Arsenal 2 Liege 0

Finally, a clean sheet.

Haven't seen this in a while.

2 first half goals from Nasri and Denilson wrapped it up, Denilson shooting a stunner from 35 yards, his first match since coing back from injury. A good way to come back, that's for sure.

The bad news? Gallas and Arshavin have had knocks, and Gibbs is injured too.

Nasri started well, with a shot coming in the third minute. This was the sign of things to come, as Fabregas and Vela had chances in the first ten minutes.

By then it was clear that Arsenal were going to win, with Arshavin in the 15th minute, trying a header that was saved, hit from very close range. This minute was Arsenal laying siege to Liege, first with Vela hitting the post from Arshavin's header (that hit the keeper), Gallas trying twice, both from very close range, and Vermaelen's shot was blocked, resulting in an Arsenal corner. All this and Liege hadn't even been close to having a shot.

That was soon to change, when Liege had a shot that hit the post as well. Both teams with a share of the woodwork, but it was very clear who the winner was going to be.

The rest of the shots, up until the first goal were hit by Vermaelen, smelling goals once again, Nasri and Arshavin, doing well to replace the attacking flair of Van Persie.

Nasri had another goal for Arsenal, doing well in his few games. Vermaelen punted the ball into Nasri's path, the defender slipped in the tackle, and he wasted no time lifting the ball into the back of the net. 1-0 to Arsenal, and there should have been more.

Arsenal continued their shooting ways, with the midfielders and strikers getting into the act, Fabregas and Arshavin coming close, and Denilson finished off an intricate system of passes, to score from 35 yards out.

Half Time, Liege down 2-0. They are never going to get back into this game. Silvestre replaced Gallas because of an injury inflicted earlier.

In the second half Liege were more adventurous, (probably with Silvestre) and Arsenal had fewer shots on goal, as they had the game in the bag. Liege in the 84th minute hit the post, while just inside the box, while at the other end Eboue and Vermaelen were trying to get onto the scoresheet, especially with Vermaelen's goals drying up, and Vela doing well, in one of his few games. Gibbs shot just before the whistle was saved, as that capped off a dominating performance- defenders comfortable to get in and try, midfielders and strikers all on the same track.

Injuries picked up were Gibbs, Arshavin and Gallas. Arsenal 25 (11) to 9 (1), and possession 73-27 Mehdi Carcela Gonzalez for Liege was sent off, and Fabregas got a yellow. No 3-2 shock this time around, an all round dominating performance.

Sunderland make milestone

Sunderland are officially the first team to not concede against Arsenal, with the Black Cats triumphing 1-0 at the Stadium of Light.

Arsenal were on top on shots, and also on possession, but at the end of the day the team with the most goals won. We really missed Van Persie, his central attacking role, and Eduardo wasn't realy up to it.

Arsenal looked the part in the opening 15 minutes, with Fabregas, Nasri and Tomas having long range shots, all coming close, and testing the North-East defence. Fabregas came in the 5th minute, after Sagna's cross came in, Rosicky overhead kicked it to Fabregas, who tried a first time shot but Fulop was lucky there.

But immediately after these events, Malbranque had shots on the break, but both were off target, but close. He should really have done better in his first attempt, having time and space. But after the 20th minute, Arsenal were on top, with shots criss-crossing the Sunderland goal, with Eduardo, Ramsey and Fabregas adding to the shot tally. Eduardo chipped the ball over Fulop, but his shot drifted to the left, nearly clipping Song and travelling just wide.

Arsenal 9 shots to 2. A goal definitely looked on the cards.

The next real chance in the game came from Reid's free kick, and missed, just wide to the right. But after this Sunderland slowly took control. Reid again tried a shot way out to the left, but it went over, always missing, and Wenger replied to the other, Ramsey for Arshavin, and Campbell on for Malbranque.

But then, came he breakthrough. After a corner, taken by Reid, Bent had a header, but that was going to flash way wide. But instead, Campbell tapped it onto Bent's path, and he got there just before Almunia, and killed it in the top centre of the goal. 1-0 to Sunderland.

