Arsenal:
            Stack
Toure  Cygan Keown Clichy
Parlour Gilberto Edu Bentley (Smith 73)
  Kanu Owusu-Abeyie (Thomas 64)

subs not used: Holloway Cole Skulason

Arsenal were not weak on paper, with 8 first teamers (3 of whom had started the previous league game, all 5 subs from that game started). But they failed to do much for most of the game, and only had one real shot on target. Things looked a lot better in the last half hour, when Thomas and then Smith had come on. Owusu-Abeyie tried hard but perhaps a bit too hard at times, and when Kanu's on the pitch it's probably best if the other striker(s) play it safer.

Juninho was unlucky in the first half when he hit the far post with a low drive from an angle on their right, the ball bouncing back into the arms of keeper Graham Stack (who had a decent game including a spectacular save from Juninho - looks like he's confirming the reports from his loan spell in Belgium last year and might well turn out to be a better bet for the future than Taylor or Shaaban). 8 minutes after the re-start, Juninho was left totally unmarked on their right again, Mendieta's pass found him, and the little Brazilian's low shot made it between the posts this time.

So, we take a 1 goal deficit up to the Riverside next Wednesday. Henry wil be rested again and Kanu won't be available but it's possible that one of both of Wiltord or Bergkamp will play. Should be a cracker.