Russia

Zenit St Petersburge mbroiled in talks with Arsenal over Andrei Arshavin, about the deal should be done within 10 days.

There remains a major sticking point in negotiations, however. The Russians are demanding over €20 million, a fee which would seriously test Arsene Wenger’s low-budget philosophy – and perhaps empty the club’s tightly buttoned wallet.

The 27 older forward – who said not too long ago that he’d prefer to join Barcelona, Chelsea or Manchester United – seems confident that the move will go through.
“I hope the clubs can come to an agreement,” he added in The Daily Mail.
Arshavin has spent his entire career to date at Zenit.
He has played over 300 games with his hometown club, tallying 71 goals and 106 assists.

Economic downturn has led Andrei Arshavin to reduce his price...

Arshavin’s decision to protect himself against the economic downturn has led him to reduce his price…

Britain and Russia suggest that Andrei Arshavin is willing to take a pay cut in order to finalize a deal with Arsenal.

The economic downturn has left clubs with more modest budget constraints and Zenit are likely to accept less than £20 million for the 27-year-old.

The global credit crunch has also led Arshavin to the decision to accept a lower wage at the Emirates than what was on offer at the Petrovsky Stadium.

Arshavin’s wage in the €70,000 bracket, a sum which is unlikely to be commanded at Arsenal.
As such, the player is ready to knock down his price.

Midfield options have been hindered by injuries to captain Cesc Fabregas, Czech schemer Tomas Rosicky and winger Theo Walcott.

Captain Fab will be out of action until the start of spring.

Aresenal captain Cesc Fabregas will out of action for the next four months. The midfielder was injured in the last premier league match against the All Reds. The match was ended 1-1 draw.

Cesc is consoled by Manuel Almunia after he was forced to limp out of the match.

The Spanish player hobbled out of the game at half-time after coming off second best in challenge with his country man Xabi Alonso. He was then replaced by Abou Diaby immmediately.

It was confirmed shortly afterwards that the veteran midfielder had damaged the medial ligaments of his right knee and he has been scheduled for a series of scans throughout the week.

An unnamed source said in The Sun: “He has been told he will not be available until the end of March, which means he will miss the next round of the Champions League and a number of crucial Premier League matches.”

He will be expected to miss a series of crucial games in the Premier League and the Champions League.

Liverpool´s Robbie Keane celebrates his goal against Arsenal during a Premiership match at the Emirates Stadium, London. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Liverpool only managed to get a point, holding by the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal also survived to not to loose the match after their hitman Emmanuel Adebayor’s controversial dismissal.

Both the teams started the match hoping for the victory. But both of them failed.

Arsene Wenger’s side were reduced to 10 men early in the second half at the Emirates Stadium when referee showed Togo striker Adebayor a second yellow card for barging into Alvaro Arbeloa.

The Gunners took the lead in the first half through Robin van Persie before Robbie Keane equalized.

Liverpool were without their boss Benitez, who was recovering from surgery. Lucas Leiva and Emiliano Insua also featured in place of the injured Andrea Dossena and flu victim Javier Mascherano.

The Gunners made the only change in the starting line up, replacing Abou Diaby with Samir Nasri.

Van Persie scoring the only goal for Arsenal against Liverpool in the English Premier League last night

Both the teams were playing cautiously. But among them Arsenal were more aggressive. They controlled the ball more than the All Reds. That is why their possession of the ball is much more than Liverpool.

Both teams had some small attackes. Steven Gerrard firing straight at Manuel Almunia after some good hold up play by Robbie Keane before Emmanuel Adebayor’s header from Bacary Sagna’s cross was claimed by Pepe Reina.

Suddenly there was more energy to Arsenal. They snapped into tackles and zipped the ball about with intent before conjuring a sublime goal in the 24th minute.

It was a glorious goal. A superb 60 yard pass from Nasri, which is found by van Persie on the edge of the box. The Dutchman received the ball on the chest to down, before a superb second touch took the ball away from Jamie Carragher and allowed him space to slam it home right footed but Robbie Keane punished poor defending to draw Liverpool level before half-time.

After the first goal Arsenal looed relaxed. Their defense was full os mistakes. And they paid for that.

The number of phone conversations going on down on the Liverpool bench suggested Benitez, in touch from his sick bed, wasn’t a happy man. But he would have been celebrating in front of the television as Liverpool snatched an equaliser against the run of play in the 42nd minute.

