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  • Aliadiere (29)
  • Adebayor (17)
  • Date:2008-12-13
  • Kick-off:12:45
  • Venue:The Riverside Stadium
  • Attendance:27320
  • Referee:Walton, P

Live Commentary

90mins

Full-Time: MIDDLESBROUGH 1-1 ARSENAL. Arsenal drop more points on the road but they didn't do enough to win against a determined Boro side.

90mins

Arsene Wenger is frustrated on the sidelines as Arsenal can't keep hold of the ball.

90mins

Adam Johnson is replaced by Marvin Emnes.

90mins

Cesc Fabregas catches Adam Johnson in the face and he'll need some treatment.

90mins

There's three minutes of added time.

90mins

Cesc Fabregas sends in a free-kick and Nicklas Bendtner has a free header which goes just wide.

89mins

Mohamed Shawky is on for Didier Digard.

88mins

Ross Turnbull makes a great save from Nicklas Bendtner, beating away his shot.

87mins

The game has livened up now as both teams go for the winner.

86mins

Arsenal have won two corners in quick succession and it's desperate defending from Boro.

85mins

Arsenal break forward quickly but Robert Huth is there to clear.

84mins

The match is very scrappy now.

82mins

Nicklas Bendtner is on for Diaby.

81mins

The game's in a bit of a lull and needs a lift.

79mins

Diaby concedes a foul for obstruction and has to be careful as he's already been booked.

78mins

Julio Arca sends his effort over the bar.

77mins

Stewart Downing's inswinging free-kick is headed away but Arsenal only half-clear the danger and Boro are now putting on the pressure.

76mins

No substitutions made yet as we go into the last 15 minutes.

74mins

William Gallas' effort goes into the side netting.

74mins

Gael Clichy's a long way out and his shot is deflected behind for another corner.

73mins

Emmanuel Adebayor gets away from his marker and wins another corner.

72mins

Didier Digard sends a throughball to Jeremie Aliadiere but William Gallas does well to win the ball back for Arsenal.

70mins

Boro can't get out of their own half and the crowd are getting a little frustrated.

69mins

Boro are making Arsenal work hard and the Gunners can't find a way past them at the moment.

67mins

Gael Clichy gets a talking to for a foul on Tony McMahon but no booking this time.

66mins

Ross Turnbull does well to catch Diaby's shot as Arsenal enjoy a spell of pressure.

65mins

Emmanuel Adebayor's effort gets a deflection off Robert Huth for a corner.

64mins

Cesc Fabregas has a shot which bounces off Chris Riggott.

63mins

Robin van Persie has a great chance to put Arsenal ahead but drags his effort across the face of goal.

61mins

Manuel Almunia makes a great save from a Jeremie Aliadiere shot and Boro have another corner.

60mins

Tuncay and Aliadiere are causing Arsenal problems with their pace.

58mins

A half-chance for Boro as Jeremie Aliadiere chases down a long ball but Arsenal are able to clear.

57mins

Gael Clichy makes a run forward and has a shot which stings the palms of Ross Turnbull.

56mins

Boro are working hard not to give Arsenal any time on the ball.

55mins

Tuncay has a weak shot which is a missed opportunity.

54mins

It's an even start to the half with both sides trying to come forward.

52mins

Aliadiere is back on the pitch.

51mins

Jeremie Aliadiere needs treatment after landing awkwardly on his back.

50mins

Boro are playing well in the opening stages of the second half.

47mins

Diaby is the first player to go into the book for a challenge on Chris Riggott.

46mins

The second half is underway with no changes from either side.

45mins

Half-Time: MIDDLESBROUGH 1-1 ARSENAL. Referee Peter Walton blows for half-time.

45mins

Adam Johnson sends his shot wide under pressure from the Arsenal defence.

45mins

There's one minute of added time.

45mins

Cesc Fabregas is causing problems for Boro every time he gets the ball.

44mins

Boro's wide men are doing well when they have the ball and need to see more of it.

42mins

The ball is swung in and Tuncay puts it behind for another corner which is punched away by Ross Turnbull and Fabregas sends his shot wide.

41mins

Arsenal win a another corner off Robert Huth.

41mins

Arsenal are trying to slow the game down.

40mins

Jeremie Aliadiere is through on goal but Manuel Almunia is quickly off his line to stop the danger.

39mins

Arsenal should have equalised but Robin van Persie can't control the ball after good play by Cesc Fabregas.

38mins

Stewart Downing's free-kick is saved by Manuel Almunia with Robert Huth threatening.

37mins

Adam Johnson is getting the better of Gael Clichy and wins a free-kick.

35mins

Boro have been galvanised by the goal and Gael Clichy appears to catch Adam Johnson in the area but no penalty given.

34mins

Arsenal are having to defend and Tuncay's ball is cleared by Bacary Sagna.

33mins

The crowd have lifted the atmosphere after Boro's goal.

31mins

Cesc Fabregas's free-kick is sent into a crowded area and Ross Turnbull does well to come and gather the ball.

29mins

MIDDLESBROUGH 1-1 ARSENAL. An equaliser against the run of play as Tuncay's cross is headed past Manuel Almunia by Jeremie ALIADIERE.

28mins

Diaby's header from the corner is straight at Ross Turnbull.

27mins

Wonderful passing football from Arsenal and Boro can't get the ball off them, only to concede a corner.

25mins

Tuncay tries a shot which takes a deflection and is comfortably saved by Manuel Almunia.

