Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice as Arsenal hung on to maintain pressure on the top four and leave Burnley in the Premier League bottom three at Christmas.

Mesut Ozil – making a first start in six league matches – produced a sublime defence-splitting pass to Sead Kolasinac for Arsenal’s opener, with the defender picking out Aubameyang for his 11th league goal of the season.

Remarkably, after 18 top-flight games, Arsenal led at the interval for the first time this season and it took the Gunners fewer than three second-half minutes to double the advantage, Aubameyang’s powerful finish completing a quick counter-attack.

Burnley kept to their task though and Ashley Barnes brought the Clarets back into the contest on 63 minutes with a low finish after the home side failed to clear.

BBC reports that the home fans grew increasingly nervous as Burnley pushed for an equaliser but Alex Iwobi scored from close range in stoppage-time to ensure the Gunners moved level with fourth-placed Chelsea ahead of the Blues’ match against Leicester.