Emmanuel Adebayor returned from injury to score both goals as Arsenal took Manchester City apart in a comfortable 2-0 home victory.
Adebayor and club captain Cesc Fabregas made their first starts after long lay-offs as the Gunners recorded their fourth-straight league win to consolidate their hold on fourth place.
The Togo striker struck at the beginning of both halves as City were comprehensively outplayed.
City, the last team to beat Arsenal when they destroyed the Gunners 3-0 in Manchester in November, have still won just one away match in the league all season as they continue to stumble in their persuit of seventh spot and a second season in Europe.
Arsenal went ahead after seven minutes when they were awarded a free-kick on the right, Robinho bundling over Bacary Sagna. Fabregas's delivery to the penalty spot was inch-perfect for Adebayor, who powered a header back into the bottom corner for his 12th goal of the season.
The goal relaxed the Gunners and gave them the freedom to ping the ball about with impish brilliance in the final third, defender Kolo Toure the next to bring a save out of Shay Given after charging down the right side of the area and hitting a side-foot effort straight into the chest of the keeper.
City should have equalised on the half-hour mark. Gelson Fernandes, a substitute for the injured Wayne Bridge, was picked out in space inside the Gunners box after a nice break down the right from Shaun Wright-Phillips and Craig Bellamy, but the midfielder turned and fired his shot the wrong side of the post from 10 yards.
Manuel Almunia was then out quickly to grab the ball at the feet of Bellamy as the Wales striker dashed into the Arsenal penalty area; in stoppage time Arsenal almost added a second when Andrey Arshavin played a lovely one-two with Alex Song on the edge of the City box and his curling shot was pushed away by Given.
Fabregas was again the provider when Arsenal doubled their lead shortly after the restart. This time the Spaniard sent a superbly-weighted, angled chip over Richard Dunne into City's penalty area, where Adebayor gratefully received the ball once more before drawing Given out and rolling it into the net.
Dunne then cleared off the line after Theo Walcott had nipped in down the right.
With one eye perhaps on next week's Champions League quarter-final first leg away to Villarreal, Wenger made a change on 70 minutes as Nicklas Bendtner replaced Adebayor and Emmanuel Eboue came on for Walcott, with Fabregas also replaced late on.
Arsenal were in complete control and played out the closing minutes with typical swagger to extend their unbeaten run to 17 league games.
April 06, 2009
Man Utd should watch out Porto, they actually need to keep an eye on Porto
Away with the Harambee Stars debacle blame game. Now unto issues, from the other week’s article, many could have questioned whether Nyagol Keneddy’s worth his salt as the ‘WORLD SOCCER ENTHUSIAST’ alleging that "he sympathised with Arsenal hence an Arsenal enthusiast’’.
Well, the individual voices the thoughts of the wanjiku football fan-atic and you know what they think of the chances of your beloved EPL clubs in the Uefa Champions league quarter-finals commencing next week?
Man U can earn their revenge over FC Porto who dumped them out of that competition in the last 16 in 2004.
But why earn and not have? In the previous round, Porto knocked out an Atletico Madrid outfit whom you remember almost pipped Liverpool FC in the group stages at Anfield but for a controversial penalty.
However, the good news for Man U is their fellow EPL side Arsenal already thrashed FC Porto 4-1 in the group stages, nevertheless on a day when goals dried for the Portuguese Champions since they later beat Arsenal 2-0 in Portugal.
That’s evidence enough that Man U will have to closely watch their goal-poacher Lisandro Lopez, a joint leading scorer in the competition with seven goals.
‘Villarreal CF Vs Arsenal FC’ (both fourth-placed in their local leagues) promises to be a mesmerising game going by the slick passing philosophy of both teams.
Many argue that going by recent history, specifically Villareal playing Man U which have always ended in barren draws, Arsenal FC don’t stand a chance.
Of course they remember Arsenal eliminating Villarreal in the semi-finals of 2006 but dismiss it as the long gone Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ era. They, however, attest to Arsenal and FC Barcelona having the same footballing philosophy, very different from Man U’s, and they recall FC Barcelona thrashing Villarreal 4-0 in the first-half of the La Liga season. They don’t reckon that Arsenal FC can also do the same? Chelsea and Liverpool know each other just too much many won’t bet in this one.
Thanks Feverpitch for bringing back the fanatics page.
If you have noticed Arsenal has started winning since fanatics came back.
We are on a roll with the professor and no turning back. Manchester United fears have been confirmed as after we dispatch the Yellow Submarine (Villarreal) in the Champions League we will take out the Red Devils then obliterate the Blues of Tony Mochama in the FA Cup before destroying the devils again in the final!
This time round the Champions League is coming home to the Emirates. Hail Arsene Wenger.
Liverpool must yank the title from Man U so that they get a test of their own medicine.
Arsenal is out of the Champions League bracket in the Premier League race ", is what they said.
Well, whoever said so should adjust psychologically and think otherwise or else prepare for a hard blow on the face.
