MAN CITY 4 - ARSENAL 2

Emmanuel Adebayor had the last laugh on Arsenal as he scored the decisive third goal in a pulsating encounter from which Manchester City emerged with a 4-2 win and their 100% record intact.

 

When Shaun Wright-Phillips sent over a vicious cross, the £25million man had no intention other than to find the net, which he duly did, sending a capacity crowd into ecstasy.

 

Manuel Almunia's own goal gave City a first-half lead before Robin van Persie drew the Gunners level just past the hour mark. Craig Bellamy, Adebayor and Shaun Wright-Phillips put the game to bed for City before the returning Tomas Rosicky scored a late consolation.

 

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WILSHERE STAYS AT EMIRATES

Arsenal have tied up promising teenager Jack Wilshere on a new long-term contract as the Gunners continue to look to the future.

 

Wales international Aaron Ramsey, 18, on Wednesday agreed an extension to his deal, and the Premier League club have been quick to also secure the potential of Hertfordshire-born Wilshere, at the club since he was just nine.

 

Manager Arsene Wenger rates the England youth international highly. Wilshere signed professional terms when he turned 17 on New Year's Day and had became the youngest player to represent Arsenal in both the league and in European competition when making his first-team breakthrough last season.

 

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REAL MADRID SIGNS BENZEMA

 

Lyon have accepted an offer from Real Madrid for striker Karim Benzema. The striker becomes Real's third major signing after Brazil's Kaka and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

 

Madrid and Manchester United have been vying for the services of the 21-year-old but Lyon continued to insist before today that the France international would remain at the Stade Gerland for another season at least.

 

However, Les Gones announced on their official website this afternoon that they have accepted a fee of at least 35m euros (£30m) from Madrid for the player, with performance clauses set to see that fee rise to 41m euros.

 

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LYON CONFIRM BENZEMA BID

 

Lyon have confirmed that they have received a bid for Karim Benzema from an unnamed club, but insist that any agreement over the France international's transfer is yet to be reached. The side in question is thought to be Real Madrid with strong reports in both Spain and France linking them with a £35million move for the 21-year-old.

 

The striker is also been rumoured to have interested Manchester United with manager Sir Alex Ferguson said to be a big admirer of the gifted youngster. The Premier League champions have £80million burning a hole in their pocket after the confirmed sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real and know that they must find someone to take on the scoring burden left by the Portugal winger.

 

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GALLAS STAYING ALIVE AT EMIRATES

 

William Gallas maintains he has no intentions of leaving Arsenal this summer. The central defender, 32 in August, has endured something of a difficult spell since arriving from Chelsea two years ago.

 

Manager Arsene Wenger eventually replaced Gallas as captain with Cesc Fabregas following public criticism of the young squad and reports of a bust-up with centre-half partner Kolo Toure.

 

However, somewhat ironically, the Frenchman then went on to produce a string of consistent displays as the Gunners found some form over the latter part of the campaign before missing the closing weeks because of injury.

 

Gunners boss Wenger, though, continued to give Gallas his full support, denying suggestions Gallas had played his last game for the Gunners.

 

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VAN PERSIE REJECTS MOVE TALK

 

Robin van Persie has rejected speculation linking him with a move away from Arsenal, insisting he wants to stay at the club. The Dutchman is yet to sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium, despite being locked in talks over a contract extension for the last few months.

 

Manchester United have been linked with a shock move for the forward, but van Persie plans to stay at Arsenal and is determined to establish himself as the best player in the world at the club. Van Persie is desperate for success at Arsenal after only lifting the FA Cup during his first five seasons in north London.

 

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ARSENAL ENTER RACE TO SIGN BENZEMA

 

Arsenal are reported to be in the race to sign Lyon striker Karim Benzema, as they look to replace Emmanuel Adebayor should he leave for AC Milan this summer. The highly-rated Benzema has been linked with Manchester United for the past six months, but the News of the World claim that the striker is now subject of interest from Arsene Wenger.

 

Should the future of £25m Togo striker Adebayor be decided in the next few weeks, Arsenal will be keen to bolster their strikeforce and a £30m bid for Benzema could be accepted.

 

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ARSENAL SIGN THOMAS VERMAELEN

 

Arsenal have completed the signing of versatile Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax Amsterdam. The 23-year-old, who can play either centrally or on the left, passed a medical on Friday and will bolster a defence that came under fire from all quarters last season.

 

Arsenal have not disclosed the fee or the length of the 'long-term' contract, but Vermaelen's agent recently suggested a four-year deal had been offered to his client and reports estimate the transfer fee to be around £10m.

 

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FABREGAS TO STAY DESPITE ADMIRING GUARDIOLA

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas admits that Pep Guardiola is his idol. Though, he has received no contact from Barcelona. The Gunners midfielder has been persistently linked with a return to the Camp Nou, where he spent his youth career before moving to England in 2003.

Fabregas expressed that he is happy at Emirates Stadium, and hinted that working under former Barca midfielder and now manager Guardiola, would not be a totally unpleasant prospect.

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ARSHAVIN'S AGENT DEMAND SALARY INCREASE

Andrei Arshavin's agent has called on Arsenal to increase the star's £80,000-a-week wage packet to compensate for tax increases imposed by the British government. Next April the top rate of income tax will rise from 40% to 50% and agent Dennis Lachter wants the Gunners to alter the terms of Arshavin's deal to compensate his client.

The Russia forward agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract when he signed from Zenit St Petersburg for £15m just four months ago.