Agger’s long punt forward should have been dealt with by Johan Djourou, but he allowed the ball to bounce past him and Keane took full advantage, sprinting clear of the Arsenal defender before driving a first-time shot past Almunia.

Emmanuel Adebayor is sent off against Liverpool.

Steven Gerrard should have put Liverpool ahead on the stroke of half-time when Dirk Kuyt crossed low into the six-yard box, but his stretching effort sailed over.

There were more bad news for the Gunners, when their captain Cesc Febregas limped off with a knee injury at half-time following a crunching tackle from Xabi Alonso, with Abou Diaby coming on for the Arsenal captain.

Liverpool picked up where they left off before the break and Lucas’s powerful shot from the edge of the area forced a fine save from Almunia.

Wenger’s side had just begun to build up a little momentum when Adebayor, already on a booking, sent Arbeloa sprawling in the 57th minute. Webb hesitated for a moment, then showed Adebayor a second yellow card to the fury of Wenger and the home fans.

Adebayor made little contact but the intent was there and Arsenal had to settle for a point that left both sides unsatisfied. Arsenal’s anger was clear and every Liverpool tackle was greeted with cries for booking.

The decision infuriated both the Arsenal crowd and a frustrated Arsene Wenger on the touchline and with the tempo well and truly raised, the tackles began to fly in with Sagna and van Persie both going into the book for rash challenges, swiftly followed by Jamie Carragher.

But after that Arsenal looked more energetic. They were keen to score a goal. Liverpoll played badly at that time. Indeed the closest the visitors came was a speculative shot from range by Agger that just missed the top corner and a header from substitute El Zhar that flew inches wide.

It was not enough and Liverpool, unable to make their man advantage count, had to settle for a draw and what they may feel is a missed opportunity.

The Gunners boss has voiced his confusion over the Reds

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger revealed he felt his side would have beaten Liverpool if striker Emmanuel Adebayor had not been sent off.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, the Arsenal boss rued the sending off. He said: “I believe that staying with 11 men we would have won this game. We were a bit nervy at the start. And in the first half I felt we played a bit too deep in our midfield and didn’t have enough control of the game.”

However, the Frenchman also admitted he was proud of his players’ battling display. Wenger explained: “I think I am very proud of the spirit we have shown overall and the strength that we finished the game with.”

The point keeps Arsenal in fifth place in the Premier League and Wenger hailed their overall display. He concluded: “I believe that this time had to swim against the stream. I see them behave every day, I know how strong they are, how united they are and that came out today.”

Official man-of-the-match van Persie was happy with his goal. “If you look at the goal it was a nice goal, one touch on my chest. It was a good goal,” he told Sky sports though when asked whether it had been “Bergkampesque,” added: “I’m not sure about that.”

On the sending off incident, van Persie continued: “I did not see it but he (Adebayor) told me he did not touch him so I have to believe him.”

Reds boss Rafa Benitez, watching from his sick bed after an operation to remove kidney stones, must have been frustrated at Liverpool’s failure to make their one-man advantage count.

There won’t be much Christmas cheer in the Benitez household if Chelsea take advantage of Liverpool’s slip to go top with a win at Everton on Monday.

GOALS

Arsenal (van Persie, 24)

Liverpool (Keane, 42)

Line Ups

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Djourou, Gallas, Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas (Diaby, 46), Song, Nasri (Eboue, 90 +1), Adebayor, Van Persie.

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Kuyt, Lucas (Ngog, 88), Alonso, Riera (Babel, 71), Gerrard, Keane (El Zhar, 81).

Watch the goals and highlights of the match

Emmanuel Adebayor headed the visitors in front after 17 minutes from Cesc Fabregas’s corner.

But Boro hit back and former Gunners striker Jeremie Aliadiere headed a fine equaliser from Tuncay Sanli’s fierce cross 12 minutes later.

Robin van Persie wasted a good chance after the break, while keeper Manuel Almunia parried Stewart Downing’s shot.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will view this as two points wasted as they try to keep in touch with the title pace-setters – seeing his side dominate possession but fail to take advantage.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate saw his revamped defence hold firm in the closing stages to earn a valuable point.

Wenger’s side opened with real intent, with Van Persie shooting just wide after a glorious passing move and Abou Diaby forcing Boro keeper Ross Turnbull into a block at his near post.

And the Gunners took a deserved lead after 17 minutes, although Southgate will be furious at his defence for allowing Adebayor so much time and space to head home Fabregas’s corner.

