English FA Premiership/ Arsenal 5 Aston Villa 0: Arsene Wenger has had a wonderful week. Arsenal's manager has outwitted Fabio Capello and cruelly outclassed Aston Villa. And most appropriately with Alex Ferguson's title-scenting team awaiting next Sunday, he is playing mind games.

He is not playing only with opponents but with his own players, principally Thierry Henry. It is the manager's earnest hope that every Henry goal - there were two magnificent examples here - and every Arsenal success will bind the striker closer to Arsenal's grand project. But all the while Wenger is challenging Henry as player and person.

Is it possible that Henry has already tied up a secret deal with Barcelona? "No," replied Wenger. "That's not the way he acts. I've no doubt about his future here." But, as the manager had remarked of the never-ending question: "I can't answer for him."

Wenger has already prodded Henry psychologically. The manager's pledge of loyalty to Arsenal 24 hours previously was peppered with emotive words and phrases such as "deserter", "war" and "highly committed". Wenger has seized the moral high ground. In the battle of loyalty, the general is leading by example. He expects his captain to march with him.

For Wenger, admitting he is tired of finding new superlatives for his captain, Henry is "the best". And Henry's Premiership partner, Emmanuel Adebayor, is getting better. Wenger's description of the pair contained another little prod for Henry. "There's a good understanding, it's growing as a partnership. Adebayor looks stronger every game." The tall 22-year-old Togo striker scored one goal and contributed to two others, one with a mid-air backheeled volley. Without mentioning Robin van Persie, deliverer of another memorable goal, Wenger mused: "We have a good striker school here." At the moment the manager seems spoilt for choice. Injuries to Cesc Fabregas, tormentor of Juventus, and Emmanuel Eboue did not darken his view of Wednesday's second leg in Turin.

Not that Villa really examined them, even if Luke Moore wasted a simple close-range chance, the persistent Lee Hendrie twice drove fractionally wide and Johan Djourou almost volleyed spectacularly high into his own net. The game was long gone by then.

Seconds after Kevin Phillips miscued his lofted shot, Henry showed the way with a chip which Aaron Hughes headed desperately into the air. Adebayor nodded against the bar, the rebound entering the net off the same Villa defender. When Henry elastically controlled Jose Antonio Reyes's long pass, there was only one conclusion - Henry turned away long before his chip floated over Thomas Sorensen.

Arsenal were showboating before the end of the first half. The second opened with another flourish of high technique, Adebayor backheeling and Henry instantly converting into the far corner from 25 yards. Van Persie, tight to the byline, then shuffled the ball from left to right to left again to make the angle for his fierce drive. The finale was good yet prosaic in this company, Adebayor passing inside for the 19-year-old Abou Diaby to shoot high into the net for his first Arsenal goal.

These are dismal days for David O'Leary and Villa, whose depressing season is heading for a disturbing close. The coming derbies with West Bromwich and Birmingham may dent local pride as well as making their Premiership position even more uncomfortable.

• Guardian Service