AC Milan vs. Arsenal: Match Review

Arsenal progressed into the quarter-finals of the Champions League after knocking out holders AC Milan in their round of sixteen tie. The Gunners overcame a resilient Milan side after two late strikes sent the Rossoneri spinning out of European competition. It was Milan's first European loss at the San Siro. The two sides drew 0-0 in the first leg at the Emirates.

Milan worked hard, but the Gunners dominated for long spells of the game, with the Rossoneri looking their most dangerous on the counterattack. The game looked destined for extra-time until an incredible 25-yard strike from Cesc Fabregas hit the back of the Milan net. Arsenal wrapped up the game when Emmanuel Adebayor scored the Gunners' second in stoppage-time.

Lineups:
AC Milan: Zeljko Kalac; Paolo Maldini, Kakha Kaladze, Alessandro Nesta, Massimo Oddo; Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Massimo Ambrosini, Kaka; Alexander Pato, Filippo Inzaghi

Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Bacary Sagna, Philippe Senderos, William Gallas, Gael Clichy; Abou Diaby, Mathieu Flamini, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Eboue; Alex Hleb, Emmanuel Adebayor

Arsenal started brightly, denying Milan space in midfield down by closing them down quickly. Their hard work was rewarded when a chance opened up for Alex Hleb at the edge of the penalty after seven minutes, but the Belorussian midfielder, playing as a second striker behind Emmanuel Adebayor, crashed his drive well off target.

It was Milan who almost went ahead though, when a near-post flick from Paolo Maldini was cleared off the line by Cesc Fabregas with Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia beaten.

Abou Diaby had a chance for Arsenal after being teed up by Adebayor, but the young Frenchman's shot went just over the top-right corner of the Milan goal.

Pato should have scored for Milan in the 18th minute after a good break from Kaka. The world player of the year chipped a neat ball to his fellow Brazilian, but Pato could only direct the ball straight into the chest of Almunia from a few yards out.

As the 25 minute mark approached, Milan's dominance began to end, but not before a header from Inzaghi and a low shot from Kaka nearly forced Almunia into action.

Adebayor came close to scoring with a 12 yard-drive, but the tall Togolese striker's shot was tipped over the crossbar by Milan keeper Zeljko Kalac.

Alex Hleb was harshly cautioned for allegedly diving on the edge of the Milan penalty box, but the replays seemed to show that the 26-year-old was brought down by Alessandro Nesta.

Adebayor, who hit the crossbar in stoppage time in the first leg of this tie, once again tried to turn provider after rolling the ball to Fabregas, but the Spaniard crashed his shot off Kalac's crossbar.

AC Milan had outplayed Arsenal for the beginning period of the first half, but Arsenal were on the ascendancy, and nearly grabbed their first goal just after half-time. A cross found it's way to Philippe Senderos, but the Swiss international shot directly at Kalac from only a few yards out.

Emmanuel Eboue had a decent chance five minutes after the break, but his angled drive was blasted wide.

Almunia had had little to do in goal, but was alert enough to dive down and turn a free-kick from Andrea Pirlo around the post. The Gunners had another warning when Kaka broke down the left and almost created a goal for himself only to fire just wide of Almunia's upright.

Arsene Wenger replaced Ebou with the speedy Theo Walcott in the 70th minute. The 18-year-old had a good chance soon after coming on, but opted to cross rather than shoot from just in front of goal, wasting a good opportunity.

The game was finely balanced, with a goal for either side almost surely ensuring a win.

The moment of brilliance came from the young Cesc Fabregas who created a superb solo goal after picking up a loose ball. The midfielder sidestepped Gennaro Gattuso before unleashing a fierce 25-yard skidder into the bottom corner of the net.

The Gunners looked sure to win with Milan needing two goals to keep the Gunners out because of the away goals rule, but Emmanuel Adebayor made the victory certain in stoppage time by turning in a fine cross from Walcott.

The goal ended a superb night for Arsenal, who will take a considerable amount of confidence out of beating last year's Champions League Champions.

Arsenal vs. Aston Villa: Match Review

Arsenal managed to stay at the top of the Premier League table after a nail-biting draw with Aston Villa which was settled in stoppage time by a late equalizer from Nicklas Bendtner. The Gunners have only taken two points from their last two games and are now only one point ahead of last season's Premier League Champions, Manchester United.

An own goal from Philippe Senderos gave Aston Villa the lead after 27 minutes, and with Arsenal lacking a decisive touch in the final third it looked as though the Gunners would suffer their first defeat at the Emirates this season. However, young Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner showed some of the fighting spirit for which Arsenal has become renowned, denying Villa at the death with one of the last actions of the game.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Gael Clichy, Philippe Senderos, William Gallas, Bacary Sagna; Abou Diaby, Mathieu Flamini, Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb; Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor

Aston Villa: Scott Carson; Martin Laursen, Wilfred Bouma, Curtis Davies, Shaun Maloney; Gareth Barry, Nigel Reo-Coker, Ashley Young, Craig Gardner; John Carew, Gabriel Agbonlahor

The game started with a frenetic pace more typical of a match between Manchester United and Arsenal than one between the Gunners and the Villans.

The first decent opening came for Arsenal in the seventh minute when Emmanuel Adebayor flicked a long pass to Theo Walcott on the edge of the area. The England international, who had scored a brace against Birmingham a week earlier, took the ball on his chest and turned towards goal before firing a low shot which Scott Carson was forced to turn around the post at full stretch.

It had been a positive opening for the league leaders, but Martin O'Neills' Aston Villa are far from walkovers, and created a chance of their own when a sprint from the speedy Gabriel Agbonlahor saw the Villa striker almost alone in the area. An incredible saving tackle from William Gallas spared Manuel Almunia from making a save.

18-year-old Walcott was the source of inspiration for Arsenal in the early exchanges, as his pace saw him run past three defenders before sending a cross too far into the area and out for a goal kick.

Philippe Senderos had a chance in the Villa box after Carson had spilled a corner, but the Swiss international defender could only poke a shot horribly wide after being surprised by the gift of an opportunity.

The central defender, standing in for the injured Kolo Toure, put one in goal in the 27th minute though, after a cross from Agbonlahor saw Senderos divert the ball past his own wrong-footed keeper to give Aston Villa the lead.

The home side were stunned by the mistake and it showed as Villa almost doubled their lead only for Manuel Almunia to acrobatically push an effort from Shaun Maloney onto the frame of the goal.

Arsenal regrouped, but were unable to penetrate the Villa defense, going into halftime 1-0 down after a disappointing showing.

The home side were strong in the opening minutes of the first half, with Walcott forcing another good save out of Carson after a neat one-two with Cesc Fabregas. Space opened up for Alex Hleb about twenty yards out from goal, but the Belorussian, not known for his shooting skills, hit a tame effort well wide.

Villa were strong on the counterattack though, and Agbonlahor forced another full-stretch save from Manuel Almunia after a shot from the edge of the eighteen-yard-box.

Substitute Marlon Harewood almost grabbed the second for Villa after brushing off the ineffective Philippe Senderos, but was denied by yet another fine save from Almunia.

As the ninety minute mark approached it looked as though Arsenal were going to be subject to their first home defeat of the season. However, a good spell of possession for the Gunners finally resulted in a last-gasp goal as Nicklas Bendtner stabbed home from close range to give the Gunners a valuable point.

Arsenal vs. AC Milan: Match Preview

UEFA Champions League Champions AC Milan travel to the Emirates this Wednesday to face Premier League leaders Arsenal in a clash of giants. Arsenal will be looking to leverage their home advantage before a tough second leg at the San Siro while Milan will be searching for a few crucial away goals.

