Arsenal

Sagna was forced off during the Gunners’ 3-3 draw at home to Norwich on Saturday, with the challenge leaving manager Arsene Wenger outraged.

And with Sagna’s hopes of representing Les Bleus in Ukraine and Poland next month ended, the right-back has hit out at Johnson.

“He trod on my leg,” Sagna is quoted as saying. “I think he did it on purpose.”

Sagna suffered a similar injury in October and he is vowing to come back stronger.

“The play carried on and I got up,” he said. “When I went to control the ball, I felt a crack just like the first time against Tottenham.

“He trod on me in the same place as the previous fracture was. That’s what caused the pressure. It cut in two. Now I’ll start all over again. I’ve come back before and I’ll come back even stronger a second time.”

Replays appeared to suggest the collision was accidental and Norwich boss Paul Lambert has backed Johnson.

Lambert said: “There’s nothing in that, it’s not malicious.”

Arsenal

Van Persie, 28, the Premier League’s current top scorer, only began spearheading the Arsenal attack almost three years ago after Wenger sold Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City and has developed into one of the most feared centre-forwards in Europe.

Before the shift in position, the Dutch international played almost exclusively as a second striker, the kind of role fellow countryman Dennis Bergkamp made his own at the club.

“That was the idea from day one,” Van Persie told Arsenal Player. “I never really thought that I would end up as a main striker.

“I actually never played there before – I did it a couple of times at youth level but it was nothing really special. We only tried it when Adebayor went.

“The boss didn’t buy someone else because he was convinced I could do it. I wasn’t even convinced about it. I wasn’t so sure, because I didn’t really play there so much.

“Then, in pre-season, we had a game against Inter Milan. I scored a good goal, played well and he told me after the game, ‘You see? It will work’. That was the first step to being a main striker.

“Sometimes, you just question yourself, if you’re good enough at it. Those answers came.

“I have been for a while now convinced that I actually can play as a main striker. I just didn’t know, and now I believe. Let’s see where it ends. Let’s see how far I can push myself, see where my maximum lies.”

Van Persie’s exploits have made him the heavy favourite to be crowned PFA Player of the Year on Sunday.

Arsenal

Rosicky, 31, joined Arsenal in May 2006 from Borussia Dortmund and has been an important player in the heart of the Gunners’ midfield.

“It’s a great honour to sign a new deal with Arsenal. I love the club and am proud to wear the Arsenal shirt,” he told the club’s website. “It’s felt like home since I arrived six years ago and I couldn’t be happier to commit my future to the team.

“The manager, my team-mates, the staff and the supporters – everyone plays their part in making this a great club, and I feel privileged to be a part of it. I believe we have a really talented group of players and, together with the manager, the future looks bright. It’s always been my goal to win trophies here at Arsenal, and I will fight hard to achieve my dreams here.”

Manager Arsene Wenger added: “I’ve always been a big admirer of Tomas’ abilities and am delighted he’s chosen to commit his future to the club. I believe he is an exceptional player, a natural footballer who is technically top class.

“He plays the style of football we champion here and shares completely our philosophy. He is always ready to work for the sake of the club, always willing to put the team first. I have huge respect for him.”

Wenger is known not to give long-term deals to players over the age of 30, so while the length of the contract has not been revealed, it is believed to be only a one-year extension.

Arsene Wenger

Gervinho was given a harsh introduction to English football on the opening day of the Premier League season at St James’ Park when he was shown a straight red card for raising his hands to Joey Barton. Arsenal’s Alex Song was also later retrospectively banned for a stamp on Barton.

Last weekend, Newcastle snatched a 1-1 draw from a heated Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland, since when both clubs have been charged with misconduct following a match which saw Black Cats forward Stephane Sessegnon shown a red card for lashing out at Magpies midfielder Cheick Tiote, who immediately went to ground.

Wenger believes Ivory Coast international Gervinho, and his team-mates, will be wiser from the whole experience, although such situations leave the Gunners boss disappointed.

“Gervinho was shocked because he felt he didn’t do a lot. I think he learned his lesson in the first game and it’s better than after 20,” Wenger said. “It’s better to know what you are facing. If you want to play abroad, work abroad, then you have to adapt to the local culture.

“It [play-acting] annoys me, but it can happen with one of my players as well. For example, [Liverpool striker Luis] Suarez got the penalty last week. It was no penalty. Nobody touched him.

“Where they go overboard is that nobody touched him. I can understand if they push the ball too far, but when no one touches him? Then when they roll down the sock, take the shin pad out like he has been kicked like mad. It is a bit overboard. We don’t need that.”

The Gunners go into the home clash with Newcastle aiming to keep close up on third-placed Tottenham, who were beaten at Everton, and put distance between themselves and Chelsea, who beat Stoke on Saturday.

Arsenal have found some consistency in recent weeks, winning four from their last five Premier League games, which included back-to-back victories over Spurs and Liverpool.

