Arsenal slip up against in form Wigan

Arsenal lost the chance to go 8 points clear of Spurs in third place as they lost 2-1 against relegation battlers Wigan at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night. The Gunners conceded two goals in as many minutes as Di Santo and Gomez struck for the visiting side and despite Vermaelen's goal half way through the first half, Wigan held on for a vital 3 points. It left Arsenal ruing the chance to extend their lead over their North London rivals in the battle for Champions League football next season, and with Chelsea coming up on Saturday the loss could look more damaging if they are to lose that match. Arsenal made one change to the side that beat Wolves in midweek as Tomas Rosicky came in for Aaron Ramsey. Johan Djourou kept his place in the side as Koscielny continued his two match suspension.

Thomas Vermaelen's headed goal wasn't enough as Arsenal lost to Wigan

The first chance of the match fell Arsenal's way as Bacary Sagna curled the ball into the box to find Benayoun who found room inbetween two Wigan defenders but could only head the ball over the bar.

However, just seven minutes into the game, Wigan took the lead. They managed to catch Arsenal out on the counter attack as Gomez got forward before finding Di Santo who flicked the ball off Szczesny and put the ball into an empty net.

A minute later Wigan found themselves two goals up. Victor Moses did brilliantly down the left hand side to beat Sagna and then find a cross which Szczesny was unable to hold onto and Gomez was left with an easy finish.

Yossi Benayoun then had another chance to score with his head from Rosicky's cross but Al Habsi pulled off a brilliant save to deny the Isrealian who looked to already be off celebrating.

Arsenal were putting plenty of balls into the box and it finally paid off as Thomas Vermaelen headed home from a Rosicky cross to put the Gunners back into the match.

Robin Van Persie then tested Al Habsi for the first time in the match as he played a one-two with Ramsey before smashing a shot from distance which was parried out for a corner.

Djourou was next to have an effort on goal in a period of first half dominance from Arsenal.
Benayoun's cross was only headed out as far as Djourou by Caldwell who poked a shot just wide of the post.

The score at half time was 2-1 to Wigan.

Arsenal started the second half as they finished the first half and got straight back at Wigan. Andre Santos had two efforts on goal, one was blocked and the second almost found Van Persie but the ball just eluded him and the chance had gone.

Wigan then came close to extending their lead as Moses got the better of Sagna before cutting inside and hitting a shot which Szczesny managed to beat away.

Santos was then allowed to get forward again.Van Persie managed to get to the byline and pull the ball back into the path of the left back but instead of leaving the ball for Vermaelen, who would have been in a more promising position, Santos decided to take the ball himself and scuff his shot wide.

The final score finished Arsenal 1-2 Wigan.

The teams lineups:

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Djourou(74), Vermaelen, Santos, Song, Arteta(8), Rosicky, Benayoun(60), Walcott, Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Gibbs, Squillaci, Ramsey(8), Gervinho(60), Oxlade-Chamberlain(74), Chamakh.

Wigan: Al Habsi, Alcaraz, Caldwell, Figueroa, Boyce, Beausejour, McCarthy, McArthur, Gomez(86), Moses, Di Santo(75).
Subs: Pollitt, Stam, Diame(86), Watson, Jones, McManaman, Sammon(75).

My man of the match: Tomas Rosicky

Referee: Andre Marriner
Attendance: 60,060

Van Persie, Walcott and Benayoun seal comfortable away victory

Arsenal managed to complete an easy victory over Wolves on Wednesday night at Molineux as goals from Van Persie, Walcott and Benayoun extended the gap between them and Spurs in the chase for Champions League football next season. Wolves are almost certain to go down and their bid to stay in the top flight wasn't helped as Bassong was sent off early on, giving Arsenal a penalty. It was converted confidently by the skipper and then two minutes later the lead was doubled through Walcott which effectively ended the match. Arsenal made a few changes to the side that had beaten City at the weekend as Djourou came in for the suspended Lauren Koscielny whilst Santos replaced the injured Gibbs. Tomas Rosicky was rested as Aaron Ramsey replaced him in the starting lineup.

 Benayoun hasn't been a regular this season but he showed his class, grabbing the Gunners third goal on the night

Just 9 minutes into the game Arsenal were awarded with a penalty after Walcott was brought down by Bassong who recieved a straight red card. Van Persie stepped up to take the penalty and chipped the ball straight down the middle and into the back of the net for his first goal in 4 games.

Two minutes later, Arsenal were 2-0 ahead. Walcott played a one-two with Van Persie down the right hand side before getting into the penalty area and cooly slipping the ball past Hennessey.