Both teams suffered disappointing results over the weekend, with Arsenal on the receiving end of a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester United, while AC Milan failed to score in a boring 0-0 draw with lowly Parma. Carlo Ancelotti and Arsene Wenger will both be hoping to bounce back from their poor showings over the weekend.

Injuries to both teams will hamper their playing ability though, with Arsenal missing Robin van Persie, Johan Djourou, Denilson, and possibly Manuel Almunia, Abou Diaby, and Tomas Rosicky. Milan will be without Ronaldo, Dida and Serginho, while Pato and Zeljko Kalac are injury doubts.

Arsenal are likely to line up with Manuel Almunia in goal if he is fit, although Arsene Wenger has an able goalkeeping replacement in Jens Lehman.

Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, and Kolo Toure will make up the Gunners defensive lineup. The defense will have their hands full with last season's player of the year Kaka and important strikers Pato and Filippo Inzaghi keeping them busy.

The Gunners strength will come from their midfield, an area of the field where Cesc Fabregas and Alex Hleb will attempt to get past Gennaro Gattuso while Mathieu Flamini will try to keep Kaka and Clarence Seedorf quiet. Either Gilberto Silva or Emmanuel Eboue is likely to grab the fourth and final starting berth in midfield.

Up front top scorer Emmanuel Adebayor will be looking to score yet again. The Togo striker has already scored 19 goals in the Premier League this season, and will be looking to add to his tally against Milan. Croatian striker Eduardo is likely to join Adebayor up front, although Nicklas Bendtner may make a substitute appearance if Arsenal need more firepower against the second best defense in Italy.

Arsenal have only lost a single game at home since moving to the Emirates Stadium last season, and Milan will have a tough time breaking a record. I predict that Arsenal will win 2-0, granting the young Gunners a lead ahead of the second leg in Milan.

**Note: I will be out of town until February 26th, so this will be my last post for a little over a week**

Manchester United vs. Arsenal: FA Cup Match Preview

Arsenal travel to Old Trafford this Saturday to face off against Manchester United in a highly anticipated FA Cup clash. The top two goalscoring teams of the Premier League will be sure to entertain in a free-flowing 90 minutes of football.

Alex Ferguson's Manchester United will be looking to prove themselves after taking only one of the last six available Premier League points. A draw away to Tottenham and a loss at home city rivals Manchester City put the Red Devils five points adrift of a young Arsenal side. Having already forced a 2-2 away draw against the Gunners, Ferguson will be hoping to assert his team's efforts with a win in this fifth round FA Cup tie.

Arsene Wenger's squad has gone on a run of four straight wins since embarrassingly losing 5-1 against Tottenham. With Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue back from the African Cup of Nations, the Gunners will provide a tough challenge for Ferguson's United. Unfortunately, a large list of absentees means that Wenger maybe forced to field an under-strength side in an attempt to save key players for Wednesday's Champions League clash against Italian giants AC Milan.

Robin van Persie, Abou Diaby, Manuel Almunia, Neves Denilson, Johan Djourou, Tomas Rosicky, and Theo Walcott are all set to sit out yet another match after missing the clash against Blackburn on Monday due to injury. Gael Clichy and Philippe Senderos are new additions to the injury list with hamstring and knee injuries respectively. Bacary Sagna is another doubt for "personal reasons."

Manuel Almunia is currently suffering from a virus, ensuring that Jens Lehman will feature in goal for the Gunners for a third consecutive game after being Arsenal's second choice goalkeeper for much of the season.

A makeshift defense is likely to consist of experienced center-backs Kolo Toure and William Gallas alongside young full-backs Armand Traore and Justin Hoyte. Traore and Hoyte will have their hands full with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Carlos Tevez knocking at the door.

Arsenal's strength will come from the midfield where Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Hleb, and Gilberto Silva are likely to start. Arsene Wenger would have liked to have fielded a younger midfield including Abou Diaby and Neves Denilson, but due to a large number of injuries the manager will be forced to risk injury to his big names.

It will be interesting to see whether Wenger is willing to risk Emmanuel Adebayor up front. The striker has been prolific for his club recently, scoring twelve goals in his last nine appearances, and has become a key player at Arsenal. However, with the capable pair of Nicklas Bendtner and Eduardo da Silva match-fit, Wenger may want to rest his star striker ahead of a tough Champions League tie.

No matter what teams are fielded, Manchester United v. Arsenal is always a huge game. With a promise of frenetic pace and a healthy injection of skill, this cream-of-the-crop tie should not disappoint. I predict that Arsenal will force Manchester United into a replay with another 2-2 draw.

Arsenal vs. Blackburn: Match Review

Arsenal went five points clear of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table after defeating a hard working Blackburn Rovers side. The win also ensured that the Gunners have goal differential equal to that of Manchester United. Mark Hughes' Rovers failure to win any points saw them slip down to 9th falling behind Portsmouth, who beat Bolton on Saturday.

Arsenal won an early lead through Phillipe Senderos after a corner from Eduardo, but an inspired performance from Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel kept the Rovers in the game for the majority of 90 minutes. However, Blackburn could not grab a goal back. A late strike from in-form forward Emmanuel Adebayor guaranteed three points for the Gunners in second half stoppage time.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Jens Lehman; Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy; Alex Hleb, Mathieu Flamini, Cesc Fabregas, Gilberto Silva; Eduardo, Emmanuel Adebayor

Blackburn: Brad Friedel; Stephen Warnock, Andre Ooijer, Bruno Berner, Zurab Khizanishvili; David Bentley, Brett Emerton, Tugay Kerimoglu, Steven Reid, Benni McCarthy; Roque Santa Cruz

Arsenal rushed out of the gates with a flurry of early forays, eventually resulting in a corner kick. An unmarked Philippe Senderos easily headed home after a good corner from Eduardo.

The opening was just what Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wanted, and the Gunners could have doubled their lead only a few minutes later when Emmanuel Adebayor headed wide after a free-kick from Eduardo.

Mathieu Flamini should have added another for Arsenal after 22 minutes, but the defensive midfielder could only shoot straight into the legs of American goalkeeper Brad Friedel after some impressive buildup play from Cesc Fabregas and Adebayor.

Blackburn took note of Arsenal's inability to kill them off though, and it soon looked as though the Gunners would be in for a long night, with former Gunner David Bentley spraying crosses into the box. None of Bentley's good work could lead to a clear-cut chance for his team though.

Rovers had their best chance of the first half when both Benni McCarthy and Roque Santa Cruz failed to get any meaningful contact on a cross from Brett Emerton. The South African striker seemed to take the ball off of the head of the incoming Santa Cruz.

The half ended with Blackburn on the ascendancy, as Santa Cruz skied a shot well over the bar after a cross from Stephen Warnock.

The second half began much the way the first had ended, with Blackburn on the offensive. David Bentley nearly embarrassed Jens Lehman when he sent a free-kick around Arsenal's defensive wall. The German keeper managed to get down just in time to clear the ball instead of making yet another defensive blunder.

As the Arsenal fans cheered for a second goal, the Arsenal squad regained their footing, soon coming close when Alex Hleb hit Friedel's post. Adebayor nearly grabbed a second for Arsenal minutes later, but once again shot straight into the legs of Friedel.

Fabregas came close after a pass from Adebayor, but drilled his shot just wide in the 67th minute.

Adebayor kept Friedel busy though, twice forcing him to save at his feet. Hleb then came close with a fine dipping effort which was well-read by the American. The deadly combination of Hleb and Adebayor could not be held off forever though, and Arsenal's second breakthrough finally came in stoppage time when a pass from Hleb put Adebayor in pole position to rifle a shot into the bottom corner of Friedel's net.

