Arshavin gives Arsenal revenge over Rovers

Andrei Arshavin scored a second-half winner as Arsenal avenged last season’s loss at Blackburn with a 2-1 victory at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Arsene Wenger had this week bemoaned Blackburn’s aggressive tactics in Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Rovers in May and claimed Sam Allardyce’s team deliberately tried to turn the clash against the Gunners into a “rugby” match.

Allardyce responded to that jibe by describing Arsenal’s title winning teams as some of the dirtiest in the country, but it was Wenger’s Arsenal who had the last laugh thanks to Arshavin.

Theo Walcott had put Arsenal ahead in the 20th minute with a fine, low finish.

Mame Diouf, on loan from Manchester United, equalised for Blackburn seven minutes later after El Hadji Diouf out-paced new Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny.

But Russia winger Arshavin struck in the 51st minute after Bacary Sagna’s strong run down the right to send Arsenal top of the table ahead of Saturday’s later matches.