With the remarkable comeback of key players like Theo Walcott, Eduardo and captain Cesc Fabregas, Gunners are now capable of surprising everyone in the title race.
This means that the Blues should get alarmed for tough times ahead as they are the next victims to face the knife after Aston Villa. I am very particular on this as can be seen from the recent outstanding performances. As it is, Arsene Wenger seems to be doing a do and die job at the moment just to make sure that the boys go unbeaten for the few remaining games, as that is likely to guarantee them a place on the sun if not on the moon.
Now that Premiership weekend is here with us again, I know several Man U haters are spewing epithets at the World, European and English champions and praying Aston Villa are helped by a referee to inflict pain on our heroes.
Be assured nothing like that will happen again.
In any case, I know deep down the hearts of frightened Arsenal fans, they want Red Devils to beat sense out of Aston Villa. That we will do, if only to save you from qualifying for Europe through Intertoto.
Trust Sir Alex that it does not matter what happens, the trophy isn’t leaving the Theatre of Dreams precincts.
I know we are hard done with the absence of Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Paul Scholes. Aston Villa played for a draw when we visited Villa Park but I am backing our Devils to break them down tonight.
My worry is if they have to pluck a page from Arsenal’s textbook of Packing the Bus in front of goal (remember 2006 at Villareal?) they may give us problems. Nevertheless we will prevail.
Well, the individual voices the thoughts of the wanjiku football fan-atic and you know what they think of the chances of your beloved EPL clubs in the Uefa Champions league quarter-finals commencing next week?
Man U can earn their revenge over FC Porto who dumped them out of that competition in the last 16 in 2004.
But why earn and not have? In the previous round, Porto knocked out an Atletico Madrid outfit whom you remember almost pipped Liverpool FC in the group stages at Anfield but for a controversial penalty.
However, the good news for Man U is their fellow EPL side Arsenal already thrashed FC Porto 4-1 in the group stages, nevertheless on a day when goals dried for the Portuguese Champions since they later beat Arsenal 2-0 in Portugal.
That’s evidence enough that Man U will have to closely watch their goal-poacher Lisandro Lopez, a joint leading scorer in the competition with seven goals.
‘Villarreal CF Vs Arsenal FC’ (both fourth-placed in their local leagues) promises to be a mesmerising game going by the slick passing philosophy of both teams.
Many argue that going by recent history, specifically Villareal playing Man U which have always ended in barren draws, Arsenal FC don’t stand a chance.
Of course they remember Arsenal eliminating Villarreal in the semi-finals of 2006 but dismiss it as the long gone Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ era. They, however, attest to Arsenal and FC Barcelona having the same footballing philosophy, very different from Man U’s, and they recall FC Barcelona thrashing Villarreal 4-0 in the first-half of the La Liga season. They don’t reckon that Arsenal FC can also do the same? Chelsea and Liverpool know each other just too much many won’t bet in this one.
Thanks Feverpitch for bringing back the fanatics page.
If you have noticed Arsenal has started winning since fanatics came back.
We are on a roll with the professor and no turning back. Manchester United fears have been confirmed as after we dispatch the Yellow Submarine (Villarreal) in the Champions League we will take out the Red Devils then obliterate the Blues of Tony Mochama in the FA Cup before destroying the devils again in the final!
This time round the Champions League is coming home to the Emirates. Hail Arsene Wenger.
Liverpool must yank the title from Man U so that they get a test of their own medicine.
Arsenal is out of the Champions League bracket in the Premier League race ", is what they said.
Well, whoever said so should adjust psychologically and think otherwise or else prepare for a hard blow on the face.
With the remarkable comeback of key players like Theo Walcott, Eduardo and captain Cesc Fabregas, Gunners are now capable of surprising everyone in the title race.
This means that the Blues should get alarmed for tough times ahead as they are the next victims to face the knife after Aston Villa. I am very particular on this as can be seen from the recent outstanding performances. As it is, Arsene Wenger seems to be doing a do and die job at the moment just to make sure that the boys go unbeaten for the few remaining games, as that is likely to guarantee them a place on the sun if not on the moon.
Now that Premiership weekend is here with us again, I know several Man U haters are spewing epithets at the World, European and English champions and praying Aston Villa are helped by a referee to inflict pain on our heroes.
Be assured nothing like that will happen again.
In any case, I know deep down the hearts of frightened Arsenal fans, they want Red Devils to beat sense out of Aston Villa. That we will do, if only to save you from qualifying for Europe through Intertoto.
Trust Sir Alex that it does not matter what happens, the trophy isn’t leaving the Theatre of Dreams precincts.
I know we are hard done with the absence of Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Paul Scholes. Aston Villa played for a draw when we visited Villa Park but I am backing our Devils to break them down tonight.
My worry is if they have to pluck a page from Arsenal’s textbook of Packing the Bus in front of goal (remember 2006 at Villareal?) they may give us problems. Nevertheless we will prevail.
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