The win put Arsenal on a good track to win their first title since the 'invincibles' of 2004. United now need to make up five points in twelve games to catch up with Arsene Wenger's young Gunners.

Arsenal vs. Blackburn: Match Preview

Mark Hughes' Blackburn Rovers travel to the Emirates this Monday to face off against league leaders Arsenal. Blackburn, who are currently in 8th place in the Premier League, have already faced Arsenal twice this season, taking two points off of the Gunners in a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park, and losing 2-3 at home after taking a Carling Cup tie into extra time.

Arsenal's recent form is impeccable, with the Gunners having scored three goals in each of their last four Premier League matches. Arsene Wenger's squad has responded very well to a 5-1 Carling Cup loss to arch-rivals Tottenham, winning their next three matches in a row.

Blackburn, on the other hand, have not won in their last three games, instead drawing against Everton, Aston Villa, and Middlesbrough. With injuries to defender Andre Ooijer and midfielder Steven Reid, a Blackburn victory seems improbable. Manager Mark Hughes will be fielding a relatively inexperienced squad as key midfielders Morten Gamst Pederson and David Dunn and center-back Christopher Samba are also set to miss the match due to suspensions.

Arsenal are facing there own injury crisis as well, though. Phillipe Senderos, Mathieu Flamini, and Manuel Almunia are all doubts, while none of Johan Djourou, Robin van Persie, Tomas Rosicky, Abou Diaby, and Neves Denilson are going to feature due to injury. Alex Song will be playing in the finals of the African Cup of Nations on Sunday, and Ivorian defensive pair Emmanuel Eboue and Kolo Toure are both likely to feature for their country on Saturday in the 3rd/4th place playoff game.

Jens Lehman is ready to replace Almunia in goal if necessary, and injury-free defenders Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy will be full of energy up and down the flanks. However, Wenger is facing a crisis in the center of defense.

William Gallas is Arsenal's only fit center-back, and Arsene Wenger has claimed that he may even attempt to get Toure back in London for the game against Blackburn. The other options are to play the inexperienced Justin Hoyte or holding midfielder Gilberto, who may be needed to replace Mathieu Flamini. No matter who Wenger decides to field, we will have our hands full for a full 90 minutes against Roque Santa Cruz.

Cesc Fabregas and Alex Hleb are certainties in the midfield, and if Mathieu Flamini is unable to feature he will likely be covered by the aging Gilberto. Tomas Rosicky will be more difficult to replace with Abou Diaby and Neves Denilson out. This leaves just Theo Walcott or Eduardo to play on the left wing, although Eduardo has finally been getting used to playing up front alongside Emmanuel Adebayor.

Adebayor is sure to feature in the Arsenal strikeforce, although his partner will be more difficult to predict. Eduardo has been starting in the absence of Robin van Persie, but his guile might be needed on the left flank with Rosicky injured. This would leave Adebayor with another tall frontman, Nicklas Bendtner.

Arsenal's injuries are disturbing, but I feel that the Gunners will prevail against a Blackburn squad with a similar amount of absentees. I predict a 3-1 home victory, moving Arsenal five points ahead of title rivals Manchester United.

Does Arsenal Have What It Takes To Win The Title?

Arsenal went to the top of the Premier League last weekend after defeating Manchester City and watching Manchester United slip up at Tottenham.

The win took Arsene Wenger's team to 60 points in 25 games, two points ahead of last season's champions United and six ahead of title-challengers Chelsea. With 13 league games left, anything could happen. Does the Arsenal squad have the necessary depth, belief, and skill to sustain its title charge for until May? Let's take a closer look:

Depth: Arsenal's squad is not the biggest, but the quality of the club's second-tier players is more than enough to make up for an apparent lack of numbers. Wenger has often been criticised for his seeming reluctance to splash cash during transfer windows. This January was no different as Wenger failed to bring in a single player despite losing Lassana Diarra to Portsmouth and Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, and Alex Song to the Africa Cup of Nations. The Arsenal manager claimed that he did not want to burden his squad with too many players when his African stars returned from international duty.

Despite the outcry of Arsenal fans who wanted to welcome a center-back to replace Toure, Arsenal have won three of their four Premier League games since Toure, Eboue, and Song departed. With only one more league game to play before the African trio returns, it seems as though Philippe Senderos, Justin Hoyte, Armand Traore, and Johan Djourou provide enough cover for our defence in case of injury.

The Gunners also have one of the deepest midfield line-ups in the league. The recent form of Mathieu Flamini has been enough to keep Brazil captain Gilberto Silva from starting many matches, and Neves Denilson, Eboue, and the improving Abou Diaby are all ready to cover for Alex Hleb, Cesc Fabregas, and Tomas Rosicky.

Up front, Emmanuel Adebayor has proved his worth at the right time. The departure of Thierry Henry and a long-term injury to Robin van Persie could have been a major crisis, but Adebayor's brilliance has lifted the squad. With Eduardo beginning to settle in and Nicklas Bendtner showing his potential, van Persie's absence is barely noticeable and Theo Walcott's mediocrity can be forgotten.

Although Arsenal's official website lists only 25 numbered first team players, the Arsenal squad has a strength in depth enough to make up for any number of potentially dangerous injuries.

Belief: Arsenal's youngsters have the mental strength necessary to win the title. Skipper William Gallas, along with a large number of his players, have often stated their desire to win the title this season, and often show their aspirations on the pitch. They always seem capable of pulling the game round even on the rare occasions when they concede early on. In fact, 20 of Arsenal's 52 league goals have come in the final 15 minutes of a match.

One of the most exciting games of the season was a 3-2 Carling Cup victory over Blackburn Rovers, in which some of the Gunners' younger players showed their mental and physical endurance. Early goals from Abou Diaby and Eduardo saw Arsenal 2-0 up within half an hour of the start, but a goal from Roque Santa Cruz grabbed one back for Blackburn before half time. Santa Cruz bagged his second around the hour mark to force Arsenal into extra time. However, despite the mental fatigue of having surrendered a two goal lead and the physical fatigue of an added 30 minutes of play time, Arsenal went on to win the game when Eduardo scored his second.

Just as the squad never gives up on a game, not a single one of Wenger's boys will give up on the title challenge. Arsenal are the comeback kings, and having regained the lead last weekend, they are sure to show their amazing belief required to challenge for the title.

Skill: Although they are young, Arsenal's players are some of the most skilful in the league. Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy have both proved to be rock-solid in defending. Their offensive capabilities are what makes them the best full-back pair in England. While neither has scored a goal for the club, the Frenchmen have confounded defenders and assisted their strikers in scoring goals, while shielding the Arsenal goal.

Flamini's box-to-box action has finally earned him the respect of Arsenal fans. The 23-year-old's pinpoint tackles have often prevented opposition goals and Flamini has even added a few goals of his own to the mix. Fabregas and Hleb are two of the most accurate passers on the planet. Hleb's skill with the ball at his feet and Fabregas' newly-discovered penchant for scoring goals makes the pair invaluable to Arsenal's cause.

Emmanuel Adebayor has improved dramatically since last season. No longer a wasteful finisher, the Togolese striker's incredible leap has added a number of headed goals. His silky control is incredible for such a tall footballer and his powerful shot has seen him contribute 18 league goals this season.

Arsenal's starting XI is one of the most skilful groups of footballers in the world, and with the depth and belief to back up their footballing prowess, they should be taken as contenders, if not favourites, to win the 2008 Premier League title.

