Gunners blast away Rovers challenge
Dutch youngster Robin van Persie saw his side home with a brace
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Saturday, 23, Dec 2006 06:54
Arsenal came through a difficult afternoon at home to Blackburn Rovers to record a 6-2 win at the Emirates Stadium.
Despite what the scoreline may suggest, Blackburn were in contention for long periods of the game and it was only a late blizzard of goals from the Gunners that added such lustre to the victory.
Mark Hughes' side took the initiative when Shabani Nonda punished Kolo Toure's clumsy challenge on former Arsenal winger David Bentley with a clinically-dispatched penalty after just three minutes.
Arsene Wenger's men were stirred into action and roared back into the tie with goals from Gilberto, Alexander Hleb and Emnmanuel Adebayor before half-time.
Nonda's second after 70 minutes seemed to ensure a nerve-shredding finale for the home fans as their team hung on, but Robin van Persie's double strike and a goal from Mathieu Flamini in the closing stages guaranteed the win.
By contrast Bolton eased to a comfortable victory away to Manchester City as Nicolas Anelka returned to Eastlands to haunt his former employers.
The nomadic French striker scored in the 3-1 victory over another of his old clubs, Arsenal, last month and repeated the trick with a brace to consign Stuart Pearce's men to a 2-0 defeat.
Joey Barton's crude lunge on Abdoulaye Faye summed up the frustration of the hosts and was rightly punished with a dismissal.
Liverpool won by the same scoreline at home to Watford as second-half strikes from Craig Bellamy and Xabi Alonso saw the Reds keep hold of third spot.
It was the same outcome as well at the Riverside where Middlesbrough's win deepened the gloom around Charlton manager Les Reed.
Yakubu rounded Scott Carson for the first after half an hour and shortly after the start of the second half Julio Arca netted to wrap up a win that never looked in doubt once the opener went in.
Portsmouth recovered from an early setback to win 3-1 at home to Sheffield United and keep on track for a European spot.
Rob Hulse headed home Derek Geary's cross for his sixth league goal of the season after just seven minutes, but the visitors were quickly reeled in by the high-flying south coast side.
An own goal from the unfortunate Phil Jagielka a minute after the break was followed by strikes from two former Tottenham defenders Sol Campbell and Noe Pamerot.
Andrew Johnson rediscovered the goal trail with the opener in Everton's 2-0 away win at Reading's Madejski Stadium.
The former Crystal palace frontman scored after 15 minutes and then supplied the cross for team-mate James McFadden to seal the points.