Match Centre: Portsmouth 1 - 4 Arsenal

Full-time: Portsmouth 1 - 4 Arsenal

Eduardo put them ahead with a fortunate free-kick, but then Arsenal’s class took over with great goals from Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey, and Alex Song. Nadir Belhadj pulled one back for Portsmouth in the 74th minute, but it wasn’t nearly enough to match Arsenal on the day. Arsene Wenger will be pleased to get another three points, especially without his captain Cesc Fabregas. No one will have missed the Spanish midfielder today, as Song, Diaby, and Ramsey all had nearly sublime performances. Woe for Pompey to close out 2009, but only even more hope for Arsenal as they will push on optimistically.

94º Eastmond with a decent effort on goal from 20 yards out. Arsenal’s supporters give the youngster a proper applause.

92º Michael Brown coming on for Richard Hughes. Brown takes the captain’s armband from Hughes. Portsmouth supporters still screaming “Pompey!” at the top of their lungs. Nice to see the supporters urging their team on despite the circumstances.

90º Four minutes of stoppage time.

89º Sagna wins another corner. Portsmouth counters and Craig Eastmond gifts Portsmouth a corner for themselves.

88º Impressive passing, can’t say enough about the footballing philosophy Wenger instills in his players.

86º Hughes is shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Song.

85º Craig Eastwood comes on to replace Samir Nasri. Nasri has had a great performance tonight, walking off with a goal and an assist to his name.

83º Arshavin walks off, Carlos Vela gets ten minutes to run about.

81º GOAL!!! Portsmouth 1 - 4 Arsenal!! Song with a glancing header to make it four for Arsenal! Nasri lifts in a weighted cross met the Cameroonian perfectly. Song capped off a wonderful sequence of passing, and if anyone had any doubts before, now the three points are certainly in the hands of the North Londoners.

79º Rosicky has a superb long-range effort that JUST goes over the Portsmouth net. He flashes a smile, and he’s just happy to be back on the pitch after his injury spell on the sideline.

77º Almunia just hits Vanden Borre like a freight train, but fair play to the Arsenal keeper as he does well to grab Belhadj’s cross.

74º GOAL!!! Portsmouth 1 - 3 Arsenal!!! And Belhadj pulls one back! Probably won’t make any difference in the end, but the Algerian sweetly hits a left-footed strike past Almunia to the far post.

71º Boateng off for Kanu. Rosicky off for Eduardo.

69º GOAL!!!! Portsmouth 0 - 3 Arsenal!!! And it’s Aaron Ramsey with a beauty! The young prodigy cuts inside to beat a Portsmouth defender then has a proper strike from 20 yards out with his left foot straight into the Portsmouth near post. Three points now definitely sealed for Arsene Wenger’s Gunners.

66º Boateng fell awkwardly and is now walking off the field a bit shaken.

61º Chance falls for Yebda just outside the Arsenal box, but his low effort is struck right at Almunia. Portsmouth are really pushing for one at the moment.

58º Aaron Ramsey has really been a revelation. His skill is fit for the Premiership, as exemplified tonight. Can’t wait to see him for Arsenal in the next decade. Mokoena now comes off for Vanden Borre.

55º Song does well to win a free-kick for Arsenal, and the free-kick drops to Diaby, who tries a cheeky left-footed chip that isn’t too far from Begovic’s far post.

53º Belhadj’s first-time effort goes wide of Almunia’s goal.

51º Eduardo ruins a great sequence by Arsenal with a volley that goes 25 yards over the Portsmouth net. Nasri down, he walks off the field with an injury to his hand.

48º Arshavin caught offside just barely as Nasri slips in through.

46º We’re off again for the last 45!

Half-time: Well Pompey did start well, Arsenal’s superiority has eventually bled through this game. The Gooners have scored two goals, and while one was very lucky, the other was top class. The trio of Abou Diaby, Alex Song, and Aaron Ramsey have been too much for Portsmouth as the Arsenal midfield has been nearly unstoppable. Honestly can’t Pompey getting anything out of this.

45º Two minutes of added time. Arsenal looking comfortable, just knocking the ball about with ease. Mokoena is booked for crashing into Aaron Ramsey, the South African has had that coming for a while.