Manchester City vs. Arsenal: Match Review

Arsenal climbed back to the top of the Premier League table for at least a few hours after defeating Manchester City 3-1 at the City of Manchester Stadium. The win saw the Gunners leapfrog Manchester United, who play against Tottenham at White Heart Lane later today. It was City's first home defeat this season.

Arsenal grabbed an early lead through a 9th minute strike from Emmanuel Adebayor. Eduardo scored Arsenal's second with an overhead kick, but City got one back before halftime when an error from Gael Clichy enabled Gelson Fernandes to score in the 28th minute. City looked unlikely to score in the second half, and Adebayor put the match beyond doubt just before the end of regulation time with his 18th league goal of the season.

Lineups:
Manchester City: Joe Hart; Vedran Corluka, Micah Richards, Richard Dunne, Michael Ball; Blumer Elano, Dietmar Hamann, Stephen Ireland, Gelson Fernandes, Marti Petrov; Daniel Sturridge

Arsenal: Jens Lehmann; Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy; Abou Diaby, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Hleb; Emmanuel Adebayor, Eduardo

Arsenal were in trouble early when Dietmar Hamann lobbed the ball up field to Stephen Ireland. Ireland assumed that Lehmann would reach the ball first and half-heartedly gave chase, only to find the German keeper rooted to the spot. Luckily for Lehmann, Ireland's hesitation gave him just enough time to reach the ball before the City midfielder.

The early danger woke up the Arsenal side who quickly rallied to score a goal in the 9th minute. A cross from right-back Bacary Sagna met Emmanuel Adebayor on the edge of the 6 yard box. The Togo striker, who has scored in his last 8 games, made no mistake in firing home to give Arsenal the lead.

The Gunners grabbed a second about a quarter of an hour later when Adebayor headed a cross to Eduardo. The Croatian striker took the ball on his chest with his back to goal and scored with an impressive overhead kick to double Arsenal's lead.

Manchester City have had a tough time scoring goals of late, and looked out of the competition until Gael Clichy handed Sven-Göran Eriksson's side a lifeline two minutes after Eduardo's goal.

The Frenchman, who is normally rock-solid at left-back, lost possession on the byline after trying to play his way out of trouble rather than boot the ball up the pitch. Vedran Corluka fed the ball to Gelson Fernandes who slotted home from right in front of goal, bringing City back into the game.

Arsenal still looked the more dangerous side, though, and Adebayor almost bagged a second on the half hour mark after getting on the end of yet another cross from Sagna, but Joe Hart stood his ground to parry the shot.

Gunners captain William Gallas could have scored ten minutes later, but sent his shot wide of the post.

Manchester City had a great chance just before halftime, but Martin Petrov fired a tame effort wide after being released by Stephen Ireland. The miss meant that City went into halftime down two goals to one against one of the best teams in the country.

Arsenal came out strongly in the second half, with Cesc Fabregas lobbing Joe Hart from the edge of the area after being picked out by William Gallas. His effort flew over the bar though, as City avoided going two goals down.

The Citizens came close to grabbing an equalizer in the 66th minute when substitute Darius Vassell was played through by Hamann. Lehmann managed to clear the ball, but only as far as Blumer Elano. The Brazilian midfielder, normally lethal from range, could only lob the ball over Lehmann's crossbar.

Arsenal should have scored ten minutes later when Emmanuel Adebayor, Cesc Fabregas, and Eduardo were up against only two defenders after a fast break. Adebayor fed Eduardo down the left, but the Croatian's pass, meant for Fabregas, was cut out by Michael Ball to prevent Arsenal's third goal.

Adebayor had another chance from a header not too long after. The lanky frontman connected with a cross from Fabregas, but could not get enough power on his header to beat the alert Joe Hart.

Adebayor's second goal would come soon enough though, finally putting the game beyond doubt in the 88th minute with an easy goal from the center of the area.

Arsenal fans may be rooting for Tottenham to win against title-rivals Manchester United today, as anything but three points for United would leave Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table after the weekend. Arsenal's three points were well-earned and the Gunners are beginning to rediscover the form that saw them lead the league earlier in the season.

Manchester City vs. Arsenal: Match Preview

Second-placed Arsenal take on sixth-placed Manchester City this Saturday in the day's early fixture. Arsene Wenger will be hoping to become the first manager to win at the City of Manchester Stadium this season, as City look to break back into the European spots.

The stadium has become a fortress for City this season, seeing the Citizens drop only 6 points in 12 home games. Sven-Göran Eriksson's side has yet to lose at home, but could be facing their toughest test of the season against a determined Arsenal side.

Traveling to a stadium in which the home team is undefeated is always a tough task, but an Arsenal team full of belief will still be full of confidence. The team are also provided continuity by the fact that Arsene Wenger's squad on Saturday will be the same as the squad that defeated Newcastle 3-0 on Tuesday.

Robin van Persie has returned to training but will not be fit in time for the match. Tomas Rosicky is expected to be back in contention before next weekend's game against Blackburn, and Johan Djourou is expected to be out for three more weeks. Emmanuel Eboue, Kolo Toure, and Alex Song are all on international duty at the African Cup of Nations.

Manchester City are relatively injury free with only Danny Mills, Michael Johnson, and loanee Nery Castillo likely to miss the match due to injury. Eriksson's side will be low on confidence though, having dropped two points to Premier League whipping boys Derby on Wednesday.

Arsene Wenger will likely field the starting XI from the Newcastle game again, with Manuel Almunia in goal. Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Gael Clichy, and the vastly improving Philippe Senderos will make up the back four.

In the midfield Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb, and Abou Diaby will try to provide for their forwards. Mathieu Flamini will have a tough time bossing around Blumer Elano and Martin Petrov, but after an incredible performance on Tuesday, the Frenchman will feel up to anything.

Emmanuel Adebayor will most likely start alongside Eduardo again, although Nicklas Bendtner may feature due to his height. Even Adebayor won't be winning too many headers against the huge backline of Manchester City which includes giants Richard Dunne and Vedran Corluka.

Although Micah Richards and the City defense have done an impressive job this season, Arsenal always seem to find a way through, and are likely to do so again this Saturday. Eriksson's squad lacks attacking power up front, and Arsenal's impressive midfield lineup should be able to stifle the contributions of City's top scorer Blumer Elano. This advantage should be enough to keep Arsenal at least level on points with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table. I predict a 2-0 win for the visitors.

Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Match Review

Arsenal will be at the top of the Premier League for at least 24 hours after defeating Newcastle United 3-0 for the second successive time in only four days. The Gunners, who also beat Newcastle 3-0 in the FA Cup on Saturday, are now three points ahead of Manchester United, who face Portsmouth at Old Trafford tomorrow.

Arsenal went ahead in the 40th minute when Emmanuel Adebayor scored his 9th goal in 7 games to go within one goal of Cristiano Ronaldo's total of 17. Mathieu Flamini bagged Arsenal's second with a fabulous strike from 25 yards out and Cesc Fabregas put the game beyond doubt with a goal in the 80th.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Gael Clichy, William Gallas, Philippe Senderos, Bacary Sagna; Abou Diaby, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Hleb; Emmanuel Adebayor, Eduardo

Newcastle: Shay Given; Claudio Cacapa, Stephen Carr, Steven Taylor, David Rozenhal; Nicky Butt, James Milner, Charles N'Zogbia, Damien Duff; Michael Owen, Alan Smith

Arsenal were in control right from the start and almost got an early lead when a quick exchange between Gael Clichy and Cesc Fabregas was halted on the edge of the penalty box by a fine tackle from Steven Taylor.