Diaby then tested Turnbull again after another corner caused more problems, before Middlesbrough hit back with a surprise equaliser after 29 minutes.

Tuncay was the creator with an instant driven cross, with Aliadiere reacting first to get in ahead of William Gallas and flash a fine header beyond Almunia.

The visitors were given a reprieve by referee Peter Walton five minutes later when he waved away justified penalty appeals as Adam Johnson tumbled under a challenge from Gael Clichy.

The visitors re-asserted their supremacy after the interval, but Middlesbrough were always a threat on the break.

And it took a fine save from Almunia to turn Downing’s shot to safety after Arsenal had been caught out by a raking pass from Julio Arca.

But most of the action was at the opposite end, with Van Persie shooting across the face of the goal from Diaby’s pass and then blasting over.

Diaby shot straight at Turnbull as Arsenal enjoyed plenty of possession without creating many clear-cut opportunities.

The Gunners introduced Nicklas Bendtner in the closing stages, and he almost made an impact as he forced Turnbull into another block at his near post, then headed off target when well placed.

They were Arsenal’s final chances of a frustrating afternoon as Boro held out for a draw.

Van Persie congratulated his teammates after a superb win in the London derby.

Arsenal came from behind to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, courtesy of a Robin van Persie brace.

The Gunners came from a goal down to win 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in a closely fought encounter, with van Persie grabbing both of the Gunners’ goals in a matter of a few second half minutes.

Arsenal arrived at Stamford Bridge hoping to bounce back from consecutive league defeats and with Cesc Fabregas leading the Gunners out for the first time in the Premier League.

Arsene Wenger was boosted by the return of Emmanuel Adebayor who partnered Robin van Persie up front with Bacary Sagna returning at right back and Samir Nasri restored to midfield.

Chelsea, meanwhile were without Joe Cole and the banned Didier Drogba with Luiz Felipe Scolari deciding to recall Deco after his Champions League suspension and Saloman Kalou.

The home side certainly began the brighter, anxious to improve on a home record that has appeared less than invincible this season.

Yet Arsenal weathered the initial onslaught and new captain Fabregas was the first to try his luck, forcing Petr Cech into a save just after the ten minute mark.

The Czech parried the ball which almost fell to William Gallas, of all people, for a tap in however the ball fell agonisingly behind the onrushing defender.

Indeed mid-way through the opening period Scolari’s men almost opened the scoring after a superb move.

William Gallas and Cesc Fabregas were key figures against Chelsea in a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge

However, just on the half hour mark the home side finally made the breakthrough. A poor throw out by Almunia saw Chelsea regain quickly possession before a wicked ball in by Bosingwa was diverted by Djourou past his own goalkeeper.

Minutes later and Scolari’s men almost doubled their lead. Deco played a cute ball through to Kalou but Sagna was on hand to make a great saving challenge and clear the danger.

The Blues came out for the second period in much the same mood with Lampard almost making it two, five minutes after half-time.

Arsenal, by contrast, were struggling to get into the match yet they managed to pull one back against the run of play just before the hour mark.

A long ball forward was headed down by Adebayor and fell to Nasri who poked it across to Denilson. The Brazilian then slipped it to a suspiciously offside looking van Persie to rifle home from the edge of the box.

Minutes later and matters got even worse for Chelsea as Arsenal took the lead. Fabregas drifted a free kick into the box which was headed down again by Adebayor and van Persie on the turn fired it home low and into the far corner to give the Gunners the lead.

Chelsea were stunned and with few options on the bench chose to bring on one of their few attacking options Malouda replaced Mikel.

Yet whilst they saw plenty of the ball they rarely threatened Almunia and it was Arsenal who were looking the more dangerous side on the break, unafraid to commit numbers forward.

Arsene Wenger watches from the touchline as his Arsenal side claim a jubilant win over chelsea

In the end it was fairly comfortable for the Gunners who held on to hand Fabregas a first league win as skipper and what must be a hugely satisfying result for Arsene Wenger.

Scolari and Chelsea, meanwhile, have much to ponder and after toiling at Stamford Bridge yet again may just be relieved that their next fixture is away from home.

The result means Arsenal climb back into the top four in the Premier League table and get their title bid back on track.

Dutch striker van Persie feels that Arsenal showed great strength and character to come from a goal down to win the game.