24mins

Middlesbrough seem to have run out of ideas after a bright start.

23mins

Jeremie Aliadiere's shot on the turn goes wide.

21mins

Emmanuel Adebayor is caught offside again.

20mins

The Boro fans are quiet after their side's good start to the game has been wiped out.

17mins

MIDDLESBROUGH 0-1 ARSENAL. Arsenal score from the corner, Cesc Fabregas sending it in and Emmanuel ADEBAYOR has the easy task of heading past Ross Turnbull.

16mins

Another great move from Arsenal, Emmanuel Adebayor drifting past the Boro defence, but Diaby's shot is saved by Ross Turnbull.

15mins

Boro are building patiently from the back and Tuncay is causing problems for the Arsenal defence.

13mins

Stewart Downing takes a corner which is cleared to Didier Digard but his ball across the face of goal doesn't reach a Boro player.

11mins

Arsenal have settled now and Robin van Persie has a right-foot effort from the edge of the box which goes wide.

10mins

Didier Digard is having a good game but gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Cesc Fabregas.

8mins

It's doubtful whether Boro can keep up this pace for the whole game.

6mins

Emmanuel Adebayor is well offside as Arsenal punt the ball forward.

5mins

Manuel Almunia watches the corner all the way and takes the ball comfortably.

4mins

Jeremie Aliadiere has won his side a corner and Arsenal look unsettled.

4mins

Adam Johnson and Gael Clichy are having a good battle down the Boro right.

3mins

Emanuel Pogatetz is trying to get beyond the Arsenal defence and has won a series of throw-ins.

2mins

Boro have made a positive start to the game.

1mins

The game is underway in rainy, windy conditions.

0mins

Arsene Wenger has brought his big guns back and will be hoping for a third league win a row.

0mins

Can Middlesbrough upset the odds and beat Arsenal at home today, they're 4 to 1 to do so.

Match Preview

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is facing up to a defensive crisis ahead of Saturday's visit of Arsenal to the Riverside Stadium.

The Teessiders will be without David Wheater following his red card in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Hull City. Robert Huth and Chris Riggott both remain serious doubts due to injury, while fellow central defender Emanuel Pogatetz only played the full 90 minutes against the Tigers after receiving pain-killing injections on a shoulder problem.

Youngster Seb Hines has been placed on standby for a start as Boro look to end a four-game winless run which has seen them drop out of the top half of the Premier League table.

Boro's recent troubles appear to stem from a lack of goals as they've scored just three times since a 2-1 win over Aston Villa at the beginning of November.

Mido's continued absence through injury has left the Teessiders toothless in attack as Afonso Alves has not scored for six games and Jeremie Aliadiere eight.

Only Sanli Tuncay appears to be in any sort of goalscoring form and it's little surprise that he is the club's joint leading scorer despite missing almost two months of the season through injury.

Arsenal head north looking to improve their recent form at the Riverside Stadium.

Arsene Wenger's side have not secured the three points on any of their last three visits to Teesside - with Boro winning 2-1 on two of those occasions.

Anything other than a win would surely bring an end to the Gunners' slim title hopes, which they resurrected with a 2-1 success over Chelsea two weeks ago.

Wenger's side reclaimed fourth place with a 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic last weekend and after missing the trip to the JJB Stadium, both William Gallas (calf) and Abou Diaby (groin) returned to the squad for Wednesday's Champions League game against FC Porto.


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Match Report

Arsenal dropped more points on their travels when they held to a 1-1 draw by an under-strength Middlesbrough side at the Riverside Stadium.

The Gunners failed to take advantage of a side hit by suspension and injuries despite taking a first-half lead.

Boro manager Gareth Southgate would have derived more satisfaction from this game than his counterpart.

Southgate, in fact, has never lost to Arsenal since he took over as Middlesbrough's manager.

Arsenal were strong favourites to win the game against a side without the suspended David Wheater and several injured players.

Arsenal threatened when Adam Johnson gave the ball away and Abou Diaby shot wide with a horrible shot. A few minutes later Ross Turnbull saved with his legs from Diaby.

Arsenal went ahead after 17 minutes through Emmanuel Adebayor who rose in a crowd of players to head the ball past Turnbull. Southgate would not have been happy with the slack marking of his defence.

Boro drew level after 29 minutes with a brilliant header from Jeremie Aliadiere. When Tuncay crossed from the left the former Arsenal player connected with a flying header that left Manuel Almunia helpless.

The goal lifted Boro and there were strong appeals for a penalty when Gael Clichy brought down Johnson with a clumsy challenge just inside the box.

Television replays showed it was a penalty but the referee waved on play.

Middlesbrough were playing with tremendous spirit at this stage even though Robin van Persie missed a close-range chance to put Arsenal ahead with a quick counter-attack.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could not have been happy with the first-half performance of his side.

Just after the break Diaby was booked for a foul - the only caution in the game.

Almunia made a brilliant save from a fierce Stewart Downing shot while at the other end van Persie shot across the face of the goal.

Boro, who had four products from their highly-rated academy in their side, were putting in a spirited performance.

But there was a lack of authority and flamboyance from the visitors and there were no big-name characters in their side to provide any inspiration.

Turnbull saved at the near post from substitute Nicklas Bendtner as Boro earned a point in their fight to keep away from the relegation zone.

Middlesbrough

Arsenal

Corners

510

Fouls

811

Goal attempts

817

Shots off target

56

Offsides

12

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