The Hindu : Sport : Big win for Arsenal

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Sunday, Dec 24, 2006
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Big win for Arsenal

STRIKE FORCE: Robin van Persie scored twice in the space of five minutes to consolidate Arsenal's lead. — PHOTO: AFP

Arsenal gave its home supporters some long overdue festive cheer with a raucous 6-2 victory over struggling Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League at the Emirates Stadium here on Saturday.

Blackburn took the lead after three minutes with a penalty from Shabani Nonda but Arsenal was level seven minutes later when Gilberto Silva equalised with a header before the home team went ahead through Alexander Hleb after 23 minutes.

It extended its lead when Emmanuel Adebayor scored from the spot after 27 minutes. Nonda pulled one back for the Rovers with his second of the match to make it 3-2 after 69 minutes before Robin van Persie made it 5-2 with two goals in the last five minutes and Matthieu Flamini added a sixth.

Away win for Man U

Cristiano Ronaldo scored an outstanding individual goal to put Manchester United ahead after 58 minutes at Aston Villa. After running more than 50 metres with the ball, his shot rebounded back to him and he struck it home second time to give goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly no chance.

Paul Scholes made it 2-0 with a stunning 30-metre volley that bounced off the underside of the bar and into the roof of the net after 64 minutes and Ronaldo wrapped up the points with his second of the match with a tap-in after 85 minutes.

A lunchtime London derby ended goalless as West Ham followed up last week's win over Manchester United to stay unbeaten under new manager Alan Curbishley.

West Ham, which had ended a losing sequence of eight successive away matches, finished with 10 men after defender Paul Konchesky was sent off five minutes from time.

Liverpool wins

Craig Bellamy scored his fourth goal in four games to put Liverpool ahead after 47 minutes against Watford, which remains bottom with just 11 points from 18 matches.

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster had an outstanding match but could nothing to prevent Xabi Alonso making it 2-0.

The results: Arsenal 6 (Silva 10, Hleb 23, Adebayor 27-pen, Van Persie 85, 88, Flamini 90) bt Blackburn 2 (Nonda 3-pen, 69); Aston Villa 0 lost to Manchester United 3 (Ronaldo 58, 85, Scholes 64); Fulham 0 drew with West Ham 0; Liverpool 2 (Bellamy 47, Alonso 88) bt Watford 0 Manchester City 0 lost to Bolton 2 (Anelka 8, 25); Middlesbrough 2 (Yakubu 29, Arca 52) bt Charlton 0; Newcastle 3 (Dyer 3, Martins 7, Parker 34) bt Tottenham 1 (Murphy 15); Portsmouth 3 (Kozluk 48-og, Campbell 54, Pamarot 68) bt Sheffield United 1 (Hulse 4); Reading 0 lost to Everton 2 (Johnson 14, McFadden 47). — Agencies

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