Gunners win dampened by injury worry
ARSENAL (2) Vs STANDARD LIEGE (0)
ARSENAL secured top spot in Group H and a place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a smooth attacking display, but their satisfaction was soured by a serious injury to full-back Kieran Gibbs.
The outstanding Samir Nasri capitalised on a defensive slip to tuck the opening goal and fit-again midfielder Denilson made sure of the points before half-time with a 30-yard drive that swerved viciously.
A characteristically fluid offensive display from the Gunners was the ideal riposte to manager Arsene Wenger’s pre-match warning that club ambitions must be his players’ priority, World Cup year or not.
But if he was reassured by the manner of their win, which could easily have been by a wider margin, he was left frustrated by a broken metatarsal likely to keep England Under-21 left-back Gibbs sidelined for six weeks.
“He has a big hole in his leg,” said Wenger. “It was a very bad challenge from the No22, and it was not his first try. He doesn’t look too good.”
The good news for Wenger was that forward Andrey Arshavin and defender William Gallas will both be fit for Sunday’s crunch Premier League visit from Chelsea despite a nasty clash of heads that left the Russian bleeding and the Frenchman groggy.
It was not all one-way traffic, Standard Liege twice hitting the woodwork and growing into the game, although the contest was decided by half time.
Ten minutes before the break Nasri chased a long ball and when Landry Mulemo lost his footing, the France midfielder tucked past Sinan Bolat.
And then Denilson, making his first start since September, bamboozled Bolat with a strike that swerved wildly in both directions.