Speaking to Sky Sports hee said, “It was a big win. In the last 20 minutes we showed a lot of character and discipline so the whole team deserve a big compliment. When you are playing against Chelsea on their own ground and go 1-0 down, you know it’s going to be really difficult. To win the game in the end and the way we did it was great for the team. Today is not my day, it’s our day. I was the one who scored the two goals but that doesn’t really matter. It was the whole squad that did it.”

But at the end of the game van Persie hugged his team mate Gallas and said, “There wasn’t a problem at all between [himself and Gallas]. He’s a respectable colleague of mine and a good player.”

“It gives us the belief we can come back, but what kind of impact it will have on Chelsea, I do not know,” said Wenger after the game.

“It was a massive win for us. To lose would have put us 13 points away and that would have been too much.”

And he praised his team’s resilience and character to put the recent turbulent times at the club behind them and fight back to win the game.

“We were unlucky to be 1-0 down at half-time and slowly moved on top and won the battle in the middle of the park. I am a very, very happy man tonight and we have now beaten Manchester United and Chelsea in a convincing way.”

“It is still hard [to win the title], but not impossible. Now it is down to our desire to win in the coming months,” he said.

A furious Luiz Felipe Scolari just wants the ref to say 'sorry', not give him three points

When Robin van Persie equalised for Arsenal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge today he was in an offside position.

That’s what Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari thinks and he wants an apology from referee Mike Dean as to why he didn’t see it the same way.

“I want only after tomorrow that he (Dean) looks at the TV and the referee and the linesman see they are wrong, and they say ‘sorry’,” said ‘Big Phil’, speaking after the match.

“That is all I want, no more, because they were not good and made a mistake. We need a referee that comes to Stamford Bridge who referees for both sides, not just for one.

“Have you ever heard me speak about referees any time in the games I have been here? Never, in 15 in the Premier League, four in the Champions League, the Carling Cup, I have not said anything, but today is different.”

“I do not want three points, all I want is them to say sorry it was a mistake, because in the first half, the same linesman made a mistake against us with (Salomon) Kalou,” he went on.

“He is human and he can make a mistake, but the offside has killed my team. I just want them to say they are wrong, because I am wrong when I put some players in, or the players are wrong when they make a mistake in front of goal or are not covering. These are all wrong, but the referee is never wrong. I do not think they came here to deliberately make a mistake against us.”

Scolari also felt that the referee’s decisions had had a deep psychological effect on his team who found it hard to lift themselves to fight back after the equaliser had gone in.

As it stands, Arsenal are now in fourth place and sit seven points behind Chelsea. In this highly competitive Premier League season that is not an insurmountable margin and Scolari would seem to be worried.

GOALS

1-0 Chelsea (Djourou o.g., 30)

1-1 Arsenal (van Persie, 59)

1-2 Arsenal (van Persie, 61)

Line Ups:

Chelsea: Cech; Bosingwa; Ivanovic, Terry, Ashley Cole, Mikel (Malouda, 69); Ballack, Deco (Stoch, 80), Lampard; Kalou, Anelka.

Arsenal: Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Djourou, Clichy; Denilson, Fabregas, Song, Nasri; Adebayor (Bendtner, 83), Van Persie.

Watch goals and Highlights of this match:

Chelsea - Arsenal: Where The Game Will Be Won And Lost

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stressed that the Gunners want to get back into the title race, and that the only way they can do so is by winning their game on Sunday against current Premier League leaders Chelsea, who have a ten-point lead over Wenger’s side.

Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Chelsea counterpart for whom Wenger has a great deal of respect, does not accept that victory for the Blues this weekend would effectively knock Arsenal out of the hunt. The Brazilian insists that English football is so competitive that a team can be 15 points behind with five games to go and still not be ruled out of contention.

EPL: Frank Lampard - Francesc Fabregas, Chelsea - Arsenal

Most pundits favour the Blues to beat the under-fire Gunners – and in turn many fans and neutrals feel that if Chelsea do manage to open up a 13-point gap on their London rivals before the start of December, Arsenal might as well start concentrating on the cups.

Wenger has admitted that head-to-head confrontations with fellow ‘Big Four’ members become critical when you are as far off the pace as Arsenal find themselves. But Scolari acknowledges that Wenger’s team play good football, and feels it will be a difficult game for Chelsea to win, although he is looking forward to pitting his wits against his old friend, who was coaching with him in Japan in the mid-1990s.

