Arsenal reached the brink of qualification to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League by beating AZ Alkmaar of Holland 4-1. Skipper Cesc Fabregas scored a brace, while Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby scored a goal each. Jermain Lens pulled one back for the visitors late in the game. Arsene Wenger made three changes from the side that had swept aside Spurs at the weekend. Samir Nasri replaced Nicklas Bendtner, while Kieran Gibbs came in for Gael Clichy. Emmanuel Eboue took Bacary Sagna’s place in the right back. Arsenal found their tempo quite early, as Andrey Arshavin, Diaby and Nasri combined to release Robin Van Persie on the right, whose fierce shot just went outside the far post. Although Alkmaar tried to squeeze the space, but were found out in the 26th minute. Nasri released Fabregas on the edge of the area, who escaped from his marker and found the net. Soon, Gibbs found Fabregas near the far post, but his header went over. Two minutes before the break, Arshavin released the ball into the path of Nasri. The Frenchman dropped his shoulder, leaving Hector Moreno flat and slotted a shot past Romero. The hosts started the second half from where they started. Eight minutes after the restart it was 3-0. Diaby released Arshavin in the midfield and he in turn passed it into the path of Fabregas, who was racing down the left channel. The Spaniard looked towards the far post and just as Romero committed himself, he let fly towards the near post, scoring his eighth goal of the season. Soon, Wenger replaced Fabregas and Van Persie with Aaron Ramsey and Eduardo. The best goal of the lot was yet to come. Eduardo’s backheel from the centre of the pitch found Arshavin in lots of space. The clever Russian squared for Diaby, who took a touch and stroked home a classic Arsenal goal. In the dying minutes of the game, Arsenal claimed a handball against Pelle. The referee waved play on and Lens broke clear, wriggled away from Ramsey and fired home from the edge of the area. It was an emphatic performance from the Gunners, the only disappointment being that they couldn’t keep a clean sheet.

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