Having crashed out of the FA Cup at Sunderland and been unable to overturn a 4-0 first-leg deficit against AC Milan in the Champions League, despite the morale-boosting 3-0 home win, Wenger knows his men must retain focus if they are to stay the course.

“Newcastle is a team that has offensive strength so a good defensive performance will be needed,” he said. “For a long time, we didn’t put one big result after the other.

“But we have scored seven against Blackburn, five against Tottenham, three against Milan and they are good teams. Overall, we have a flow in our game because maybe the confidence is higher.”

Cologne

Podolski has been strongly linked with a move to the Emirates this summer as Cologne, who are currently 14th in the Bundesliga, continue their relegation battle. The German international, though, insists an agreement has not yet been reached between the two clubs despite widespread reports he is due to team up with Arsene Wenger’s side.

“Contrary to reports from the past few days, nothing has been decided yet,” Podolski told German Sky Sports. “If there is something to report, then I’ll do it.”

The 26-year-old’s comments were supported by former Cologne sporting director Volker Finke, who hinted that talks had taken place over Podolski’s future but that a final decision had not yet been made at the RheinEnergieStadion.

“The final die is not yet cast,” said Finke. “It’s part of the business and so it is generally agreed that only when the die is cast and everything is signed – when it comes to a transfer, as it is being discussed in the newspapers – only then can the parties involved make comments. It is still not settled and therefore we have no comment.”

Finke left the club by mutual consent after Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Hertha Berlin. Podolski, meanwhile, is facing the possiblility of a three-match ban after being shown a red card in Cologne’s win. – soccernet

It is hard to predict who will win between the two big European teams. Both Milan and Arsenal have a constraint in the composition of the players ahead of the game.

I Rossoneri are currently experiencing a crisis in midfield, while the Gunners are not complete in defense. Milan can not be strengthened by Kevin-Prince Boateng, Genarro Gattuso, Mathieu Flamini, and Alberto Aquilani, while Arsenal lost three defensive players, Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos, and Carl Jenkinson.

However, the sharpness of the attackers of  the Gunner continued to show a nice graph. This is what makes Ramsey hopes Arsenal can steal a victory in Milan.

“If we can score some goals there and go back to the Emirates, obviously it is a fantastic result for us,” Ramsey said as quoted by Sky Sports.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also scored twice as Arsene Wenger saw his team close to just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

Dutchman Van Persie fired the Gunners ahead inside two minutes, but a fine free-kick from Morten Gamst Pedersen brought Blackburn level.

Arsenal were soon back in front through skipper Van Persie, before Oxlade-Chamberlain extended the lead.

Gael Givet saw red for a two-footed challenge on Van Persie, and there was no way back for Rovers.

Arsenal dominated the second half, as Mikel Arteta and the impressive Oxlade-Chamberlain were both on target with Van Persie collecting the matchball following a neat near-post finish just after the hour.

Substitute Thierry Henry swept home goal number seven in stoppage time to cap a memorable afternoon at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners, who are up into fifth place, will be hoping for a Manchester United win at Stamford Bridge tomorrow to improve their Champions League prospects for next season.

Today Wenger’s side took just one minute and 19 seconds to move ahead.

Theo Walcott was played into the right side of the penalty area by Francis Coquelin after a cross was only half cleared.

The England winger, frequently maligned for his poor choice of final ball, played a low centre through the six-yard box to Van Persie who tapped in his 121st Arsenal goal to overtake Dennis Bergkamp on the all-time list.

Today’s match had been brought forward to a 1pm start because of disruptions to the London Underground network, and there were plenty of empty seats around Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal, who had not recorded a league win in 2012, continued to press as the visitors, unbeaten in three away games including a shock win at Old Trafford, defended deep with two banks of four.

Paul Robinson turned a curling effort from Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky around the post.

But after 31 minutes, Laurent Koscielny bundled over Anthony Modeste just outside the Arsenal penalty area.

It proved a costly foul as Gamst Pedersen whipped the resulting free-kick over the wall and into the top-left corner, a shot which Wojciech Szczesny got a hand to but could not keep out.

After the restart, there was a stoppage when Blackburn’s Jason Lowe went over on his ankle in a sliding challenge from Rosicky, and the midfielder was replaced by Bradley Orr to make his debut.

Arsenal were ahead again after 38 minutes, and again it was Walcott who was the provider.

Following patient build-up, Alex Song slipped the England man away down the right again, and he sprinted to cut the ball back from the goalline right into the path of Van Persie, who again made no mistake from a yard out.

Before Rovers could regroup, it was 3-1.

Walcott and Van Persie combined again, this time to release Oxlade-Chamberlain into the Blackburn penalty area, where he skipped around Robinson and slotted home his first Premier League goal five minutes from half-time.

The afternoon got worse for the visitors after 43 minutes when Givet was shown a straight red card by referee Andre Marriner for jumping in with two feet on Van Persie.