Scolari said this week of Wenger: “I like him as a coach. If I chose five coaches in the world as the best, he’d be one of the five. “I watched their game against Manchester United and it was one of the best games in the Premier League. This game against Chelsea will be like that as well.”

Wenger: We're At Our Best Against The Best

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists that his side won’t be going into the big match against Chelsea with any sort of inferiority complex as they are one for one in their only game as a direct rival this season.

“This season we have played better against the top four,” Wenger was keen to point out in the pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s match away to Chelsea.

“We cannot deny that because we lost against the teams who are not maybe favourites to play in the top four. Why? Maybe because they play a different type of football. I believe as well that some teams like Man City and Aston Villa have strengths and can give a game to anybody. Aston Villa could have beaten Manchester United last Sunday and we had the bad luck to play Man City and Aston Villa when they were in great form.”

Scolari On Arsenal Clash: The Kind Of Game I Came For

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari admits he is counting the hours ahead of his first chance to pit his wits against Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

“It is one of the big games, but in my mind when I play against Arsenal, Manchester or Everton, every club is a big game for me, because when we lose three points maybe we are out,” he told the club’s official website.

“This is what I try to say to my players, that we are not motivated for just this game against Arsenal, we need to play every day and every game with this same motivation, and we need to try and win. There is no difference. When I came to Chelsea I looked at the table from last season and saw when Manchester United were nine points behind, but in the second leg they became champions.”

“When I came to Chelsea I looked at the table from last season and saw when Manchester United were nine points behind, but in the second leg they became champions. It will be a very good game, I like this game and I think Arsene likes this game. I looked in this Premier League and I think after tomorrow our game is the same as Arsenal against Manchester United. All over the world they’ll write about this game and for us coaches, it is very good.”

Match Preview:

Defence

Each manager emphasises the use of the full-backs. Arsene Wenger welcomes Bacary Sagna back into the side. Each manager emphasises the use of the full-backs. Arsene Wenger welcomes Bacary Sagna back into the side. Arsenal defended admirably and stubbornly against Manchester United. A few lapses were evident, but when the going got tough the last ditch tackles, interceptions, and blocks, were instigated by William Gallas. After a performance to forget midweek, together with the prospect of facing a former club and the fact that he is a big-game player, the chances are that Gallas will be key to Arsenal’s chances.

A lot of Chelsea’s attacking flow stems from the bombarding charges of their full-backs: Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa. Scolari on the touchline he never stops shouting at the full-back who is closest to the dugout: urging him on, ordering the overlap, pulling him back, and so on. There is a large emphasis placed by the Brazilian on the pace from the wide areas of defence, and both Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy may be restricted in their own forward game, unless they get cover from Alexandre Song and Denilson.

Midfield

Interesting battles will develop all over the central areas. For starters Chelsea, for all their expensive acquistions, have failed to bring in pace in the middle of the park. They have runners, but no electric acceleration, and with Arsenal liking to play a possessional passing game, and with Fabregas nearly getting back to his best with a good step in the right direction in the Champions League, the Gunners may be able to get behind Chelsea’s midfield.

While much has already been said of the masterly stroke that Fabregas can apply on the ball, the same can be said of Frank Lampard. There are not many who can play a long curving ball with the outside of the boot, but this is one Lampard revels in. Not only can he pick a match-winning assist, but he has a rocket shot, and his running can either detract a marker away – clearing space for a team-mate, or he can receive the ball himself. It will be interesting to see how Wenger lines his midfield up to counter Frankie’s threat.

And don’t forget Nasri, who is in top form.

Attack

Didier Drogba is banned. He is an unforgiving forward. for Chelsea fans, that Frenchman and former Gunner Nicolas Anelka is riding the wave of some fine form (and keeping Drogba benched anyway) having recorded a dozen Premier League goals in 14 match-days. Mikael Silvestre and William Gallas will therefore need to stay strong and disciplined which, if the Manchester United game was anything to go by, they are able to do.

Emmanuel Adebayor will likely get the nod for Arsenal up top, replacing Nicklas Bendtner leading the line, with Van Persie dropping a little deeper. Should the game need an injection of pace later on the game, then Carlos Vela may get a big game bow.

With Cesc Fabregas playing more and more balls over the top of late due to playing a deeper role while partnering Denilson, Terry will need to be on guard against the long ranging ball over the top, a pass that Dynamo Kyiv came unstuck against in midweek after Nicklas Bendtner controlled the ball well, thighed it sideways, and finished well to claim three points.

