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Arsenal edge ten-man Birmingham

02/10/2005

Arsenal needed a fortunate late goal to beat the ten-men of Birmingham 1-0 at Highbury.

The Blues were forced to play the majority of the match a man short after Kenny Cunningham was sent off, yet they looked like coming away from North London with a point until substitute Robin van Persie's deflected shot broke the deadlock nine minutes from time.

Birmingham started the better of the two teams and set out in a positive manner, attacking Arsenal.

This approach almost brought dividends for the visitors, with Emile Heskey's shot cleared off the line by Ashley Cole after Jens Lehmann had partially saved.

However the match turned on 23 minutes with the dismissal of Cunningham, the Birmingham captain, who brought down Fredrik Ljungberg, just outside the 18-yard box, denying the Swede a run-in on goal.

Birmingham's fortunes turned from bad to worse when Arsenal were awarded a penalty for Damien Johnson's foul on Ljunberg on the half-hour.

However the outstanding Maik Taylor denied Robert Pires from the spot and shortly after keeping out a well-struck Jose Reyes free kick.

Taylor frustrated the Gunners throughout and kept out further efforts from Reyes, as Arsenal aimed to press forward their numerical advantage, while Heskey squandered a good opening on the counter attack on half an hour.

The Northern Ireland number one also had to be at his best to keep the scores level early in the second half.

Taylor tipped Ljunberg's close-range effort round the post on 52 minutes, while Pires also saw his volley pushed onto the woodwork by the experienced keeper.

But just as the visitors looked to be on course for a share of the spoils, Arsenal got the stroke of luck they needed.

Van Persie's 80th-minute strike took a cruel deflection off Clemence, leaving Taylor stranded and helpless, extending Arsenal's unbeaten home record.

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