In the 17th minute Arsenal had another great chance when Abou Diaby got his head to a cross from Alex Hleb. Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, Diaby was put off just enough by a challenge from Nicky Butt, and his diving header went far off the mark.

Shay Given nearly scored an own goal a few minutes later as Adebayor pressured the keeper into a cheeky backheel from only a few yards in front of his own goal. Kevin Keegan was irate, but Given got away with it, controlling the ball well enough to give away a corner rather than a goal.

Arsenal finally got on the scoreboard in the 40th minute when Adebayor got his head onto a cross from Mathieu Flamini. The perfectly weighted cross was turned into the net by the prolific Togolese striker, as déjà vu began to hit the Newcastle fans.

The goal ensured that Arsenal went into halftime with a lead, and Kevin Keegan's side seemed well-beaten after having only managed one shot on goal in the first half.

Newcastle came out far stronger in the second half though, refusing to die down despite being a goal behind at the Emirates. Good work up the flanks was undone by a failure to find the correct final pass, and all of Newcastle's early possession in the second half barely even won the Magpies a shot on goal.

Given was tested again in the 66th minute when he showed fine reactions to get down to the ground and save a low drive from Flamini.

A few minutes later, Nicklas Bendtner came on for Eduardo, pairing the young Dane with Adebayor for the first time since their argument at White Heart Lane. There was no conflict between the two players though, as the bust-up seems to have been worked out.

A strong performance by Flamini was rewarded only minutes after the substitution when the Frenchman released an incredible drive from 25 yards out to double Arsenal's lead. The 72nd minute strike was even better than Flamini's cross for the first goal, and cemented the 23 year-old as the man of the match.

Cesc Fabregas provided a third for Arsenal after reaching a centering pass from Nicklas Bendtner. The midfield maestro looks to be getting back into the form that he showed in the beginning of the season.

Newcastle almost got a late consolation goal when Nicky Butt crashed a free-kick onto Almunia's crossbar, but the game was already lost for the Magpies as Arsenal hit the top of the Premiership.

Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Match Preview

Arsenal face off against Newcastle for the second time in four days this Tuesday as they look to record yet another win against the Magpies.

The Gunners have already defeated the Magpies twice this season, although they were held to a 1-1 draw in the league in early December. The latest match between the two sides was a 3-0 home win for Arsenal as the Gunners progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Arsenal's FA Cup win, which saw Newcastle defeated by an under-strength Arsenal side, will instill the young Gunners with confidence. Kolo Toure, Alex Song, and Emmanuel Eboue are all on international duty at the African Cup of Nations. Arsene Wenger will also be missing Johan Djourou, Neves Denilson, and Robin van Persie due to injury, but a nearly full-strength Arsenal side should be able to handle the off-color Magpies.

Newcastle on the other hand have not won in their last six Premier League outings, and although manager Kevin Keegan will be looking to improve on that record, he openly admits that his players are low on confidence. Injuries to Tim Krul and Peter Ramage will do nothing to help Keegan's cause, although the absences Nigeria's Obafemi Martins, Cameroon's Geremi, and Sengal duo Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye will be more conspicuous.

Manuel Almunia will return in Arsenal's goal after Jens Lehmann took up the gloves in the FA Cup.

The back four is likely to see only one change from the side which faced Newcastle on Saturday, with Justin Hoyte likely to be replaced by the more experienced Bacary Sagna. Captain William Gallas, the vastly improved Philippe Senderos, and the ever-impressive Gael Clichy will complete an Arsenal defense that will be happy with no less than a clean sheet.

Tomas Rosicky looks to have recovered from the injury which saw him limp off of the field in the FA Cup, so he should rejoin Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini in the midfield. Alex Hleb, who made a late substitute appearance on Saturday should take the place of ball-hog Abou Diaby for the more important League fixture.

Up front Emmanuel Adebayor is a sure-shot starter, after bagging 8 goals in his last 6 games, including a brace against Newcastle. Eduardo is the most likely candidate to join the tall Togolese striker, although Nicklas Bendtner could feature if, as Adebayor has suggested, the two have reconciled from an argument at White Heart Lane.

Kevin Keegan may do a great job at Newcastle, but I doubt that he will start winning at the Emirates, a ground where Arsenal have only lost once. I predict a 2-0 victory for the Gunners.

Arsenal vs. Newcastle: Match Preview

Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United will travel to the Emirates this Saturday to face Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The 12th placed Magpies will be hopeful of pulling off an unlikely victory after Arsenal crashed out of the Carling Cup in a 6-2 aggregate loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

Keegan would like to get his second managerial spell at Newcastle off to a winning start, but he faces tough opposition in the Gunners who will see the returns from injury of Gael Clichy and Philippe Senderos. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will still be missing Robin van Persie and Johan Djourou, and Neves Denilson, who featured against Tottenham midweek, is a late addition to the injury list after straining his muscle in the 5-1 loss.

Newcastle will have nearly their full complement of players available, with only Mark Viduka and Peter Ramage likely to be absent. The Magpies will also be full of energy, trying to prove themselves to their new manager.

Arsenal will also be looking to prove themselves after the embarassment at White Heart Lane a few nights ago, but the Gunners will also be facing some tough conditions after reports of a bust-up between strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner.

Arsene Wenger has assured Arsenal fans that he will rotate the squad from the one which faced Tottenham on Tuesday, although the manager is likely to rest some of his key players ahead of a Premier League game against Newcastle only three days after this match.

Jens Lehmann may start in goal as he did in the third round of the FA Cup against Burnley as Manuel Almunia gets a deserved rest.

In the defense, Armand Traore, Philippe Senderos, William Gallas, and Justin Hoyte are likely to feature as Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna rest for the more important league fixture.

In the midfield, Gilberto Silva and Abou Diaby should be the only survivors from the side that started against Tottenham on Tuesday. The pair will most likely be joined by Tomas Rosicky and Cesc Fabregas who will bring some creative impetus into the side. The battle may be won or lost in the center of the pitch, as an impressive force of Charles N'Zogbia, Damien Duff, James Milner and Nicky Butt is likely to line up against the Gunners.

Up front Nicklas Bendtner may start up front alongside Eduardo, although Emmanuel Adebayor may also feature if he has sorted out his episode with the Danish youngster.

This game is not too important in and of itself, but Wenger would like to continue blooding his youngsters in the cup, and the winners will have a decisive advantage in the Premier League game between the two next Tuesday.

A mixed Arsenal side will face a tough challenge against Newcastle, but the players will want to prove themselves after a huge defeat, and should manage to win even against a full strength Newcastle side. I predict a 2-1 win for the home side.

Tottenham vs. Arsenal: Match Review

Arsenal suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Tottenham as the Spurs broke a 9 year winless streak against their bitter enemies in an emphatic fashion. The deserved 5-1 win was the first time in 21 matches that the Gunners lost to their North London rivals, and was enough to propel Juande Ramos' rejuvenated side into the finals of the Carling Cup where they will face the winner of tomorrow's match between Chelsea and Everton.

Jermaine Jenas opened the scoring in the third minute and an own goal from Nicklas Bendtner cemented a two goal lead for Tottenham in the 27th. Spurs came out strong in the second half, with Robbie Keane scoring in the 48th minute and Aaron Lennon putting away a fourth in the 60th. Emmanuel Adebayor pulled back a consolation goal in the 70th minute, but a stoppage time strike from Steed Malbranque capped a formidable Tottenham performance.