Wolves' first chance of the match fell from a corner as Berra rose the highest from Kightly's delivery to head the ball off Djourou and out for another corner.

The half had seen little action since the opening stages after everything had seemed to go the Gunners way. Szczesny wasn't tested and for the rest of the first half neither team looked like scoring.

The score at half time was 2-0 to Arsenal.

The first real chance of the second half came to Arsenal as Arteta raced into the box before cutting the ball back to Van Persie who fired the ball just past the post.

Matt Jarvis then had a chance to take on Sagna down the left as he managed to cut inside the Arsenal right back before firing a shot wide.

Wolves were having their best spell of the game and Szczesny was called into action for the first time as he managed to pull off a brilliant save to deny Kevin Doyle's header.

Arsenal were then finally able to get their third goal. Van Persie played in Song who then layed the ball off to Benayoun on the edge of the area who struck a shot which comfortably found the net.

Benayoun then almost had his second of the game as Song poked the ball through to him but Hennessey came out of his goal to deny the on loan midfielder from scoring.

Aaron Ramsey was the next man to see an effort kept out. Van Persie got the better of Berra before cutting the ball back to Ramsey who smashed his shot straight at the Wolves goalkeeper.

However, Wolves were pushing for a consolation goal which could be vital come the end of the season but Szczesny was at his best to keep out Milijas at his near post.

The final score ended Wolves 0-3 Arsenal.

The teams lineups:

Wolves: Hennessey, Stearman, Zubar, Bassong, Ward, Davis(10), Henry, Kightly, Jarvis, Edwards(53), Doyle(78).
Subs: De Vries, Berra(10), Johnson, Milijas(53), Forde, Fletcher(78), Ebanks-Blake.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna(84), Djourou, Vermaelen, Santos, Song, Arteta, Ramsey, Benayoun, Walcott(76), Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Jenkinson(84), Squillaci, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain(76), Park, Chamakh.

My man of the match: Theo Walcott

Referee: Neil Swarbrick
Attendance: 25,815

Late Arteta strike halters City's title chances

Mikel Arteta managed to all but end Manchester City's title chances as the Spaniard fired home a shot from distance late on to win the game for Arsenal at the Emirates on Easter Day. It sealed a deserved win and the sense of faultering Man City's title chances, especially with the likes of Ex-Gunner, Samir Nasri in their squad, made the victory even sweeter. Arsenal also managed to take advantage of Spurs draw the day before to rise to third in the table once more. To complete City's misery Mario Balotelli was sent off in the dying moments of the game on what was an especially bad day for him as he was lucky to still be on the pitch come half time. Arsenal made one change to the side that lost to QPR last weekend as Yossi Benayoun replaced Ramsey out wide. However Gervinho missed the game altogether through injury as Carl Jenkinson took his place on the substitutes bench. Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri who had moved to Manchester City in the summer from the Gunners, both started.  

Mikel Arteta struck late on to win the game for Arsenal

The first chance of the game came to Arsenal. Sagna's cross was flicked through to Rosicky by Gibbs who unleashed a volley which deflected off Kompany and out for a corner.

From the resulting corner Van Persie had a great chance to give his side the lead. Arteta swung the ball in towards Van Persie who headed the ball towards goal but it was blocked on the line by his own team mate, Thomas Vermaelen.

Arsenal had dominated the early parts of the game but Kompany and Lescott at the heart of the City defence didn't look like conceding.

Manchester City's first chance fell to Mario Balotelli. The corner was played into the middle of the box to find an unmarked Balotelli whose shot was blocked by Gibbs near the goal line and then cleared away by Van Persie.

9 minutes before the break, Mario Balotelli looked to be clean through on goal after Nasri played the ball over the defence but Szczesny raced out of his goal to boot the ball clear.

The score at half time was 0-0.

The first chance of the half fell to the visitors. Samir Nasri clipped the ball into the box and found the head of Aguero whose header forced Szczesny into tipping the ball over the bar.

Yossi Benayoun then did well to create room to pull off a shot as he weaved his way past Zabaleta before hitting a shot from the edge of the box which lacked any real power and was saved by Hart.

Van Persie, as he did in the first half, then came incredibly close to giving Arsenal the lead. Song chipped the ball into the Gunners skipper but his header came back off the post.

It was turning out to be one of those days for Arsenal as again they came close to breaking the deadlock. Sagna managed to get to the byline before cutting the ball back to Walcott. His shot hit the post and then came to Vermaelen who from a few yards out scuffed his shot towards Benayoun who then somehow poked his shot wide from a yard out.