Immediately after that, Eduardo went on for Vela, and Walcott on for Rosicky. As I thought, Walcott wouldn't have the best game, just arriving back from injury.

Vermaelen replied after the goal, with an ambitious attempt, from the left side, after Fabregas hit a cross towards him. Arshavin collected a high ball from Song but also missed.

A game full of close misses, and one to ponder.

Various news to catch up on

Eduardo got a new deal, Gibbs suffered a foot injury but it isn't as bad as we thought, and the same with Van Persie. Also Liverpool want to bid 10 million for Eduardo but really there's no chance that this deal will go through.

Oh, of course, Sunderland vs Arsenal at the Stadium of Light. Cattermole will probably miss this game but Cana won't.

France beat Ireland through help of Henry's handball, and Gallas' header, and they should offer to replay the game, even when Sarkozy has apologised, and Henry acknowledged the trickiness of the game. Insight going into Arsenal vs Sheffield in the FA Cup 1999, when Overmars scored when the throw in went to Arsenal instead of Sheffield.

If Arsenal offered to replay the game then, the please France own up, and offer to replay the game. It's all about money and not about sportmanship these days.

Today, Bent thinks they can beat Arsenal at home, and they are feeling confident of an upset.

"We have done well at home," he said in the Daily Mirror. "We have only lost at home to Chelsea and if we play like we can do, not too many teams can live with us.

"They are on top, top form. They keep scoring four a game, which is unheard of.

"It is going to be a tough game against Arsenal. They were written off for the title at the start of the season but they have shown they mean business."

And I think it'll be tough to beat them as well. Looking at Sunderland, and particularly Bent's form, this will be a big ask for a team without Van Persie pulling the strings in attack.

Walcott will be back in the squad, as will Denilson and Wilshere. Walcott has only made two appearances for us this season, and I think he'll be in the squad, but used as a substitute.
Denilson and Wilshere will be avaliable, but I don't think that they will play in the starting eleven, and Fabianski is nearing fitness.
Arshavin won't play after playing in the Russia- Slovenia match, in which Russia lost... on away goals, and neither will Sagna or Gallas, after playing 120 minutes against Ireland. I won't mention Henry.

So that's the pre match news, and I reckon a 2-1 win to Arsenal, with Eduardo and Fabregas getting on the cards.

RvP fears confirmed

His ankle ligaments are definitely torn, and thanks to the Italians. He'll be out for 6 weeks, unlike the previous that said he would be out till March.

A Dutch FA spokesman said: ‘Robin van Persie has a partially ruptured ligament of his right ankle. The Arsenal striker went to the hospital on Sunday evening, where further examination confirmed the earlier diagnosis of the medical staff of the Netherlands team.'

Eduardo, in Van Persie and Bendtner's absence, is hungry for goals. I predict that Wenger will use Eduardo in the middle, Arshavin on the left and Nasri on the right. With any luck.

"My form is good and I know that goals will come. Against Tottenham I missed two great chances but no worries, I'm feeling great, I don't have any problems.

Of course, I'm hungry for goals, such as Arsenal are hungry for trophies."

"I am happy because we are playing very good football. We are attractive and also efficient, we are scoring a lot of goals and the fans are happy.

"Everything is in place and our ambitions are growing stronger and stronger.

"We all believe so much that we will fight for top spot in the Premier League and also in Europe until the very end.

"Confidence is sky high which of course is not surprising, as our results are really very good.

"Now we are so proud, because at the start of the season everybody wrote us off.

"Nobody believed that we were good enough to play with the big boys. But we can and this is such a big motivation for us."

Van Persie out for a good while

He may well be out for months, past Christmas and into the January transfer window, after Van Persie was torn down by Giorgio Chiellini. He may have torn his ligaments in his right ankle, and this will definitely dent our title push.

Details are still sketchy but one thing is for certain, this is terrible news.
Ramsey had two assists and a screamer in Wales' 3-0 rout of Scotland, and Eduardo scored two in his match with Croatia.

Oh, and New Zealand qualified for the World Cup in 2010.