Lineups:
Tottenham: Radek Cerny; Lee Young-Pyo, Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Pascal Chimbonda; Aaron Lennon, Jermaine Jenas, Steed Malbranque, Teemu Tainio; Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov

Arsenal: Lukasz Fabianksi; Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Justin Hoyte, Armand Traore; Alex Hleb, Neves Denilson, Gilberto Silva, Abou Diaby; Theo Walcott, Nicklas Bendtner

Injuries to some of Arsenal's younger stars meant that the experienced William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, and Alex Hleb all featured in a cup competition which usually sports Arsene Wenger's reserves and fringe players. However, the injection of experience did nothing to stop Jermaine Jenas from powering in a shot from just outside the box after just three minutes.

Dimitar Berbatov flicked the ball into the path of Jenas who side-stepped past Justin Hoyte and found himself with enough time to take a well placed shot which went in off of Fabianski's post. The Tottenham man should have been closed down much sooner, but no credit should be taken away from the perfectly placed finish.

Nicklas Bendtner took a shot over the bar after some good work around the Tottenham box, but he found the back of his own net fifteen minutes later. A free-kick from Jermaine Jenas saw the tall Dane under pressure from Michael Dawson, and the unfortunate youngster beat his own goalie from a few yards out to double Tottenham's lead in the 27th minute.

Berbatov should have made it three for the home side only a few minutes later. A busy Jenas put the Bulgarian striker clean through on Fabianski's goal, but he could only hit the post.

Bacary Sagna nearly scored his first goal in an Arsenal shirt soon after, but his goal-bound header was brilliantly saved by the quick reflexes of Radek Cerny, keeping Tottenham up 2-0 at half-time.

The scoreline wouldn't stand for long though, as Robbie Keane nabbed a third just after the restart. An excellent pass from Aaron Lennon put the Republic of Ireland international in front of Fabianksi who could do nothing to stop Keane's half-volley from reaching the back of the net.

Arsenal could have pulled one back straight away, but an acrobatic effort from Bendtner hit the post and Fabregas, on for the injured Denilson, hit his follow-up directly to Cerny.

Steed Malbranque could have made it 4-0 to Tottenham, but he could not beat Fabianski in a one-on-one. The young Arsenal keeper got a hand to Malbranque's shot and quickly recovered the loose ball.

The Polish keeper could not hold Tottenham at bay on their next attempt though, as Lennon slotted home through Fabianski's legs after receiving a pass from Keane.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Eduardo came on for Arsenal as Keane and Berbatov came off for Tottenham, and the substitutions had an immediate impact. Adebayor scored his 16th goal of the season with 20 minutes left, giving the Gunners some hope of an unlikely comeback.

Nothing transpired in the next few minutes though, and the Tottenham got the last laugh after Malbranque put the icing on the cake by scoring a fifth in stoppage time.

Fulham vs. Arsenal: Match Review

Arsenal returned to their winning ways today after an impressive 3-0 victory over London rivals Fulham. The victory completed the double over their London rivals, and kept up pressure on league leaders Manchester United, who sit above Arsenal on goal differential after defeating Reading 2-0 at the Madejski.

Two first half goals from Emmanuel Adebayor and a late goal from Tomas Rosicky ensured that Arsenal would celebrate a victory on the short ride back from Craven Cottage. The Gunners dominated possession and shots with a far better performance than last week's home draw with Birmingham.

Lineups:
Fulham: Antti Niemi; Carlos Bocanegra, Aaron Hughes, Moritz Volz, Dejan Stefanovic; Seol Ki-Hyeon, Simon Davies, Steven Davis, Danny Murphy, Alexi Smertin; Clint Dempsey

Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy; Tomas Rosicky, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Hleb; Eduardo, Emmanuel Adebayor

Fulham started the brighter of the two sides, with Korean international Seol Ki-Hyeon getting inside of Gael Clichy within five minutes. The move ended in a shot from Danny Murphy, who was unable to steer the ball on target.

The home fans were delighted by their team's effort, and it took quite a while for Arsenal to take a hold on the game.

As Arsenal began to find their form, Cesc Fabregas dragged two shots off target to warn Fulham of the Gunners' intent. It wasn't long before Arsenal grabbed the lead when Emmanuel Adebayor rose to meet Gael Clichy's cross in the penalty box. The Togolese striker's 19th-minute header caught Antti Niemi wrong-footed and the Finland keeper could only watch as Arsenal went a goal ahead.

Danny Murphy took a hopeful shot off target only a minute later, but it was Adebayor who would score once again to bring his season Premier League tally to 15, only two behind Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo's record. Mathieu Flamini had won the ball just outside of the Fulham box, and Alex Hleb did some good work to put in a well-weighted cross which was once again met by the tall African striker. The 38th minute strike all but ended the game, but Arsenal continued to press in an attempt to rescue some credibility after last weekend's disappointing result.

Fulham's best chance of the match came just four minutes later, as Murphy sidefooted over the bar after arriving in time to meet Steven Davis' low cross.

Arsenal started the second half in style when Eduardo, a player sometimes criticized for being unable to create his own chances, created a brilliant chance for Tomas Rosicky after weaving through three Fulham players to reach the penalty box. The Czech Republic international was unlucky to see his shot come back off of the near post.

Their was a moment of worry for the Gunners when Philippe Senderos, one of only two fit central defenders with William Gallas, required medical attention after getting a bloody nose from the misplaced elbow of Clint Dempsey. To the relief of Arsenal fans, the Swiss international was able to carry on, and put in another solid display in the center of defense.

Dempsey then hit the back of the net for Fulham, but his goal was disallowed as he was one of three Fulham players caught offside as Bacary Sagna managed to run forwards just in time to catch the Fulham players in the offside trap.

Niemi was the next player to require treatment, but the Fulham keeper managed to carry on after being caught in the face by the trailing boot of Emmanuel Adebayor.

Arsenal nearly grabbed a third in the 78th after a brilliant interplay between Hleb, Rosicky, and Fabregas, but the Spaniard uncharacteristically shot wide.

The Gunners would not be held back though, and Tomas Rosicky grabbed his 6th of the season in the 81st minute to take the game beyond any doubt. Eduardo broke down the left wing and got to the goal line just in time to pull the ball back near the six-yard-box. Rosicky made no mistake this time, sliding in just quickly enough to get a toe onto the ball for Arsenal's third goal of the match.

The win should instill the Arsenal squad with confidence ahead of next week's Carling Cup semifinal clash with Tottenham. The victory was well-deserved, and proved that Arsenal are still capable of overtaking Manchester United.

Fulham vs. Arsenal: Match Preview

Arsenal will try to produce an impressive performance at the Craven Cottage this Saturday to make up for a poor show against Birmingham last weekend. The Gunners fell to second place on goal differential last week after Manchester United routed a manager-less Newcastle side 6-0. Arsenal, who drew 1-1 with relegation-threatened Birmingham at the Emirates, will be looking for a full three points at Fulham and hoping that United slip up at Reading.

Fulham could be the perfect rebound team for the Gunners, as the Cottagers are winless in 10 Premier League games. Although new Fulham manager Roy Hodgson will be desperately hoping to take home his first Premier League point since taking over, even a draw may be elusive against what should be a fully fit Arsenal team.

The Cottagers, who will be missing American internationals Kasey Keller and Brian McBride, could find themselves overwhelmed by the returns of Tomas Rosicky and Robin van Persie to the Arsenal side. Low morale, coupled with additional injuries to Hameur Bouzza and Ian Pearce could mean that Hodgson will be facing an exercise in damage reduction.

On the other hand, Arsenal players hoping to prove themselves after the disappointing show against Birmingham will be looking to display some of the fine flowing football that placed them at the top of the table. The possible return of the prolific van Persie will also boost the Gunners confidence ahead of the clash.

