Robin van Persie smashed a hat-trick as Arsenal thrashed
10-man Blackburn 7-1 to win in the Premier League for
the first time this year.
• Wenger savours taste of victory
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also scored twice as Arsene
Wenger saw his team close to just two points behind
fourth-placed Chelsea.
Dutchman Van Persie fired the Gunners ahead inside
two minutes, but a fine free-kick from Morten Gamst
Pedersen brought Blackburn level.
Arsenal were soon back in front through skipper Van
Persie, before Oxlade-Chamberlain extended the lead.
Gael Givet saw red for a two-footed challenge on Van
Persie, and there was no way back for Rovers.
Arsenal dominated the second half, as Mikel Arteta
and the impressive Oxlade-Chamberlain were both on target
with Van Persie collecting the matchball following a
neat near-post finish just after the hour.
Substitute Thierry Henry swept home goal number seven
in stoppage time to cap a memorable afternoon at Emirates
Stadium.
The Gunners, who are up into fifth place, will be hoping
for a Manchester United win at Stamford Bridge tomorrow
to improve their Champions League prospects for next
season.
Today Wenger's side took just one minute and 19 seconds
to move ahead.
Theo Walcott was played into the right side of the
penalty area by Francis Coquelin after a cross was only
half cleared.
The England winger, frequently maligned for his poor
choice of final ball, played a low centre through the
six-yard box to Van Persie who tapped in his 121st Arsenal
goal to overtake Dennis Bergkamp on the all-time list.
Today's match had been brought forward to a 1pm start
because of disruptions to the London Underground network,
and there were plenty of empty seats around Emirates
Stadium.
Arsenal, who had not recorded a league win in 2012,
continued to press as the visitors, unbeaten in three
away games including a shock win at Old Trafford, defended
deep with two banks of four.
Paul Robinson turned a curling effort from Czech midfielder
Tomas Rosicky around the post.
But after 31 minutes, Laurent Koscielny bundled over
Anthony Modeste just outside the Arsenal penalty area.
It proved a costly foul as Gamst Pedersen whipped the
resulting free-kick over the wall and into the top-left
corner, a shot which Wojciech Szczesny got a hand to
but could not keep out.
After the restart, there was a stoppage when Blackburn's
Jason Lowe went over on his ankle in a sliding challenge
from Rosicky, and the midfielder was replaced by Bradley
Orr to make his debut.
Arsenal were ahead again after 38 minutes, and again
it was Walcott who was the provider.
Following patient build-up, Alex Song slipped the England
man away down the right again, and he sprinted to cut
the ball back from the goalline right into the path
of Van Persie, who again made no mistake from a yard
out.
Before Rovers could regroup, it was 3-1.
Walcott and Van Persie combined again, this time to
release Oxlade-Chamberlain into the Blackburn penalty
area, where he skipped around Robinson and slotted home
his first Premier League goal five minutes from half-time.
The afternoon got worse for the visitors after 43 minutes
when Givet was shown a straight red card by referee
Andre Marriner for jumping in with two feet on Van Persie.
Rovers made an immediate tactical change as midfielder
David Dunn was replaced by defender Grant Hanley.
The hosts went close again when Thomas Vermaelen crashed
the ball against the far post from Arteta's floated
cross.
Arsenal further extended their lead after 51 minutes.
Blackburn only half cleared a corner to the edge of
the area, from where Spaniard midfielder Arteta drilled
the ball back into the bottom left corner.
Rovers, who had beaten the Gunners 4-3 at Ewood Park
in September, were over-run again after 54 minutes when
Walcott's mazy dribble through the penalty area took
him past five defenders before slipping in Oxlade-Chamberlain,
who turned his marker and rolled the ball past Robinson.
It was now very much a case of damage limitation for
the visitors, manager Steve Kean pensively looking on
from the dugout.
Van Persie, who twice struck the woodwork in Wednesday
night's frustrating goalless draw at Bolton, completed
his hat-trick after 62 minutes when he clipped home
a cross from Coquelin at the near post.
Oxlade-Chamberlain was replaced by Henry for the final
23 minutes, which could not finish soon enough for Blackburn.
To round the scoring off, Henry - on loan from New
York Red Bulls - swept home number seven in stoppage
time, with the aid of a deflection.
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