Premier League Preview: Arsenal vs Blackburn
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Premier League Preview: Arsenal vs Blackburn

Premier League match time returns to the Emirates Stadium with Arsenal set to host Blackburn in match week 30 on Saturday 2 April, in the second leg of their top league fixtures.

The first, received by Blackburn on August 28, 2010, ended 2-1 in favor of the visitors. Arsenal took an early lead when Walcott scored for the Gunners after 20 minutes. M Diouf soon leveled, some seven minutes later, and the two teams went into half-time tied. About six minutes after the break, Arshavin scored what would prove to be the winner for Arsena Wenger’s charges.

Arsenal dominated the game after a somewhat shaky start during which Blackburn managed to force two corners. Blackburn fans would not hesitate to admit that the better team won in the end. In fact, Walcott could have added to the scoreboard, with an easy scoring opportunity, in the final minutes of the game by going begging.

That said, both of Arsenal’s goals were mainly due to failures in concentrating Blackburn’s payouts; Jones the culprit, in the case of the first goal, and El Hadji the culprit, regarding the second. Interestingly, the substitutions didn’t seem to work at all for Blackburn, and in fact had the opposite effect to what was intended. One of Blackburn’s problems has been the absence of an effective midfielder, and Dunn has proven prone to chronic injury.

M Diouf was impressive in attack and worried Arsenal’s inexperienced backline who were managed that day by Vermaelen. That said, Arsenal managed to deal with the aerial threat that Blackburn posed. Apart from the opening minutes of the match, when Blackburn took a couple of corners, Arsenal goalkeeper Almunia was not put to much test.

Head to head, Arsenal have established a 14-3 lead in the last 19 league games played between the sides, with the remaining 2 games drawn.

In their last 10 league games, Arsenal have recorded 5 wins and draws each; Blackburn have won and drawn 2 each of their last 10, while losing 6. Of their 15 home games this season, Arsenal have won 10, drawn 2 and lost 3, while Blackburn have won 3 of their 14 games. as a visitor, losing 11 and drawing the rest.

On matchday 30, Arsenal drew 2-2 away against West Brom; Blackburn drew 2-2 against Blackpool at home.

Arsenal need to win the game to stay in title contention, with leaders Manchester United moving within 5 points of the Gunners. Blackburn will have a hard time saving points from the game.

Arsenal’s starting eleven against West Brom consisted of the following players: Almunia, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Wilshere, Denilson, Ramsey, Nasri, Arshavin and van Persie. Chamakh and Bendtner appeared as substitutes.

Blackburn had the following men in their starting eleven against Blackpool: Robinson, Salgado, Samba, Nelsen, Olsson, Emerton, Nzonzi, Jones, Diouf, Santa Cruz and Hoillett. Jones, Pederson and Roberts were used as backups.

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