Match Centre: Bolton 0 - 2 Arsenal

Full Time: Bolton 0 - 2 Arsenal

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas: “It’s always a difficult place to go, we know what we’ll get at Bolton, but we coped with it well and we’re proud of that. When I was younger the chances were not going in, but now they are and I hope it continues until the end of the season. I feel stronger and that helps. It’s important to win on Wednesday for the title race.”

Today was a prime example of how one man can make or break a team. Man of the Match Cesc Fabregas was brilliant, and his 28th minute goal pushed Arsenal to victory. On the other hand, Bolton’s strikers Matthew Taylor and Ivan Klasnic might as well have not showed up, as they wasted chance after chance after chance that the Bolton midfield did well to create. Bolton should have gotten themselves on the scoreboard, but Arsenal’s defence did play well. Fran Merida wrapped up the three points for the Gunners with an excellent finish. Owen Coyle’s home debut was not very fruitful, but then again Arsenal is a tough task for any manager. Arsene Wenger will be delighted with his youngsters, as Eastmond, Merida, and Vela all played well with some very physical play. Unfortunately for Owen Coyle, he now has to bring his squad to the Emirates next week for a make-up game.

90+Extra Timeº Vela curls a tame effort that Jaaskelainen holds easily.

90º Pouring salt on the wounds now as Arsenal’s passing is world-class. Zak Knight now gives Arsenal a free kick from 20 yards out.

89º It has not been Matthew Taylor’s day. He lacks confidence and his end product has been atrocious. Bolton should be on the scoreboard, but it is their own fault that they are not.

87º Arsenal dominating at the moment. Bolton managing a few half-chances, but Arsenal’s backline looks solid.

84º Taylor is unlucky with his effort as Lee passes to him inside the Arsenal area. Arsenal subsitution: Carlos Vela comes on for Eduardo.

79º Bolton Substitution: Elmander and Gardner come on for Klasnic and Cohen. Klasnic should have been subbed off earlier in my opinion. He has been the weak link for Bolton.

78º GOAL! Bolton 0 - 2 Arsenal! Fran Merida scores his first ever Premier League goal with a cool finish to the far post. Zak Knight deflected Arshavin’s cross, and it fell straight to Merida, who took his first touch to get in space then slotted it home.

78º Klasnic hits the wall, and Arsenal are quick on the counter.

77º Thomas Vermaelen is shown a yellow card for a deliberate handball. Bolton free kick from 35 yards. Klasnic looks set to take.

76º Vermaelen takes the free kick, and wasn’t that a curler? Good effort that skims the top of the Bolton net. Some people in the stands thought it was in.

75º Since Gavin McCann has come on, he has given away a few sloppy fouls. And he just took down Fran Merida from behind. Arsenal now have a free kick from 25 yards out.

74º Arsenal substituion: Tomas Rosicky comes off for Gael Clichy. Good to see the Frenchman back from his injury spell.

71º Matthew Taylor finds himself in acres of space, but doesn’t show composure as he tries a first-time half-volley. His effort goes wide, but he could have dribbled in there.

70º Klasnic wastes yet another chance from six yards out, but he’s offside as well. Rough game for the lad.

68º Cesc swings it near post, but Cohen clears well.

67º Arsenal corner. And Taylor clears for yet another.

65º As we pass the hour mark, Bolton are giving it their all, and they probably look more likely to score than Arsenal at the moment. It is very even.

63º Arsenal substitution: Fran Merida comes on for Craig Eastmond.

62º Bolton substitution: Gavin McCann comes on for Fabrice Muamba.

61º Ivan Klasnic wastes yet another golden chance. Matthew Taylor found Klasnic wonderfully, the Klasnic blasted his effort 10 yards above the goal.

60º Good link-up play from Arsenal as Arshavin finds Diaby. Diaby’s shot is horrid, going about 20 yards wide. He’ll have to forget about that one!

57º Eastmond with a backpass that Almunia picks up. Questionable call from Phil Dowd to play on. Surely that was deliberate by Eastmond.

54º What a save from Almunia! Lee crosses it once again, and Gallas deflects it, forcing the Arsenal keeper into a quick reaction save.

52º It has to be said that Vermaelen is doing wonderfully with all this physical play. He faring better than Gallas, even though the Belgian is far short of six feet tall.

51º Bolton give away an unnecessary free-kick from 30 yards out. Fabregas plays it in to Gallas, who nods it high over the bar.

49º Traore is having problems with Lee, and Cohen could have just scored. Bolton are starting the second half just as they started the first.

48º Lee crosses to Taylor, who crashes into Almunia. Both still try to fight for the ball, then have a laugh.