Arsene Wenger will likely start with a similar lineup to the one that faced Birmingham, although Theo Walcott and Eduardo could see themselves ousted in favor of Czech Republic captain Tomas Rosicky and injury-prone striker Robin van Persie.

This means that Manuel Almunia will start in goal behind Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Gael Clichy, and the vastly improved Philippe Senderos. Senderos, standing in for Kolo Toure who is away at the African Cup of Nations, played what may have been his best game in the red and white of Arsenal against Birmingham. Normally error-prone and out of position, this time the Swiss defender managed to use his height to get onto a few headers, and even came close to scoring a winner for the Gunners.

The Arsenal midfield was complacent against Birmingham, but hopeful the return of Rosicky will add some creativity to the already ingenious lineup of Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb, and holding midfielder Mathieu Flamini. Rosicky should register a performance far better than last week's woeful appearance from Theo Walcott.

Up front Robin van Persie may finally link up with the squad after falling victim to bone and muscle injuries as well as a recent virus. Emmanuel Adebayor, the second highest scorer in the Premier League, will be looking to bag a few goals to inch closer to United's Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for the Golden Boot.

We learned last season that no game can be taken for granted. Arsene Wenger learned that lesson a second time against Birmingham last week, and his entire squad will be looking to rebound from the draw with an emphatic win at Fulham. I predict a 3-0 victory.

Arsenal vs. Birmingham: Match Review

Barclay's English Premier League leaders Arsenal may lose their top spot to Manchester United today when the Red Devils host Newcastle United at Old Trafford. The Gunners went into the weekend two points ahead of their nearest rivals, but dropped two unlikely points at home against lowly Birmingham.

The Blues were outplayed throughout most of the 90 minutes, and Arsenal looked sure to win after taking an early lead thanks to an Emmanuel Adebayor penalty kick. However, Garry O'Connor struck back at the beginning of the second half to tie up the game. Despite constant pressure from the Gunners, Birmingham managed to hold on to take a valuable point back to St. Andrew's.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy; Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Hleb; Eduardo, Emmanuel Adebayor

Birmingham: Maik Taylor; Stephen Kelly, Franck Quedrue, Liam Ridgewell, Rafael Schmitz; Damien Johnson, Olivier Kapo, Sebastian Larsson, Fabrice Muamba; Cameron Jerome, Garry O'Connor

Birmingham city started on the wrong foot, with Eduardo heading a shot off target after just two minutes of play. A number of early Arsenal chances went unrewarded, but the tone was set for the match as Arsenal pressured Maik Taylor and the Birmingham defense.

The visitors had the best chance of the opening exchanges though, almost taking a surprise lead when Cameron Jerome latched on to a through ball only for Manuel Almunia to produce a great one-handed save at full-stretch. A goal would've been against the run of play and undeserved.

Maik Taylor made a save soon after, when Eduardo latched on to a cross from Alex Hleb. The striker, who has better heading ability than most of the Arsenal players, had looked sure to score but could only steer the ball straight into the chest of the Birmingham keeper.

Taylor could do nothing to stop Arsenal's 21st minute goal though. Stephen Kelly took Eduardo down inside the box and referee Phil Dowd pointed to the spot. Emmanuel Adebayor stpped up and placed a well-struck penalty into the bottom right corner of the net. Taylor dove the right way but the ball was out of his reach. The Northern Ireland keeper almost got his fingertips to it, but could not stop Arsenal from taking a well-deserved lead.

Birmingham had their own penalty shout turned down just a few minutes later, but Arsenal looked the better team and as the half-time came it seemed as though the Blues would be going through a damage limitation exercise.

Unfortunately for the home fans, the Blues struck a surprise equalizer out of nothing only three minutes after the restart. Former Arsenal player Sebastian Larsson took a corner which was headed goalwards by Garry O'Connor. Almunia looked ready to save the ball, but a nasty deflection off of Cesc Fabregas caught the keeper wrong-footed and he could only watch on as O'Connor raced away in celebration.

The Gunners still looked like they would go on to win the game though, with Adebayor having a shot well-blocked by Liam Ridgewell and Senderos seeing a header turned away by a great save from the busy Maik Taylor.

Frustrated Arsenal midfielder Alex Hleb had a small spat with Ridgewell, resulting in bookings for both men.

Former Birmingham loanee Nicklas Bendtner soon joined the fray as a replacement for Theo Walcott, but even the great Dane could not find a winner for the Gunners, despite consistently dominating in possession.

A fierce shot from Gael Clichy went straight into the outstretched arms of Taylor, and Bendtner shot wide following a nice move involving Hleb and Fabregas. A low strike from Mathieu Flamini forced the Birmingham keeper into action once again as Arsenal failed to regain the lead.

It was a disappointing game for Gunners fans who would never have thought their team could drop points at home to a relegation threatened side.

Burnley vs. Arsenal: Match Review

A young Arsenal side reached the fourth round of the FA Cup after defeating a resilient Burnley 2-0 at the Turf Moor in front of a crowd of 16,000.

Eduardo continued his great run of form by scoring the Gunners' first after 9 minutes and supplying the pass for Nicklas Bendtner's first and Arsenal's second in the 75th.

The Croat and the Dane were two bright spots in an off-color Arsenal squad that would not have found such a favorable result against a Premier League team with the same display.

Lineups:
Burnley: Gabor Kiraly; Graham Alexander, Steven Caldwell, John Harley, Stanislav Varga; Wade Elliot, Chris McCann, James O'Connor, Robbie Blake; Andy Gray, Kyle Lafferty

Arsenal: Jens Lehmann; Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, Philippe Senderos, Armand Traore; Neves Denilson, Gilberto Silva, Abou Diaby, Emmanuel Eboue; Eduardo, Nicklas Bendtner

Arsenal put some pressure on Burnley for the first few minutes, but it was the Clarets who had the first chance of the game, nearly stunning the London giants through Kyle Lafferty after 5 minutes. Andy Gray had made a surging run down the right flank, and crossed the ball into the penalty area where it was met by Lafferty who hit Lehmann's crossbar with the German already looking beaten.

The chance lifted the crowd at the Turf Moor and for a few moments it looked as though Burnley could truly be giant-killers. Unfortunately for the home fans, though, it was the Gunners who took the lead only four minutes later.

Kolo Toure chipped a long ball up the field to Eduardo, who finished coolly to make it 6 goals in the last 4 games. The Croatian is finally beginning to look like he could challenge for a spot even when Robin van Persie returns.

Burnley did not falter under the pressure, and continued to attack Arsenal. Gray had a shot blocked by Bacary Sagna and Robbie Blake fired just over, but it was Arsenal who would come closest to scoring again in the first half. Gilberto, who has yet to score a goal for the club this season, rose to meet a corner, but saw his header cleared off the line by a well positioned Graham Alexander.

The Clarets had their own chance before 45 minutes were up though, when the inexperienced Armand Traore had trouble clearing the ball out of the penalty area. The ball was stolen and Jens Lehmann was completely out of position, but Chris McCann granted the Gunners a needed lifeline by shooting well over the bar.

Arsenal's final chance of the half saw Nicklas Bendtner attempt a bicycle kick after a cross from Denilson. Unfortunately for the tall Dane, his shot fell straight to the Burnley keeper, and the half ended with a lackluster Arsenal one goal up.

The Gunners came out strongly after the restart, with a clever one-two setting Eduardo free. The Croatian uncharacteristically misplaced his finish, firing just left of the post.

