Blackburn Rovers

This game took place at Highbury, on Saturday 26th October at 3pm. Attendance was 38,064.

Final result was 1-2. Arsenal's goalscorer was Edu (45'), he also scored an own goal.

Here's the official report from Arsenal.com: "Arsenal slumped to their third successive defeat after Blackburn triumphed 2-1 at Highbury on Saturday. Edu's bizarre own goal gifted the lead to Graeme Souness' side after only six minutes. We fought back manfully, creating a catalogue of chances before the Brazilian redeemed his earlier error with a wickedly curling free-kick seconds before the break. But Dwight Yorke popped up to clip home the winner after 51 minutes as we followed last Saturday's record-ending defeat at Everton and Tuesday' Champions League reverse at home to Auxerre in the worst possible way. No one could fault our effort or our ability to carve out opportunities, but superb Blackburn defending and some ill-fortune proved our undoing. Before kick-off, Patrick Vieira's suspension meant Edu returned to central midfield. Fit-again Dennis Bergkamp was on the bench, alongside Robert Pires, who was continuing his gentle re-introduction after seven months out with a knee injury. We started as if we had something to prove after those defeats last week. In the opening two minutes, Thierry Henry's persistence won a corner on the left. From it, Sylvain Wiltord stung the hands of Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel. Another corner followed, this time Wiltord sent a dipping half-volley onto the roof of the net. However that early impetus was swiftly snatched away by a freak own goal from Edu after six minutes. Yorke worked his way to the byline and sent a hopeful chip into the area. There was no-one around the Brazilian when he attempted to fly-kick the ball clear. Unfortunately it sliced off his foot and gently arced over the stranded David Seaman into the net. Quite incredible. In response, the home side upped the tempo but, on the back of two defeats, perhaps their confidence was not high. And, don't forget, Blackburn are a well-organised side away from home. Before this game, they had conceded only three goals on their travels this season, the least in the Premiership. Despite that statistic, we were carving out numerous chances. Campbell nodded wide from a corner, Henry fired wide from distance with Friedel scurrying across in vain. The nature of Blackburn's opener maybe suggested it was not to be our day. Anyone with that theory in mind had extra evidence in the 17th minute. Henry found an unmarked Wiltord on the right. He crossed for Ljungberg sliding into the six-yard box but Henning Berg, Blackburn's Norwegian defender, somehow blocked his effort on the line. The ball rebounded to Ashley Cole on the corner of the six-yard box but, incredibly, his shot hit the Scandinavian bundle who were still lying prostrate after the previous chance. Still, credit to our side, we stuck at our task, though it was obvious we had yet to find the fluency we had in abundance before the international break. An unmarked Kanu nodded over from Edu's free-kick on 27 minutes. Soon afterwards the ball broke to Wiltord six-yards out but Martin Taylor manage deflect his point-blank shot wide of the post. Then, on 38 minutes, Friedel then somehow got his hand on Henry's shot from six-yards out. We really could not do much more. Ljungberg clipped over the advancing Friedel two minutes before the interval but the ball ballooned over the bar. It was typical of our luck in the first half. Edu changed all that two minutes from the break. His free-kick from far on the right arrowed through a crowded area and ricocheted in off Friedel's left-hand post. The Brazilian bowed down in prayer as a thank you for his redemption. The relief around Highbury was tangible. The goal also brought up our half-century. We have now scored in our last 50 Premiership games. However, a very different emotion spread around Highbury six minutes after the restart. Egil Ostenstad's quick break caught out the home defence. He then found Yorke just outside the area and the former Manchester United striker had time and space to clip the ball over the advancing Seaman. Yet again, our response was swift. This time, Campbell muscled in a far-post header from Henry's corner. Again, Friedel was on hand to bundle the ball behind. But this time we could not sustain the momentum and the introduction of Bergkamp and Pires for Kanu and Edu with 26 minutes left was a much-needed fillip. Their arrival sparked life back into our play. The French midfield magician's first contribution was a quick burst through the middle and fizzing 25-yard shot over the bar. Bergkamp nearly followed suit. From Henry's clever lay-off, the Dutchman's rasping, rising drive was pawed up and over by the American keeper, who was in outstanding form today. Friedel also tipped over Henry's cute, clipped free-kick a few minutes later after Wiltord had been fouled just outside the corner of the area. Now, the visiting goal was again starting to lead a charmed life. With 13 minutes left, Wiltord found space in the area yet Friedel got a touch on his swivelling shot. The ball rebounded high to Pires, who produced a header that this time beat the keeper only for Taylor to clear off the line. Blackburn were then reduced to 10 men when Garry Flitcroft was sent off after receiving his second yellow card. Kolo Toure replaced Ashley Cole with four minutes left to add some urgency late on. Like the rest of his team-mates, his effort was unquestionable, but it was another bad day at the office."