After being held 1-1 by Simon Grayson’s Championship team at the Emirates 11 days earlier and losing to Ipswich in the League Cup semi-final first leg, the pressure was on Arsenal to avoid another embarrassing slip-up.
Nasri eased any nerves before Bacary Sagna doubled their lead. Bradley Johnson’s spectacular 30-yard effort before half-time lifted a 38,000 full house at Elland Road before substitute Robin van Persie killed the tie off just six minutes after coming on. “We wanted to start really strongly. We scored after five minutes and tried to play our game even though the pitch was a little difficult,” said Nasri.
Meanhwile, Johnson said, “We are disappointed but we gave them a good run for their money again and we’ll take a lot of positives from it”.
Win overshadowed by rift
Arsene Wenger insisted there are no problems between Arsenal teammates Cesc Fabregas and Denilson after the Brazilian appeared to criticise the Gunners captain after their clash at Leeds.
Denilson seemed to question Fabregas’s leadership qualities saying, “Fabregas is the captain, but he is not a leader to me”.
But Wenger is adamant there is no rift between the pair.
“I don’t think that was the spirit of the comments, but the comments were made and maybe there is a bad translation in England,” said Wenger. “Or perhaps it is a good translator with a bad spirit.
“They are two very good friends with a lot of respect for each other.”
Fabregas also brushed off Denilson’s comments to salute his teammates for a job well done. “Everyone loves speculation, but we are here to play football and leadership is what we showed tonight,” said Fabregas.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2011.
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