42º WHAT A GOAL!!! Portsmouth 0 - 2 Arsenal!!! Song does well to find Eduardo. Eduardo held it for a few second inside the box, then gave it to Ramsey, who flicked on for Nasri. The Frenchman slotted the ball to the far post to finish an excellent Arsenal sequence. Arsene Wenger will be proud of that one.

39º Hughes plows into Vermaelen, and the two have an unfriendly exchange. Alan Wiley steps in and tells off Hughes.

33º Belhadj’s long-range effort goes well-wide. A few half-chances for Portsmouth, but nothing too threatening.

32º Arsenal now taking over this game with their trademark swagger. Great passing, and the Arsenal fans that travelled to Fratton Park are jubilant.

30º I’m renaming Sagna the corner-maker. He has won at least five corners for Arsenal so far.

27º GOAL!!! Portsmouth 0 - 1 Arsenal!!! Eduardo’s free-kick deflects off Kaboul, and goes straight into the Portsmouth net. Desperately unlucky for Pompey, although Arsenal have had a goal coming for a while. Eduardo claims the goal, but if it weren’t for the deflection, Begovic would have handled it easily.

26º Ramsey swiftly moves past Mokoena, who takes down the youngster. Arsenal free-kick from 25 yards out, straight in front of Begovic’s net.

24º Portsmouth counters excellently, as Boateng’s first touch was brilliant, but his second touch was terrible and went straight to Almunia.

23º Diaby’s dribbling skills deceive Mokoena, and Arsenal win a free-kick to the left of Portsmouth’s box.

21º Arsenal now taking the initiative and showing their class. Ramsey and Song are truly dominant in the middle of the park at the moment.

19º Diaby wonderfully denied by Begovic at his near post. Arsenal corner.

17º Eduardo wastes a great chance with his header that just skimmed off the front of his head from 8 yards out. Another excellent Sagna cross.

15º Sagna now having fun down the right flank, winning another Arsenal corner. But once again, cleared well by Pompey.

14º Three corners in a row for Arsenal. But nothing results from them.

13º Sagna nicks his cross off Belhadj, Arsenal corner. Vermaelen and Gallas push forward.

11º Portsmouth’s corner is cleared by song, but the home side are really putting on the pressure. Arshavin counters, but his effort from 20 yards goes over the bar.

10º Almunia makes a great save to deny Boateng’s near post effort. Pompey corner.

8º No real rhythm to the game so far, but the Pompey fans are already cheering their lungs out.

6º Alan Wiley is our referee tonight, as he blows for a foul on Alex Song.

3º Pompey on top early with a bit of possession.

1º No snow tonight, a bit of a frosty surface though. Nevertheless, we’re off in Portsmouth!

Kickoff Analysis: Portsmouth have not beaten Arsenal since 1958, and you just can’t see that streak ending tonight. Aaron Ramsey is on for Denilson today, a great chance for the 19-year-old Welshman to make a mark on Arsenal’s campaign. Fabregas is injured, but this Arsenal side looks to have enough class to oust Pompey even without their captain. Last time these two sides met, back in August, Arsenal won at the Emirates 4-1.

Lineups:

Portsmouth: Begovic, Finnan, Kaboul, Ben-Haim, Hreidarsson, Yebda, Mokoena, Hughes, Belhadj, Boateng, Piquionne.

Subs: Ashdown, Diop, Brown, Utaka, Vanden Borre, Kanu, Wilson.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Traore, Ramsey, Song, Diaby, Nasri, Eduardo, Arshavin.

Subs: Fabianski, Rosicky, Vela, Silvestre, Wilshere, Merida, Eastmond.

Pregame Coverage: Cesc Fabregas is unlikely to feature for Arsenal, having aggravated a hamstring problem in a match-winning cameo appearance against Aston Villa. None of Arsenal’s other injured players are expected to make their comeback until January.

Pompey have won three of their last four home games but still have the division’s joint lowest points tally (nine) in front of their own fans this season, along with Bolton. Arsenal have scored more goals (82) and lost fewer matches (five) in the Premier League this year than any other club.

Arsene Wenger:

“Of course this is now a very important game for us but the situation shows two conclusions,” said Wenger. “One, football changes very quickly. Two, sometimes I am right.

“Something has deeply changed in the Premier League. There are more teams aspiring to be in the top four. Already financially at the start the desire is there but the message given to the players at Man City, Tottenham, Aston Villa is ‘now we want to be in there’. And that has changed the structure completely.”