Burnley were still hoping to earn a replay, but lost their chance when Lafferty was somewhat contentiously sent off in the 60th minute. The Burnley forward's tackle had not looked malicious, and although his studs were up, the red card was very harsh. Referee Alan Wiley had no question though, brandishing the red without any hesitation at all.

Arsenal had the upper hand now, and should have scored soon after. Emmanuel Eboue couldn't decide whether to cross or shoot and his ball into the box came nowhere near to doing anything.

The goal came soon enough though, when Eduardo turned supplier with a perfect pass to Bendtner. The 19 year-old rounded Gabor Kiraly easily and slotted home to announce his return from suspension after two yellow cards at Everton. The goal ended Burnley's hopes of FA Cup glory.

The scoreline was flattering for Arsenal and tough on Burnley, but the Gunners were still happy to be in to the next round. However, they will have to play better to defeat stronger opposition in the future.

Burnley vs. Arsenal: Match Preview

Arsenal travel to the Turf Moor on Sunday to face Championship side Burnley in the third round of the FA Cup.

The Pride of Lancashire, who have been under the management of former Falkirk boss Owen Coyle since late November, will likely face an understrength Arsenal side, as Gunners boss Arsene Wenger tends to blood young players in England's cup competitions.

Burnley, though, will be well aware of the threat, especially after an impressive young Arsenal side defeated Blackburn 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the Carling Cup last month. The Arsenal squad, who's average age was under 20, showed some impressive determination to beat Blackburn in overtime.

Wenger has stated that the squad to face Burnley will be a mix between the fringe players of the Carling Cup and the full squad which are currently in first place in the Premier League.

Jens Lehmann, who has long been linked with a move away from Arsenal, has been tipped by Wenger to be involved in the clash.

Arsene Wenger was tight lipped about the rest of his squad, although Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue, who will leave soon after the match for the African Cup of Nations, are set to feature along with Bacary Sagna.

"I can’t really tell you too much about the team at the moment because I have to check my players," said Wenger.

"I think Jens Lehmann will be involved. But Kolo Toure, Eboue and Sagna will all play. A few of the players who featured all over Christmas will be rested and a few will come in. It will be a mixture.

"We do have a little problem with Adebayor on his hamstring but, if really needed, he could play. Robin van Persie is still injured and will not be involved. But it is very short for him now. The next deadline could be Birmingham or just after."

No matter who is involved, Arsenal will be confident of a victory, keeping the Gunners in the competition so they can continue to blood their pool of up and coming talent.

Portsmouth vs. Arsenal: Match Preview

League leaders Arsenal are to take on 7th placed Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Boxing Day.

The Gunners, who sport a clean bill of health, will be looking for six points out of six in their next two matches to go into the new year as leaders, but they will have to work hard as they face quality opposition in Portsmouth and Everton.

Portsmouth are a bit short on confidence though, having begun to falter after a bright start to the season. They have gotten only four points out of four matches this month, and will be missing Noe Pamarot, Linvoy Primus, and Martin Cranie, although Sean Davis and former Arsenal defender Lauren should b back in time for the clash.

Arsenal on the other hand are high on morale, having won four games in a row since losing to Middlesbrough. The Gunners recently completed the double over rivals Tottenham Hotspur after winning their second London derby in two weeks (the other a 1-0 win over Chelsea).

Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie are the only doubts for the Gunners, although the former should recover from a virus soon enough to be fit to play at Fratton Park on Wednesday and the latter may also feature.

Manuel Almunia, who finished Saturday's game with a penalty kick save, will keep his place in goal behind Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Kolo Toure, and Gael Clichy. These five will have their hands full with former Gunner Nwankwo Kanu and the brilliant Benjani.

In the midfield the brilliant quartet of Tomas Rosicky, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Hleb and Cesc Fabregas will try to boss around a Pompey midfield which includes the likes of Niko Kranjcar, Sulley Muntari and John Utaka. If van Persie isn't fit, they will most likely be joined by Emmanuel Eboue in a 4-5-1 with Hleb playing off of Emmanuel Adebayor.

Up front Emmanuel Adebayor may finally link up with Robin van Persie in the attack after the Dutchman missed the North London derby with a small knock. If he doesn't feature, Wenger will either play Eboue as a fifth midfielder, or play Nicklas Bendtner, who scored the match winner against Tottenham last weekend, up front with Adebayor. Eboue is the more likely option, but I would personally like to see Bendtner get a start alongside Adebayor.

Pompey are a bit short in confidence, and should fall prey to Arsene Wenger's brilliant Gunners. A nearly full-strength side should do away with Harry Redknapp's side, keeping Arsenal at the top of the table.

Arsenal vs. Tottenham: Match Review

Arsenal completed the double over arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur as they escaped from a nervy encounter with three points. The Gunners, who were heavy favorites to win the match despite Tottenham's recent resurgence, went a goal up just after halftime when Emmanuel Adebayor scored his tenth league goal of the season, but Dimitar Berbatov levelled in the 66th. Robbie Keane then saw a penalty fabulously saved by Manuel Almunia before substitute Nicklas Bendtner headed in with his first touch of the match to give Arsenal a 2-1 victory.

Lineups:
Arsenal: Manuel Almunia; Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy; Emmanuel Eboue, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Hleb, Tomas Rosicky; Emmanuel Adebayor

Tottenham: Paul Robinson; Young-Pyo Lee, Younes Kaboul, Pascal Chimbonda, Teemu Tainio; Kevin-Prince Boateng, Jamie O'Hara, Steed Malbranque, Aaron Lennon; Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov

Arsenal rushed out of the gates, with Mathieu Flamini hooking a volley just off target in the second minute.

Spurs were trying their best to contain Arsenal and play on the break, but Kolo Toure still managed to get onto a Cesc Fabregas free kick, but the ball fell tamely to Paul Robinson.

Tottenham were playing their game well though, and chances were hard to come by for both sides.

Robinson finally made his first real save in the 33rd minute when Emmanuel Eboue took a shot at the England stopper's right goalpost.

The game began to liven up as half time approached with Almunia saving a free kick from Dimitar Berbatov and Kevin-Prince Boateng curling an effort just over the Spaniard's crossbar.

Toure once again got on the end of a Fabregas free kick just before half time, but Paul Robinson was equal to his effort again, and the half time whistle sounded with the teams level.

The second half was much more lively.

Cesc Fabregas' cheeky backheel met Emmanuel Adebayor in the penalty area only minutes after the second half started, and the tall Togo striker finished well, curling the ball past Robinson, putting him on top of the Premier League's scoring chart this season.

Robbie Keane volleyed into the crossbar after meeting a cross from Aaron Lennon in the 65th minute, as Tottenham looked to equalize.

The equalizer came only a minute later after Keane backheeled to Berbatov who finished neatly past Mathieu Flamini and Kolo Toure at the near post.

Berbatov was involved again when Kolo Toure brought the Bulgarian down in the penalty area. Keane stepped up, but Almunia dove the right way to brilliantly deny Tottenham a second goal.

Arsene Wenger then sent Nicklas Bendtner on for Emmanuel Eboue and Arsenal were immediately rewarded.

In the 74th minute Nicklas Bendtner rose unmarked in the box to head past Paul Robinson with his first touch in the game. There could be no better way to endear oneself to Arsenal fans than scoring the winner in the North London derby, and the 19 year-old Dane seems like he may have himself quite a future at the Emirates.

Bendtner nearly set up Adebayor for a third, but the striker was muscled off of the ball.

Adel Taraabt then had a penalty shout dismissed by referee Rob Styles who blew the final whistle soon after.