Rovers made an immediate tactical change as midfielder David Dunn was replaced by defender Grant Hanley.

The hosts went close again when Thomas Vermaelen crashed the ball against the far post from Arteta’s floated cross.

Arsenal further extended their lead after 51 minutes.

Blackburn only half cleared a corner to the edge of the area, from where Spaniard midfielder Arteta drilled the ball back into the bottom left corner.

Rovers, who had beaten the Gunners 4-3 at Ewood Park in September, were over-run again after 54 minutes when Walcott’s mazy dribble through the penalty area took him past five defenders before slipping in Oxlade-Chamberlain, who turned his marker and rolled the ball past Robinson.

It was now very much a case of damage limitation for the visitors, manager Steve Kean pensively looking on from the dugout.

Van Persie, who twice struck the woodwork in Wednesday night’s frustrating goalless draw at Bolton, completed his hat-trick after 62 minutes when he clipped home a cross from Coquelin at the near post.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was replaced by Henry for the final 23 minutes, which could not finish soon enough for Blackburn.

To round the scoring off, Henry – on loan from New York Red Bulls – swept home number seven in stoppage time, with the aid of a deflection. (Soccernet)

Arsenal

The Frenchman says he is tempted to rotate his squad to avoid players becoming fatigued after matches against Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers in the past week.

“I will rotate a little bit because many players have given a lot,” he told the club’s official website. “[With Van Persie] the temptation is there.

“We are in a situation at the moment where he is the main goalscorer, so I will maybe have to build a team that works around him.”

Park Chu-Young, Thierry Henry and Theo Walcott are potential candidates to replace Van Persie in attack if Wenger does decide to rest his talisman.

However, despite returning from the Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco, the Arsenal boss has confirmed that Marouane Chamakh will not be involved.

“We have Park [Chu-Young], Thierry Henry, we have Walcott who wants to play through the middle – he has not done it,” he said.

“We have not done it but we always have adapted. Thierry Henry at the start was not a centre forward, Robin van Persie was not a centre forward, so we’ll see what we do if it happens.

“But Chamakh is back. No [he is not ready to play]. He should be in today because they have 48 hours to be back after the competition, but I will not use him tomorrow.”

Arsenal, who lost 4-3 in the reverse fixture against Blackburn earlier this season, currently sit in seventh place in the Premier League, five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. (Goal)

Arsenal

Arsene Wenger’s side spurned a host of chances to get in front, although they may consider themselves lucky to escape the Reebok with a point after Mark Davies appeared to be fouled twice in the box late on, first by Per Mertesacker and then by Wojciech Szczesny.

The draw has left Arsenal still searching for their first league win in 2012, while they have created a five-point gap behind Chelsea who sit in fourth. A point for Owen Coyle’s side, meanwhile, sees them two clear of the relegation zone, while the Scot will be encouraged by the industrial performance of his midfield against Wenger’s charges.

It was Arsenal who dominated the early moments of the match and the visitors created two good chances to go ahead in the first 10 minutes as Robin van Persie saw his header cleared off the line, while Aaron Ramsey’s sliding effort failed to trouble Adam Bogdan.

David Ngog proceeded to show how much of a threat he could be to the Arsenal defence with two of his own efforts. His initial chance forced a commanding save from Szczesny after he turned Laurent Koscielny to open himself up to goal.

The Frenchman was not deterred and tried again after Gretar Steinsson raided down Bolton’s right flank before setting up the striker, but his shot dribbled harmlessly wide.

Arsenal responded and enjoyed possession in Bolton’s half for the majority of the half, but dogged defending from the hosts denied Wenger’s men clear-cut chances on goal.

After the break, Arsenal came out fighting and continuously ambushed the Bolton defence with crosses and passes through the middle for the waiting Van Persie. However, the hosts remained resilient at the back to stifle Wenger’s charges.

Van Persie finally had his next big chance of the game after being handed the ball just a yard out, but the Dutchman was left frustrated by his effort which hit the post and out of danger.

Bolton remained firm at the back to deny Arsenal, while Coyle’s men had the chance to steal a point as Ngog’s header from Martin Petrov’s cross struck Koscielny, who had turned his back. (Goal)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger now faces a dilemma as to whether to cash in on 30-year-old Arshavin who has 18 months left on his contract.

But Arshavin is in Arsenal’s plans for the trip to Bolton tomorrow night and is in the squad. However, the Russian transfer window does not shut until next month.

That means the sale does not have to be done before 11pm but Arsenal would need to get a replacement before the English deadline shuts.

Arshavin has also said he would only return to former club Zenit St Petersburg if he goes back to Russia.

He joined Arsenal for £12m three years ago and they would want at least £8m but do not want to leave themselves short for the rest of the season.

Wenger said last week he “loves” Arshavin and wants him to stay but the Russian playmaker has been booed by Arsenal fans recently.