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:

UEFA Champions league, PSV 1-0 Arsenal

Harsh lesson for Arsenal

Edison Mendez punished wasteful Arsenal with a stunning strike to clinch a 1-0 win for PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their Champions League first knockout round tie. Arsene Wenger's side enjoyed total control at the Phillips Stadium for an hour, but Ecuador midfielder Mendez's moment of magic gave PSV the edge going into the return at the Emirates Stadium on March 7.

"From tonight we're in a tricky situation because we'll have to score two goals without conceding," Wenger admitted, "but I feel from the game we have seen tonight we have enough confidence and belief that we can achieve that."

PSV were depleted by the loss of their top scorer, Jefferson Farfán, because of a swollen left foot but his presence would have provided little assistance to a PSV side who spent almost the entire first half defending. Wenger had criticised the PSV manager, Ronald Koeman, for employing "negative" tactics when Arsenal twice drew with his Ajax side in the 2002-03 competition and the Frenchman was frustrated again last night.
"I felt that they started the game to play a nil-nil. It was important to score the first goal and afterwards they defended even more," he said. Koeman rejected Wenger's claim and said: "It was a deserved result and we are in a fantastic position."

Match Analysis:
Tomas Rosicky almost gave Arsenal the perfect start when he squeezed in a shot from a tight angle that Gomes got a hand on before Carlos Salcido scrambled the ball off the line as Henry prepared to pounce. Jens Lehmann was only called into action once in the first 25 minutes and even then he easily dealt with a speculative drive from Mendez.

Henry should have broken the deadlock in the 43rd minute when Rosicky and Aleksandr Hleb combined to set him up, but Henry's shot from 12 yards was too close to Gomes. Henry's frustration at that miss was evident as he fought to win possession moments later and sent a curling shot just past the far post.

PSV striker Arouna Kone had been well policed by his Ivory Coast compatriot Kolo Toure for long spells, but he escaped early in the second half to meet Salcido's cross with a volley that went narrowly wide of the far post. That near-miss sparked PSV into life and they took the lead in the 61st minute thanks to a moment of pure class. Kone's lay-off gave Mendez the chance to drive in a raking 30 yard strike that skimmed off the turf past Lehmann, who will feel he should have done better after getting a hand to the ball.

Arsenal had been punished for failing to turn their dominance into goals, but they responded well and Cesc Fabregas' fierce effort forced Gomes into a superb tip-over. But Wenger's side were left to rue those early misses as PSV held on for their first win over Arsenal in five attempt.

Arsenal's lost chance and PSV's goal:

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has won the Barclays Premiership manager of the month award for January.

Liverpool won all four of their league games in January, including a 2-0 victory over Chelsea, which cemented their place of third in the table.

"Benitez has revitalised Liverpool's campaign," said Jim Hytner of the Barclays Awards Panel.

Another Spaniard - Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas - won the player of the month award for January.

Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas Soler (born May 4, 1987 in Arenys de Mar, Catalonia, Spain) is a Spanish/Catalan football midfielder, who currently plays for English club Arsenal. signed him from ArsenalFC Barcelona in the middle of 2003, before Fabregas could sign a professional contract with the Spanish giants. He has been touted as one of of the best of Spain's next generation of footballers.

'Cesc', as he prefers to be known, made history in October 2003 when he became the youngest player to turn out for Arsenal, in the Carling Cup tie against Rotherham United. The Spaniard, was aged just 16 years 177 days when he took to the pitch for the Gunners for the first time.

It was not until the start of the 2004-05 season that Fàbregas started making first team appearances in matches outside the League Cup. His first match was against Manchester United in the Community shield; he then had four successive Premier League starts. Fabregas impressed many observers in his first four appearances, claiming a goal against Blackburn in a 3–0 victory. Soon after, he became the second youngest goalscorer in Champions league history after scoring the third goal against Rosenborg, in Arsenal's 5–1 victory.
'Cesc' is a precocious talent of the highest order. His ability for one so young is actually quite frightening. Now watch some of Fabregas assists, goals and misses!