Blackburn Rovers 0 - 2 Arsenal

Blackburn 0-2 Arsenal

Updated: January 13, 2007, 7:27 PM UK

A goal of breathtaking quality goal from Thierry Henry saw Arsenal make light of Gilberto's early red card to earn a valuable 2-0 victory at Blackburn in trying circumstances.

The Brazilian's 13th-minute dismissal - thanks in large part to some horrible over-reaction from Robbie Savage - might in the past have led to an Arsenal surrender.

• Wenger: No Gilberto appeal

This time, though, the Gunners simply adjusted tactics and though it was not quite the 6-2 defeat they inflicted on Blackburn before Christmas, it was comprehensive enough.

The win will not satisfy Arsene Wenger, however, as he will now be without Gilberto for Manchester United's visit next weekend, as well as two cup games.

Kolo Toure's excellent header from Henry's free-kick had given Arsenal the half-time lead at Ewood Park and then the Frenchman took centre stage in the second.

His goal stands comparison with his finest for the club. It all began from a poor Blackburn free-kick which ended up at Henry's feet deep inside his own half.

Despite the attention of four or five blue and white shirts, the Frenchman tore down the left flank, passed inside to Cesc Fabregas, who simply fed the ball back into Henry's path for him to send an exquisite shot arcing past Brad Friedel into the top right-hand corner.

Surely Julio Baptista, perhaps feeling sore on the bench to have lost his place despite scoring four goals in the 6-3 midweek mauling of Liverpool, would have understood why Wenger, needing victory to keep up with the third-placed Reds, returned to virtually the same side who beat the Merseysiders in the FA Cup last weekend.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes was also forced into a change due to Andy Todd's groin injury, with Stephane Henchoz coming in, while Lucas Neill returned after suspension.

The game began with double relief for Arsenal as first Neill's cross deflected off Justin Hoyte and landed on the roof, then from corner specialist Morten Gamst Pedersen's flag-kick Blackburn's promising young striker Matt Derbyshire was guilty of a glaring miss with his head from a couple of yards out.

Arsenal's task became that much harder when Gilberto was sent off for flicking a boot at Savage.

The Welsh midfielder pushed over the normally-placid Brazilian, who responded by aiming a kick and although contact looked slight Savage tumbled theatrically to the floor and referee Rob Styles produced the red card.

The sending-off gave Blackburn hope and Pedersen had a stinging drive turned over the crossbar by Jens Lehmann after a tremendous run by Brett Emerton, before Gael Clichy blocked Benni McCarthy's skidding shot.

It was not all Blackburn, though, and Arsenal were furious after referee Styles only booked Neill after he brought down van Persie as the Dutchman broke towards goal. But that anger swiftly turned to joy as Toure scored from the free-kick.

Henry spotted the defender's run and chipped in the free-kick for Toure to send a bullet header in off the post.

Savage came within a whisker of an equaliser, but his header bounced the wrong side of the post.

It was Blackburn's turn to fume when Styles awarded Robin van Persie a free-kick on the edge of the area after having his run blocked, but Brad Friedel was equal to the striker's low left-footed drive.

Blackburn were crying out for more guile and Hughes made the logical move at the break by bringing on Tugay for Aaron Mokoena.

Rovers certainly looked more composed, but when they did have a half-chance, Benni McCarthy flashed a shot into the side-netting.

With half an hour left Hughes decided to go for broke and sent on a third striker, Shabani Nonda, for centre-back Andre Ooijer. Nonda's first involvement was hardly encouraging, though, heading well over from Pedersen's curving cross.

Henry then had his first effort at goal in the 67th minute, but his low curling shot drifted past the post.

Derbyshire suffered a second nightmare moment when he reached Neill's cross to the far post but somehow contrived to fluff this chance too.

With 19 minutes Henry did his stuff and the game was all but over, though he then passed up a chance of making absolutely sure from a much easier chance, volleying over after chesting down Tomas Rosicky's perfect cross.

Wenger: No Gilberto appeal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger suggested he would not be appealing Gilberto's red card against Blackburn after the midfielder was dismissed in an impressive 2-0 victory.

Gilberto was shown red for his part in an altercation with Robbie Savage but Wenger's side dug in to control the game despite their numerical handicap.

Wenger said: 'When the referee sees it, appeals don't usually work so we might have to accept it.'

The Gunners boss added: 'It looked very harsh to me but I have to see it again. Gilberto is adamant it was not a red card and he is a very honest boy.

'He retaliated and he should not have done but he was first provoked.'

Gilberto's sending off - and the attendant three-game ban - is a significant blemish for the Gunners, with Henry claiming even Savage did not feel it was deserved.

Henry said: 'Even Robbie Savage told me on the pitch it was not a sending off.

'Gilberto misses three games. Is it fair? I don't think so. I don't think it was a red or something to get a three-game ban over.'

Fabregas admitted Gilberto's absence would be keenly felt by his team-mates in the coming weeks.

'I have always said Gilberto is so important to this team because of his experience. He talks to us, he's a big loss but we have to accept it, wake up and play as we did today.'

Wenger will also gain plaudits for his decision to stick with an attack-minded formation against Blackburn despite going down to 10 men, but he was eager to deflect the praise to his players.

'I wanted to see how we coped with the situation, if we could keep attacking with a 4-3-2. I kept going as I wanted to win the game,' he told Sky Sports.

'We controlled the game quite well.

'We had a great combination of quality and solidarity and the team is going from game to game, slowly becoming real lions.

'I feel for a while we've gained in maturity at the back. We didn't have a panic and won challenges.

'We are very young team at the back and we didn't concede today. We played quality football mixed with great spirit in very difficult circumstances.'