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WENGER WANT TO STAY AT EMIRATES

News of Florentino Perez's interest coincided with growing frustration amongst Arsenal fans about Arsene Wenger's management, when the club are without a trophy in four years and some are losing patience with the 59-year-old.

Though, Arsene Wenger will continue as Arsenal manager and spurn the advances of Spanish giants Real Madrid, according to quotes from the Frenchman.

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MAN UTD 0 - ARSENAL 0

Sir Alex Ferguson's side might not have given Usain Bolt a goal to celebrate on his first visit to the Theatre of Dreams but the Premier League trophy will do as consolation. The match ended with a goalless draw but enough destroy Liverpool's dream.

While the first half ended with United still on course for the 11th league title of Ferguson's illustrious reign, Arsenal had every reason to be pleased with themselves. After two dire displays with the Red Devils, plus a hammering on home soil by Chelsea, it was feared the Gunners would suffer yet another embarrassing mauling.

 

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ARSENAL CONFIDENT TO STOP UNITED

Arsenal's manager, Arsene Wenger is confident that his attacking team are as good as Manchester United and intends to prove the point by delaying the champions elect a title party with victory at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Gunners' boss believes he has a very promising team who can deliver very soon. He highlighted that his team have scored a similar amount of goals with the Red Devils. But admitted that Arsenal has conceded more goals and that is where the difference lies.

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PORTSMOUTH 0 - ARSENAL 3

Arsenal rested their big guns ahead of next week's Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester United, but were still too strong for Portsmouth as they won 3-0 at Fratton Park.

The young Gunners, skippered by Andrey Arshavin who cannot play in Europe, again showed their potential as a brace from Nicklas Bendtner, his first after a blunder from England keeper David James, and a clinical second-half strike by Mexican Carlos Vela sealed a comfortable victory.

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VAN PERSIE CONFIDENT FOR A SILVERWARE

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has stressed that the club will not change their philosophy in a bid to end their search for silverware. The Gunners last lifted a trophy when they defeated Manchester United on penalties in the 2005 FA Cup final.

 

Arsene Wenger's side has since come in for criticism after struggling for consistency. Dutchman Van Persie, though, is adamant the team will stand by their style of play, insisting their ethos will soon deliver.

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ARSENAL 1 - BOLTON 0

Nicklas Bendtner came off the bench to score a late winner as Arsenal ended Bolton's stubborn resistance in a 1-0 win at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners had dominated possession, but failed to break the visitors, who put 10 men behind the ball.

 

Only when time looked to be running out, Bendtner arrived at the far post to volley in a first goal since November and renew hopes Arsene Wenger's men can force their way back into the race for the Premier League title.

 

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NOW ADEBAYOR JOINS GALLAS

Emmanuel Adebayor has backed former Arsenal captain, William Gallas and said he was right to publicly question his team-mates' stomach for a fight. Gallas was stripped of the captaincy in November after criticising his team-mates, while he also revealed the rifts in Arsenal's dressing room that have threatened to derail the Gunners' season.

 

However, Adebayor, who feels Gallas is like his 'big brother', says the defender's outburst may have been just the thing Arsenal needed as they attempt to stay in the hunt for the league title. He also believes there is truth in what Gallas said, and it is right for someone to say something to make each person face up to their responsibilities.

 

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ARSHAVIN GETTING CLOSER TO EMIRATES

Zenit St Petersburg confirms that talks are taking place with Arsenal regarding a deal for Andrei Arshavin. The club's general director, Maxim Mitrofanov, has expressed his hopes a deal can be done within the next two weeks.

 

Arshavin has been looking to leave the Uefa Cup holders in search of a move to a major European league. He impressed at Euro 2008 and was linked with Arsenal's after the tournament.

 

Recently, he was given permission to discuss his departure from Zenit and increased the possibility of January move to Arsenal. Reports suggest Zenit are demanding a £20million fee for Arshavin, which is not what the Gunners had expected.

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ARSENAL 3 - PLYMOUTH 1

Arsenal advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 victory over Plymouth at Emirates Stadium. Plymouth, languishing in the bottom half of the Championship table, defended superbly in the first half to keep Arsenal at bay and goalkeeper Romain Larrieu pulled off a number of fine saves.

 

However, their hopes of causing an upset were dashed within seven minutes of the restart as the Gunners opened up a 2-0 lead thanks to a Robin van Persie header and David Gray's own goal. Karl Duguid quickly pulled one back for Plymouth but Arsenal continued to dominate and sealed the win with Van Persie's second of the afternoon five minutes from time.

 

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ALMUNIA WANTS TO BRING BACK THE REAL GUNNERS

Manuel Almunia has called on his team-mates to find the "real Arsenal" as the Gunners bid to get their inconsistent Premier League campaign back on track in the second half of the season. Arsenal will see in the new year in fourth place in the league, 10 points behind leaders Liverpool, while injuries to the likes of Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas and Tomas Rosicky continue to cast a cloud over the Emirates Stadium. However, the goalkeeper believes it is the steely identity, which saw Arsenal win so many trophies with the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.

 

Almunia also believes William Gallas is still the real leader of Arsenal despite having been stripped of the captaincy. With the Frenchman's successor, Fabregas, now sidelined, the armband has passed to Almunia who believes the form of Gallas could be key in the second half of the season. Almunia insists the inspiration still comes from Gallas and cites the manner in which Arsenal players celebrated Gallas' winning goal against Portsmouth on Sunday as evidence that there are no lingering problems over the defender's autobiography in which he questioned his team-mates' bravery and accused one Arsenal player of disrupting morale.

 

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