However, four minutes from time, Arsenal finally got their goal. Arteta dispossessed Pizarro before smashing a shot from distance beyond Joe Hart and into the back of the net.

It then went from bad to worse for City as Mario Balotelli slid in late on Sagna and the referee produced the second yellow card for Balotelli and he was sent off.

In the dying moments of the game the Gunners caught City on the break as Santos set Rosicky free and then slid the ball into Ramsey who went through on goal but he sliced his shot miles wide of the target.

The final score ended Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City.

The teams lineups:

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs(56), Song, Arteta, Rosicky, Benayoun(78), Walcott(86), Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Santos(56), Jenkinson, Djourou, Ramsey(78), Oxlade-Chamberlain(86), Chamakh.

Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Barry, Milner, Nasri(79), Toure(17), Aguero(84), Balotelli.
Subs: Pantilimon, Richards, Kolarov(79), De Jong, Pizarro(17), Dzeko, Tevez(84).

My man of the match: Mikel Arteta

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Attendance: 60,096

Winning run ends as QPR defeat Gunners

Arsenal's seven match winning run in the League finally came to an end on Saturday afternoon as Queens Park Rangers defeated the Gunners 2-1 at Loftus Road. It was not a game in which you would expect Arsenal to slip up in, especially after seven straight wins but with Ramsey playing out wide the game didn't have much width and Vermaelen having a pretty bad game in defence it looked like the Arsenal side that we saw play so terribly at the begining of the season. Arsenal's cause wasn't helped by Adel Taarabt who opened the scoring and was having his best game this season. However despite Walcott's goal before half time, Diakite scored just after the hour mark to give QPR a crucial three points in their battle to stay in the League. Arsenal made two changes for the London derby as Aaron Ramsey was played out of position at left midfield in place of Gervinho who was on the bench whilst Koscielny, who missed the Villa game with injury, replaced Djourou in the centre of defence.

Theo Walcott has started to regain his form towards the end of the season

The first chance of the game came from a Robin Van Persie free-kick. The Dutchman hit a low shot under the wall which almost found the bottom corner of the net but for Kenny in the QPR goal.

The hosts first chance also came from a free-kick. Adel Taarabt swung in a ball which found the head of Zamora who could only manage to put his opportunity over the crossbar.

Zamora then got another chance as he found room on the edge of the penalty area before firing a shot which was comfortably saved by Szczesny.

However on 22 minutes, Rangers took the lead. The ball was played forward from the back into the path of Taarabt who easily turned Vermaelen before going through on goal and slotting the ball past Szczesny for his first goal of the season.

8 minutes before half time, Arsenal equalised. Van Persie managed to poke the ball through to Walcott who then hit a shot which rebounded back off the post and then back to him for an easy finish from close range.

Aaron Ramsey then came close to giving the Gunners the lead as he picked up the ball on the edge of the area before striking a shot which went inches wide of the far post.

The score at half time was 1-1.

Shortly after the break, Kieran Gibbs came close to adding his second goal in as many games as Sagna's cross found him at the back post but his header bounced wide of Kenny's goal.

Van Persie, who had not scored in his last two games, then had a brilliant chance as he latched onto Song's ball but Paddy Kenny raced out of his goal to thwart the Premier League's top goal scorer.

Six minutes after the hour mark, Queens Park Rangers were back in front. Vermaelen slipped on the edge of the area which allowed Mackie to take advantage as he got into the penalty area before cutting the ball back to Diakite to smash the ball home.

Arsenal replied immediately with a chance to equalise as Rosicky drove a shot from outside the area but it lacked any power meaning Kenny made a comfortable save.

It was a game in which QPR deserved their lead and were denied late on as they looked to extend their grip on the game as Joey Barton's fierce effort was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Szczesny.

The final score finished QPR 2-1 Arsenal.

The teams lineups:

QPR: Kenny, Onuoha, Hill, Ferdinand, Taiwo, Derry, Diakite, Barton, Taarabt, Mackie, Zamora(90).
Subs: Cerny, Gabbidon, Young, Wright-Phillips(90), Buzsaky, Campbell, Bothroyd.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs(82), Song, Arteta(81), Ramsey(69), Rosicky, Walcott, Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Djourou, Santos, Benayoun, Gervinho(69), Oxlade-Chamberlain(81), Chamakh(82).

My man of the match: Theo Walcott

Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: 18,033