What are your thoughts about this particular game?? Do you think Chealse will win or your vote for the gunners. Will Terry come unstuck against a targetman he rates so highly? Do you think Chelsea’s superior names in midfield will be too much for Denilson and Song to contain, or will Fabregas revel in the ‘quarterback’ role now Adebayor is back in the side? How will Gallas and Cole fare against their former clubs?

Speciallysports.com wants to know your opinion……..

Keep on touch for the review, news, vidoez and much more of this game………………..

Arsenal´ Spanish footballer Cesc Fabregastakes in action in CL against Dynamo

A goal three minutes from time at the Emirates put Arsenal into the knock-out stage of the Champions League for the sixth successive season and lifted some of the negativity that had surrounded the Gunners in recent days…

The new Arsenal era under the leadership of 21-year-old Cesc Fabregas got underway at the Emirates against Dynamo Kiev with as much focus on the man he succeeded, William Gallas, as on the Catalan playmaker himself.

Manager Arsene Wenger, unable to call on eight injured first-teamers, selected a starting XI team that included youngsters Aaron Ramsey, Carlos Vela and Johan Djourou – and with a bench populated by five teenagers.

After three defeats in four matches, the storm of controversy generated by William Gallas’s rant against his team-mates and the France defender’s subsequent replacement as captain by Cesc Fabregas, Wenger was more concerned with the positive effect on the team’s morale.

Arsenal were playing some neat football, but lacking a cutting edge, and Dynamo were organised and very solid in defence, showing why they have conceded relatively few goals in this European campaign. The Gunners were missing Emmanuel Adebayor’s forward runs and leadership of the line, and the counter-attacking wing speed and trickery of Theo Walcott, with Denilson peripheral on the flank.

On the stroke of half-time Gallas flicked the ball into the net from a corner but the Kiev defence had moved out en masse and the ex-captain was left in an offside position, as the linesman’s flag confirmed.

Shortly after the start of the second-half, Fabregas took a free-kick from wide on the left and the ball broke to Van Persie who fired at goal, but the ball struck the hapless Gallas, who effectively but unwittingly blocked it just in front of the line.

Dynamo were playing at a higher tempo, with Aliev more influential. He fired at goal and Almunia had to smother it with Bangoura ready to snap up any loose ball.

In response, Wenger made his first change after 69 minutes, sending on the pink-booted Nicklas Bendtner for Ramsey.

When the ill-at-ease Song brought down Artem Milevskiy, Wenger used the moment to send on Jack Wilshere for Vela, and so make Wilshere the youngest Arsenal player to appear in senior European competition. From the resulting free-kick, Milevskiy had a chance to score but was superbly thwarted by the alert Almunia, who saved at point-blank range to give Arsenal a mighty reprieve.

And almost immediately after that, the Gunners scored the decisive goal.
After the referee stopped play so that Djourou could receive treatment, he restarted it with a dropped ball. Fabregas won it, and as Kiev players backed off, he hit a sublime long pass into the path of Bendtner, who chested it down, took it forward and shot low into the net between Bogush and his near post. The Kiev players were angry about the goal, but basically they lost concentration, fatally as it happened.

As Wenger celebrated the goal, he saw not only a chance for Arsenal to extend their European campaign, but a cathartic moment for his players. “It is the first step for us. What the team needs is reassurance and at least we have that now,” he said. “We left it late and we were more steady than spectacular, but it was important to come back and win. Nicklas scored a great goal. It was not handball as Kiev claimed. You can watch it on the replay. It was a fantastic ball from Fabregas, good composure and a good finish. I am very happy for him because I felt he had showed a lack of confidence recently.”

“We were more or less equal with Arsenal and we played well but the result is what counts,” Dynamo coach Yuri Semin said.

LINE-UPS:

Arsenal: Almunia, Djourou, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas, Song Billong, Ramsey, Vela, Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Wilshere, Bendtner, Gibbs, Hoyte, Merida, Simpson.

Dynamo Kiev: Bogush, Betao, Diakhate, Asatiani, El Kaddouri, Eremenko, Vukojevic, Ghioane, Aliev, Milevskiy, Bangoura.
Subs: Shovkovskiy, Dopilka, Sablic, Correa, Shatskikh, Cernat, Yarmolenko.

Goals and Highlights in Arsenal Vs Dynamo Kiev: