Arsenal vs Burnley:HALF TIME REPORT

Half-time at the Emirates on a sunny afternoon sees Arsenal surge ahead courtesy a Cesc Fabregas goal;his fourteenth league goal of the season equalling Robert Pires’s goal record by an Arsenal midfielder in the league. But it came at a price as shortly after he scored he was replaced by the returning Abou Diaby. Arsene made four changes to the last line-up with Theo Walcott, Silvestre, Eboue, Rosicky and Denilson coming in for Ramsey,Sagna,Denilson,Campbell.

The hosts might have been out of sight inside the first 10 minutes, but Tyrone Mears got back to rob Nicklas Bendtner as the Dane bore down on goal and Tomas Rosicky fired wide. Moments later Burnley midfielder Kevin McDonald saw yellow for preventing Tomas Rosicky setting up an Arsenal breakaway after a long ball into the Arsenal box was cleared. But Arsenal did not have to wait for long for the opening goal as typically neat build-up play from Arsenal ended with Cesc Fabregas playing the ball to Samir Nasri and making a run into the box, which no-one tracked and Nasri’s wonderfully lofted pass over the defence was slotted under the keeper by Fabregas. Shortly after he was replaced after tweaking a hamstring

Arsenal could have added a second as Eboue’s teasing cross was mis-kicked by Bendtner as the half came to a close
NOTE: Jack Wilshere and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas both on-loan have scored for Bolton and Doncaster Rovers respectively.