46º Back again, Bolton will need to push forward early here. But you get the sense that if Arsenal snatch another then this game is over. Could turn into a nasty one, lets hope not.

Halftime: A feisty match at the Reebok this afternoon, with Arsenal just getting the better of Bolton. Without Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal would not be in the lead and could very well be behind. That being said, the Spaniard’s performance has been nothing short of sublime. He now has four goals in his last two and half games. Ivan Klasnic has had a few chances to equalize for Bolton, especially a one-on-one in the dying minutes of the half. Owen Coyle will continue to urge his spirited side on, and this one will only continue to become more of a physical affair.

45+1º Klasnic was right in on goal as William Gallas had a costly error, but Almunia did well to hush anything doing there.

45º Fabregas with a lovely strike from 30 yards out. Cohen deflects it, but the Bolton keeper does well to hold.

43º Oh! Fabregas who should have doubled his tally! Fabregas starts the moment with a great turn to open space. He then played into Arshavin, who crossed it to Eduardo. Eduardo missed his attempted flick, and Fabregas had to react quickly. He didn’t.

38º Taylor with a decent effort on goal from 20 yards, but it rolls straight into Almunia’s arms.

37º Rosicky is booked for barging into Klasnic. Klasnic appeared to have knocked down Diaby from behind a second earlier, but he evades any referee action.

34º Paul Robinson shown the yellow card for a late challenge on Fabregas. The Bolton players are giving Fabregas some tough tackles, and he needs a bit of treatment for this last one.

31º Fabregas looks in fantastic form as he plays Eduardo through. Eduardo wins a corner for Arsenal, and Craig Eastmond should have scored off of Fabregas’ far post delivery. Unlucky from the young Gunner.

29º GOAL! Bolton 0 - 1 Arsenal! Cesc Fabregas and Eduardo have a great one-two, before the Arsenal captain has a top-class goal to beat Jaaskelainen at his far post. That is Cesc Fabregas’ 13th goal of the season, and what a well-worked goal that is.

27º Craig Eastmond gets a stern warning from Phil Dowd for a harsh tackle on Lee. Eastmond got away with one there, that was certainly a booking for his tackle on the young South Korean star.

25º Bolton pour on the pressure, and force William Gallas to give them a corner. Steinsson wastes a chance on the top of the area from the subsequent corner.

22º Talk of Arsenal needing a few more physical players might be applicable today. Bolton are much stronger, and Arsenal are certainly missing their star Cameroonian midfielder Alex Song at the African Cup of Nations.

19º Arsenal on top at the moment, only forcing Bolton to have short spurts of possession. Andrei Arshavin and Cesc Fabregas are displaying their dribbling prowess.

15º Klasnic trying a spectacular overhead kick, but misses. The cross was deflected, so its a Bolton corner.

13º Eduardo plays in Fabregas, who touches the ball away from Jaaskelainen. Jaaskelainen appears to take the Spaniard down in the penalty area, but Phil Dowd says play on. Arsenal may feel a little hard done by, but it would have been a harsh penalty decision as there was little contact.

12º Arsenal now trying to possess, but haven’t Owen Coyle’s side come out well? It looks like how Burnley play at Turf Moor.

7º Jaaskelainen does well to get off his line and deny Eduardo the chance to connect with Cesc Fabregas’ inch-perfect pass.

5º Fabregas caps off some good Arsenal passing with a shot that just rolls wide of Jaaskelainen’s net.

2º What a strike from Ivan Klasnic! But he’s called offside! Bolton denied an early lead by a questionable call. An electric start by the Wanderers.

1º And we’re off! It will be interesting to see how Craig Eastmond fits into Arsenal midfield today. Early chance for Bolton, but cleared away.

Match Preview: Owen Coyle has enjoyed victory over Arsenal as both Bolton player and Burnley manager - now he is hoping to combine the two to make a winning start to his reign at the Reebok Stadium. Arsenal have not lost in the league since the end of November. Arsenal welcome back captain Cesc Fabregas after a hamstring problem, and Gael Clichy has recovered from a back complaint. Overall, an Arsenal win should be the result, and that is what Arsene Wenger will expect from his side.

Lineups:

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Lee, Muamba, Cohen, Taylor, Klasnic, Kevin Davies.
Subs: Al Habsi, Elmander, Gardner, Mark Davies, Ricketts, McCann, Andrew O'Brien.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Traore, Fabregas, Eastmond, Diaby, Rosicky, Eduardo, Arshavin.
Subs: Fabianski, Vela, Silvestre, Clichy, Merida, Coquelin, Emmanuel-Thomas.
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)