Arsenal have fought off a resilient and determined Blackburn Rovers side to grab their second win on the trot.
Blackburn Rovers: 1 (Mame Biram Diouf 27') Arsenal: 2 (Theo Walcott 20', Andrei Arshavin 51')
Venue: Ewood Park - Blackburn, Lancashire Crowd: 25,059 Referee: Chris Foy Yellow cards:BR - Gael Givet 74' ARS - nil
In-form Gunners winger Theo Walcott continued his goalscoring exploits by ramming home in the 20th minute to give his side the lead. Robin van Persie sent a brilliant ball into Walcott's path and he took one touch before rippling the net, giving Rovers keeper Paul Robinson no chance.
Blackburn, who had started brightly and looked very dangerous despite the opener, managed to level just six minutes later when the switched on El-Hadji Diouf made a dazzling run down the left flank, beating off Laurent Koscielny before setting up Mame Diouf who tapped home for his first goal in the league for his loan club.
The Rovers still looked menacing with Morten Gamst Pedersen providing long throw-ins and sweet delivery from the corners and free-kicks but it was the Gunners who again took the lead when Andrei Arshavin finished sublimely in the 56th minute.
Substitute Marouane Chamakh, who came on for the injured van Persie, teed up skipper Cesc Fabregas whose shot deflected back off Walcott into the path of Arshavin who pounced and poked it home past and advancing Robinson to keep his side in second spot with a record of two wins and a draw whilst Blackburn have a win and two losses and currently sit in 12th position.
Starting Line-Ups
BR Paul Robinson (gk), Ryan Nelsen, Christopher Samba, Gael Givet, Michel Salgado, Vince Grella (Dunn 56'), Morten Gamst Pedersen, Phil Jones, El-Hadji Diouf, Nikola Kalinic (Olsson 65'), Mame Biram Diouf (N'Zonzi 81')
Subs - Mark Bunn (gk), David Dunn (56'), Brett Emerton, Pascal Chimbonda, Martin Olsson (65'), Steven N'Zonzi (81'), David Hoilett
ARSManuel Almunia (gk), Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Abou Diaby, Alex Song, Robin van Persie (Chamakh 35'), Cesc Fabregas (Rosicky 68'), Andrei Arshavin (Wilshere 84'), Theo Walcott
Subs - Lukasz Fabianski (gk), Tomas Rosicky (68'), Emmanuel Eboue, Carlos Vela, Marouane Chamakh (35'), Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere (84')
