Arsenal have to fight for half-time lead
Blackburn 0 Arsenal 1
Robin van Persie gave Arsenal the lead in a tight first half at Blackburn.
The Dutch striker was a late addition to the starting line-up after Freddie Ljungberg aggravated an injury in the warm-up but he took full advantage after being picked out by Ashley Cole.
Arsenal were also missing Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires from the line-up and until then had struggled against Rovers’ doughty defence.
