Story highlights
Arsenal slide to 4-3 defeat at Blackburn in English Premier League
Manager Arsene Wenger admits they have defensive problems
Promoted Queens Park Rangers, Swansea and Norwich all win
Manchester United play Chelsea Sunday with Manchester City also in action
Arsenal’s sorry start to the English Premier League campaign continued Saturday with a shock 4-3 defeat at lowly Blackburn.
The Gunners led 2-1 at half time through goals by Gervinho and new signing Mike Arteta, but the defensive problems that have haunted them this season returned with a vengeance after the break at Ewood Park.
Ayegbeni Yakubu scored his second goal of the game, added to own goals from Alex Song and Laurent Koscielny to put Blackburn 4-2 ahead.
Arsenal substitute Marouane Chamakh headed home a cross by Robin van Persie with five minutes remaining, but the home side held on for their first win of the season to ease the pressure on beleaguered manager Steve Kean.
Arsenal, perennial title challengers, now have just four points from five games, eight points adrift of leaders Manchester United, who face Chelsea Sunday in the big clash of the weekend.
United thrashed Arsenal 8-2 last month and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted the defeat had left its scars.
“At the moment defensively we are fragile because our confidence is gone due to what happened at Old Trafford,” Wenger told Sky Sports.
“It’s terrible. It’s just not good enough and of course we are very frustrated. The number of goals we have conceded is just not good enough.”
In other action, there were three fine wins for promoted teams with Queens Park Rangers, Swansea and Norwich.
QPR enjoyed a 3-0 win at Wolves with new signing and captain Joey Barton and Alejandro Faurlin putting them 2-0 up inside 10 minutes. DJ Campbell completed the scoring in the second half.
Swansea scored their first win of the season – and their first in the English top flight since 1983 – after beating West Bromwich Albion 3-0 at the Liberty Stadium. Scott Sinclair, Leroy Lita and Nathan Dyer scored for the Welsh side.
Norwich also secured their first win of the campaign as goals from Anthony Pilkington and Bradley Johnson gave them a 2-1 win at Bolton who had Ivan Klasnic sent off for headbutting Marc Tierney just before half time.
Martin Petrov pulled a goal back for Bolton on 64 minutes but the visitors held on for a morale-boosting win.
North-east side Newcastle moved up into fourth after holding Aston Villa to a 1-1 draw at Villa Park. Leon Best was on target again to level Gabriel Agbonlahor’s opener for the home side. Everton came back from a goal down to beat Wigan 3-1 with new signing Roysten Drenthe on the scoresheet.
