Blackburn 0-2 Arsenal

Premiership action in pictures Blackburn reaction Arsenal reaction

Thierry Henry and Robert Pires kept Arsenal on course for the title and stretched their unbeaten league run to 28 games with victory at Blackburn.

Henry curled home a 25-yard free-kick after 57 minutes following a foul on the Arsenal striker by Craig Short.

And Pires slotted in a second in the dying seconds to confirm the victory.

Jens Lehmann denied Andy Cole with Blackburn's best chance of the first half, but Arsenal always looked assured and stay nine points clear at the top.

The Gunners achieved victory without injured duo Dennis Bergkamp and Freddie Ljungberg, with Arsene Wenger giving starts to Jose Antonio Reyes and Gilberto Silva.

Blackburn were actually first to threaten and Ashley Cole needed to be alert to clear Short's looping header off the line.

But Arsenal responded with a typically sweeping passing move which ended with a surging run from Patrick Vieira and pass to Pires.

Pires should have gone for goal himself, but in trying to set up Thierry Henry he allowed Blackburn to clear.

Henry then demonstrated his threat when he spun 15 yards out and forced Brad Friedel into an important block.

KEY MOMENTS 57 mins: Thierry Henry's free-kick puts Arsenal ahead 87 mins: Robert Pires seals Arsenal's win

The striker was involved in a contentious incident after 26 minutes when he nicked the ball away from Friedel as he threw the ball into the air to clear.

He put the ball into the net, but referee Alan Wiley ruled out the goal for dangerous play.

Arsenal were suddenly looking far more threatening, with Pires landing a 20-yard effort on to the roof of the net and Reyes firing just wide.

But Blackburn were well in contention and Cole brought a sharp diving save from Lehmann.

The growing threat from Arsenal was transformed into a goal, inevitably from Henry, after 57 minutes.

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Blackburn defender Short was penalised for a foul on Henry, and he recovered to curl a briliant 25-yard free-kick beyond Friedel.

Henry was being booed by Blackburn's fans who felt he had made too much of Short's challenge, but Arsenal were delighted to be ahead at last.

And as time ran out, Pires tapped home from close range to punish Blackburn as they pressed for the equaliser.

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Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Todd (Babbel 84), Short, Gray, Emerton, Tugay, Andresen, Douglas (Gresko 77), Cole, Jansen (Yorke 73). Subs Not Used: Johansson, Enckelman.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Silva, Edu, Vieira, Pires (Cygan 89), Reyes (Clichy 77), Henry. Subs Not Used: Kanu, Bentley, Stack.

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)