New signing Andrei Arshavin scored his first Premier League goal as Arsenal romped to a 4-0 win over Blackburn Rovers at the Emirates Stadium.
The Russian netted the Gunners' second after an own-goal by Andre Ooijer gifted Arsenal the lead in just the second minute.
Substitute Emmanuel Eboue swooped twice in the final two minutes, once from the penalty spot, to seal all three points and extend Arsenal's unbeaten run to 15 games.
The result saw Arsene Wenger's side into fourth place while Rovers remain perilously close to the drop zone on 30 points, just one ahead of Stoke who occupy the final relegation spot.
The hosts got off to the best possible start, Arshavin apparently bundling the ball over the line after the effervescent Theo Walcott had delivered a cross into the danger area.
Initially the goal was given to the Russian but was later credited to Blackburn defender Ooijer, the Dutchman having got the final touch in the near post scramble.
Walcott posed a constant danger throughout and the England international appeared to enjoy getting the upper hand on three different left-backs employed by Blackburn over the 90 minutes - Gael Givet, Stephen Warnock and then Martin Olsson.
Givet and Warnock were both forced off through injury, although their departures from the pitch may well have come as a relief to both of them, given the run-around Walcott had given them.
But for all his pace and skill, for the most part the flying winger still lacks an end product - the shot he dragged wide of the mark just after the break was testament to that.
That chance came at the start of a dominant period of play for Arsenal, during which Walcott teed up Nicklas Bendtner to slice wide of the mark before himself launching a flying volley which Paul Robinson had to paw round the post.
While Walcott was busy wooing the crowd, Bendtner could do nothing right and he infuriated the assembled masses with a string of misses that smacked of a player lacking confidence.
The Dane's best chance of the day came in the 64th minute when he was played through on goal but he was foiled by Robinson, who was quick to come off his line.
A minute later, Arshavin showed him how to do it with a brilliant piece of finishing having beaten his man Danny Simpson at the by-line. The playmaker advanced on goal, waiting for Paul Robinson to go to ground before lifting the ball into the roof of the net.
Bendtner was withdrawn 15 minutes later and with he could only watch from the bench as Eboue - on as an 83rd minute replacement for Samir Nasri - found the net twice in four minutes.
The two chances were the type an out-of-sorts striker dreams about, the first being laid on a plate after Robinson could only parry Arshavin's shot into Eboue's path. All that was left to do was stab over the line.
And then the Ivorian stepped up to convert a penalty in the second minute of time added on after Carlos Vela had been tripped by a clumsy Olsson challenge.
March 14, 2009
Liverpool Drops a huge Hammer on Manchester United at Old Trafford
Liverpool capped a fantastic week by coming from behind to beat 10-man Manchester United 4-1 at Old Trafford to rekindle their Premier League title challenge.
Following a thrilling 4-0 midweek win over Real Madrid in the Champions League, Liverpool cut the gap on leaders United to four points thanks to goals by Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Fabio Aurelio and Andrea Dossena.
United, who had Nemanja Vidic dismissed in the second half, took the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo only for Liverpool to fight back and give their title hopes receive a huge shot in the arm, even though United still have a game in hand on their rivals from Merseyside.
Ronaldo's opener came from a well-taken spot kick on 22 minutes after Pepe Reina had brought down Park Ji-Sung with a reckless challenge in the Liverpool penalty area.
But United's lead lasted just six minutes as the visitors launched a thrilling comeback, sparked by two uncharacteristic errors from a defensive unit that has been lauded for much of the season.
First, the usually unflappable Vidic opted to allow a long Martin Skrtel clearance to bounce, allowing the snappy Torres to apply pressure on him. The Serb duly cracked as he was outmuscled by the Liverpool striker, who ran in on goal and beat Edwin van der Sar with a typically cool finish.
And then just before half-time, Patrice Evra - much like Reina before him - made a terrible error of judgement with a trip on Gerrard as the Liverpool skipper burst into the United box.
As with the earlier penalty, referee Alan Wiley had no choice but to point to the spot, from where Gerrard kept his nerve to fire past Van der Sar and put Liverpool into a half-time lead.
United started the second half with real intent, but another awkward moment from Vidic in the 76th minute when the Serb failed to control the ball on his thigh allowed Gerrard to rob him and burst forward.
Vidic completed a miserable personal afternoon by hauling down Gerrard and promptly receiving a red card - his second against Liverpool this season, having already been dismissed at Anfield in September. To make matters worse for United, Aurelio stepped up to fire the resulting free-kick into the top right hand corner to put Liverpool 3-1 up.
Substitute Andrea Dossena completed the rout in stoppage time with a fine chip over Van der Sar after the United back line, Rio Ferdinand more specifically, once again failed to deal with a long ball forward.
The result was all the more impressive considering Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez had to cope with an enforced late change to his plans after Alvaro Arbeloa injured his calf in the pre-match warm-up.
The unexpected blow forced Jamie Carragher into occupying the right-back position, a post the centre-back is not entirely comfortable in, with Sami Hyypia starting in the middle.
But Liverpool had Carragher to thank after just three minutes, the defender finding himself in a more central position to make a crucial block on Park's shot from that seemed destined to cause Reina problems.
