Premiership, Arsenal 2-1 Reading

Gunners back to winning ways

Arsenal moved to within one point of third-placed Liverpool with a deserved but, at the end, nervous victory. Cesc Fabregas mis-kicked in front of an open goal but Gilberto Silva put Arsenal in front from the penalty spot after Andre Bikey fouled Gael Clinchy.

This was a worthy victory for Arsenal, yet the afternoon began with Arsenal team in their default setting of seething frustration, dominating possession but struggling to expose chinks in a tightly-packed defence.

Shorn of Emmanuel Adebayor and Thierry Henry, their finishing was painfully profligate, with Cesc Fabregas the biggest culprit. Barely a minute had passed when the Spaniard was set up by Alexander Hleb, but his touch deserted him and Andre Bikey raced back to whip the ball from his toes. Then, in the 29th minute, Fabregas missed a chance that will give him sleepless nights for weeks to come. After James Harper failed to clear a loose ball, Baptista seized possession and squared to Fabregas four yards out. The 19-year-old swung his right boot but missed his shot entirely, the ball bouncing off his standing leg before bobbling clear.

In the 50th minute, Bikey, desperately attempting to keep up with the livewire Denilson, appeared to pull back at Denilson's shirt before becoming entangled with his legs. It was enough to convince Chris Foy, the referee, to award a penalty which Gilberto converted with surgical precision.

A second goal seemed inevitable and it duly arrived in the 61st minute. After a Reading corner had fizzled out, Arsenal streaked downfield at breakneck speed: Denilson slipped a pass to Baptista, who barged past Graeme Murty before toe-poking into the bottom corner.

With the game seemingly over, Reading woke up. Steve Sidwell headed over from a corner and then shot wastefully wide from close range, before Fabregas diverted a corner into his own net.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger:
"We could have done better, we looked a bit shaky at 2-1.

"We missed a few chances in the second half because we were slow to make important decisions.

"Reading were positive and dangerous and played in an intelligent way. They are one of the few teams that have come here and tried to play."

Reading boss Steve Coppell:
"We had opportunities, but credit to Arsenal - they were very, very patient and when they are in front they play with a different tempo.

"They controlled possession for long periods but we responded to that and played a full part in the game.

"We now have 14 days without a game. We can take stock and recharge out batteries, which is important."

Arsenal: Lehmann, Djourou, Gallas, Silva, Clichy, Ljungberg (Diaby 70), Fabregas, Denilson, Hleb (Senderos 86), Walcott (Aliadiere 71), Julio Baptista.
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Traore.

Booked: Senderos.

Goals: Silva 51 pen, Julio Baptista 62.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Ingimarsson, Bikey, Shorey, Little (Doyle 80), Sidwell, Harper (Gunnarsson 71), Hunt (Oster 65), Kitson, Lita.
Subs Not Used: Federici, Duberry.

Booked: Kitson.

Goals: Fabregas (87 og).

Premier League, Arsenal 2-1 Reading Full highlights and goals:

Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal (1st Leg)

Carling Cup: Spurs Mess Up Golden Opportunity;

Julio Baptista went from zero to hero for Arsenal as they held Tottenham in an absorbing Carling Cup semi-final first-leg tie at White Hart Lane. Dimitar Berbatov gave Spurs the lead heading in after a mix-up between Manuel Almunia and Kolo Toure.

Berbatov injured his groin and soon had to be replaced by Robbie Kean with Jol electing to revert to a 4-5-1 formation with Jermain Defoe up front on his own. The tactic seemed to be working when Tom Huddlestone's free-kick was kicked into his own net by Julio Baptista as the Brazilian tried to clear the ball.

Match Highlights:

Spurs had the tie in their hands, but will surely be left wondering why they didn't push home their advantage from this point. They were fortunate to go in at half-time with their 2-0 lead intact but in the second half their luck ran out as they were outclassed by a weakened Arsenal side.

Although the first-team players of Eboue and Hleb were introduced and the duo helped further unsettle Spurs Arsenal eventually equalized thanks to two goals by Baptista, who now has six in his last two games in the competition. The second goal was a mess from Spurs' point of view as goalkeeper Paul Robinson inexplicably ran out of his goal to close the angle on an advancing Justin Hoyte, but the youngster just had to cross the ball to Baptista for a simple tap-in.

The two teams will meet again at the Emirates next week when it will be well and truly advantage the home team: Arsenal.

Post match Interviews:

Liverpool 3 Arsenal 6, full report with match highlights.
Anfield was in shock. Outfought, out-thought and, ultimately, outclassed.Arsène Wenger's exciting team performed so dazzlingly it felt like a trick of the mind that Thierry Henry had been given the night off, along with eight other players from the side that won here 3-1 in the FA Cup on Saturday. Four of their goals were supplied by Julio Baptista, who also missed a penalty, and for long spells they shimmered with menace every time they took possession in the opposition half.
Jeremie Aliadiere put the visitors ahead on 27 minutes after beating the Liverpool offside trap. He latched onto a long ball from Kolo Toure, and though 'keeper Jerzy Dudek got a hand to his initial shot, the French striker reacted quickest to the rebound, and tapped home from close range.
Liverpool hit straight back with a clever finish from Robbie Fowler after had palmed away Manuel AlmuniaFabio Aurelio's free-kick. Luis Garcia was quickest onto the rebound, and he played it across goal, where Fowler pounced, directing a backheel under the dive of Almunia.
Julio Baptista struck a wonderful free-kick straight over the Liverpool wall and in at the near post to restore his side's advantage, before the imperious Song stunned Anfield by making it 3-1 from a corner. A minute later Baptista played a one-two with Aliadière and stroked in his second.

Four-one down, the best Liverpool could hope for in the second half was to restore some dignity and at least Dudek could cite the moment, on 56 minutes, when he saved Baptista's penalty after a Sami Hyypia foul on Aliadière. Baptista made amends, however, completing his hat-trick from 25 yards four minutes later.

Briefly, Liverpool surged back. Gerrard volleyed a splendid goal and saw Almunia tip his free-kick on to the bar. Then, after García too had been carried off, Hyypia headed in Gabriel Paletta's cross to make it 5-3 but not even Liverpool, with their history of comebacks, could recover this time and soon afterwards Baptista scored another brilliant breakaway goal - becoming the first visiting player to score four times at Anfield since Dennis Westcott in a 5-1 win for Wolves 61 years ago.

Liverpool 3 Arsenal 6!!!!

No, you didn't mis-read the scoreline. It really did finish Liverpool 3 Arsenal 6. This was an incredible game and an incredible night for Julio Baptista.

Jeremie Aliadiere ran on to Kolo Toure's pass to score the first, before Robbie Fowler flicked in to level, But a Baptista free-kick and tap-in either side of Alex Song Billong's smart finish made it 4-1 at half time.Two more from Baptista, the first from 20 yards, sealed it after he had missed a penalty, though Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia notched late consolations.

Match Highlights will be added in 24 hours, I promise!