Arsenal 3-0 Blackburn

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Club record goalscorer Thierry Henry became the first player to net 100 goals at Highbury as Arsenal were made to sweat for victory over Blackburn.

Cesc Fabregas shot Arsenal into an early lead but Rovers reacted strongly with Craig Bellamy a constant threat.

Henry made it 2-0 just before half-time as Arsenal looked comfortably on top.

Bellamy and David Thompson went close with headers as Rovers refused to give up, before Robin van Persie's stunning late effort wrapped up the points.

Arsenal led after four minutes when Fabregas was left unmarked to curl a low shot into the bottom corner from outside the box.

But any thoughts that this would herald a stroll for Arsenal proved unfounded as Rovers responded positively.

The combination of Shefki Kuqi's physical presence and Morten Gamst Pedersen's deft footwork kept Sol Campbell and Pascal Cygan on their toes.

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Rovers' best early chance came when Lucas Neill's long ball bisected Campbell and Kolo Toure, but Bellamy had to stretch just that bit too far and his lob was off target.

In the dying moments of the half Henry created another piece of history, clocking up his Highbury century when he stroked home Pires' through-ball.

Shortly after the restart Kuqi and Steven Reid both went close for Rovers, and Bellamy's header inches wide gave Arsenal another scare.

But just when the home side were starting to worry, substitute Van Persie cut in from the right and produced a sweet shot into the far top corner to settle matters.

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:

"Even if we are a little bit flat we can always score goals. That's very positive.

"The finishing qualities made the difference between the two sides. We were always in front and maybe didn't have to dig very deep.

"Overall, we did the job well and we won in the end with three great goals."

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes on his team's response to conceding an early goal:

"We tried to create chances and another day, if one had gone in, who knows what might have happened.

"The second goal on half-time took the wind out of our sails so the second half was always going to be difficult.

"I'm pleased with the effort but the difference between the teams was in the final third. The telling pass wasn't there for us but it was for them."

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Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cygan, Pires (Flamini 77), Fabregas, Silva, Reyes (Ljungberg 72), Bergkamp (Van Persie 82), Henry.
Subs Not Used: Senderos, Almunia.

Booked: Fabregas

Goals: Fabregas 4, Henry 45, Van Persie 90.

Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Nelsen, Todd, Gray, Emerton (Thompson 61), Reid, Savage, Pedersen, Kuqi (Dickov 79), Bellamy.
Subs Not Used: Khizanishvili, Enckelman, Mokoena.

Booked: Reid, Neill.

Att: 38,192

Ref: C Foy (Merseyside)