Reina proved to be a central character during the opening period, and not just for his error of judgement for the penalty. The Spaniard looked shaky on crosses and his spill from Ronaldo's 34th minute free-kick - with the score level at 1-1 - nearly led to a second for United - only his quick reaction prevented Carlos Tevez pouncing from close range.
Michael Carrick, off-form by his high standards this season, then fashioned a chance for United to re-take the lead on 42 minutes with a neat turn but his shot flew just over the bar.
United, roared on by a vocal crowd, started the second period strongly and of the two sides, it was the hosts who looked the more likely after the break to grab the next goal.
Ronaldo struck a post with a mis-hit cross soon after the restart before Wayne Rooney and then Tevez - preferred to Dimitar Berbatov in Alex Ferguson's starting line-up - were given shooting opportunities.
Rooney brought Reina into action, but Tevez failed to work the Liverpool keeper, screwing his effort wide of the upright after having turned on the edge of the box.
But the dismissal of Vidic - and Aurelio's stunning strike from the resulting free-kick - effectively put paid to United's hopes of getting back into the game as Liverpool began to enjoy themselves with the final whistle approaching.
Even before Dossena swooped at the death, Liverpool would have grabbed another had Gerrard not blazed over from Ryan Babel's cute back heel.
No matter; Liverpool did go on to get a fourth, sealing a famous win over their bitter rivals as Benitez recorded a 100th Premier League victory.
Com`on you Reds,...
Following a thrilling 4-0 midweek win over Real Madrid in the Champions League, Liverpool cut the gap on leaders United to four points thanks to goals by Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Fabio Aurelio and Andrea Dossena.
United, who had Nemanja Vidic dismissed in the second half, took the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo only for Liverpool to fight back and give their title hopes receive a huge shot in the arm, even though United still have a game in hand on their rivals from Merseyside.
Ronaldo's opener came from a well-taken spot kick on 22 minutes after Pepe Reina had brought down Park Ji-Sung with a reckless challenge in the Liverpool penalty area.
But United's lead lasted just six minutes as the visitors launched a thrilling comeback, sparked by two uncharacteristic errors from a defensive unit that has been lauded for much of the season.
First, the usually unflappable Vidic opted to allow a long Martin Skrtel clearance to bounce, allowing the snappy Torres to apply pressure on him. The Serb duly cracked as he was outmuscled by the Liverpool striker, who ran in on goal and beat Edwin van der Sar with a typically cool finish.
And then just before half-time, Patrice Evra - much like Reina before him - made a terrible error of judgement with a trip on Gerrard as the Liverpool skipper burst into the United box.
As with the earlier penalty, referee Alan Wiley had no choice but to point to the spot, from where Gerrard kept his nerve to fire past Van der Sar and put Liverpool into a half-time lead.
United started the second half with real intent, but another awkward moment from Vidic in the 76th minute when the Serb failed to control the ball on his thigh allowed Gerrard to rob him and burst forward.
Vidic completed a miserable personal afternoon by hauling down Gerrard and promptly receiving a red card - his second against Liverpool this season, having already been dismissed at Anfield in September. To make matters worse for United, Aurelio stepped up to fire the resulting free-kick into the top right hand corner to put Liverpool 3-1 up.
Substitute Andrea Dossena completed the rout in stoppage time with a fine chip over Van der Sar after the United back line, Rio Ferdinand more specifically, once again failed to deal with a long ball forward.
The result was all the more impressive considering Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez had to cope with an enforced late change to his plans after Alvaro Arbeloa injured his calf in the pre-match warm-up.
The unexpected blow forced Jamie Carragher into occupying the right-back position, a post the centre-back is not entirely comfortable in, with Sami Hyypia starting in the middle.
But Liverpool had Carragher to thank after just three minutes, the defender finding himself in a more central position to make a crucial block on Park's shot from that seemed destined to cause Reina problems.
Reina proved to be a central character during the opening period, and not just for his error of judgement for the penalty. The Spaniard looked shaky on crosses and his spill from Ronaldo's 34th minute free-kick - with the score level at 1-1 - nearly led to a second for United - only his quick reaction prevented Carlos Tevez pouncing from close range.
Michael Carrick, off-form by his high standards this season, then fashioned a chance for United to re-take the lead on 42 minutes with a neat turn but his shot flew just over the bar.
United, roared on by a vocal crowd, started the second period strongly and of the two sides, it was the hosts who looked the more likely after the break to grab the next goal.
Ronaldo struck a post with a mis-hit cross soon after the restart before Wayne Rooney and then Tevez - preferred to Dimitar Berbatov in Alex Ferguson's starting line-up - were given shooting opportunities.
Rooney brought Reina into action, but Tevez failed to work the Liverpool keeper, screwing his effort wide of the upright after having turned on the edge of the box.
But the dismissal of Vidic - and Aurelio's stunning strike from the resulting free-kick - effectively put paid to United's hopes of getting back into the game as Liverpool began to enjoy themselves with the final whistle approaching.
Even before Dossena swooped at the death, Liverpool would have grabbed another had Gerrard not blazed over from Ryan Babel's cute back heel.
No matter; Liverpool did go on to get a fourth, sealing a famous win over their bitter rivals as Benitez recorded a 100th Premier League victory.
Com`on you Reds,...
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