striker.

Having tamed the likes of Alvaro Morata and Harry Kane already this season, Steve Mounie did not offer Mustafi any undue trouble, though the centre-back contrived to create a problem of his own when he clashed heads with the Huddersfield striker for what seemed a clear penalty for the visitors.

That careless moment aside, Mustafi was in commanding form. Even when Arsenal looked like careening out of control early in the second half, he was there to put them back on the right track for their sixth clean sheet of the campaign.

Lacazette hit the ground running at the Emirates but he is already broadening the facets of his game, making him a far greater threat to Premier League defences.

Though the goals were flowing, there were times in Lacazette’s first games for Arsenal when his tendency to drop deep stymied rather than enhanced the Gunners’ attacking play. Now he is testing defences in behind, typified by the way he timed his run to open the scoring early on.

He remained Arsenal’s best chance of a goal in the first half as he continued to slide in behind the backline, and he will be a big miss against Manchester United after Wenger confirmed the striker's half-time withdrawal was down to an injury which will keep him out on Saturday.

Today’s match was the sort in which Aaron Ramsey thrives. Huddersfield’s midfield allowed him more time and space than he needed and he made them pay, laying on assists for Lacazette and Ozil.

It was just what Wenger needed from the Welsh midfielder, but he will expect something very different when United visit.

When Jose Mourinho comes to watch the tape of this evening’s game he may note Ramsey gave the ball away 17 times, more than any of his team-mates during his 73 minutes on the pitch.

Against Huddersfield Ramsey is entitled to force the play, but a United side that are likely to play on the counter will pounce on such indiscipline in possession.