- 12 minutes ago
Coventry haven't scored a goal in their last three league games. Arsenal are unbeaten in nine in all competitions.
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00:00First home match of December, the Sky Blues faced Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, who, as ever, were in the upper echelons
00:06of the table.
00:07Coventry hadn't won in the Premier League since October and weren't expecting any Christmas gifts from the Gunners,
00:12who had significant ground to make up on Manchester United and leaders Leeds, who they trailed by eight points.
00:18Strachan had a host of problems at the back. Gary Breen and Paul Williams formed the central defensive pairing.
00:24Moroccans Mustava Hadji and Youssef Chippo were deployed on the right and left sides of midfield.
00:30It was Robbie Keane, though, a recent signing from Wolves, who was the man in form for Coventry.
00:35Just as well, then, that Arsene Wenger could welcome back Tony Adams, David Seaman and Martin Keown from injury.
00:41Thierry Henry partnered Canu up front, with Mark Overmars looking to supply them.
00:45Coventry hadn't beaten Arsenal at home since 1993. Few expected them to end that depressing sequence of results.
00:53Steve Banyard is the commentator.
00:55Coventry City in sky blue. Arsenal in their traditional red and white.
01:04Cold enough for gloves to be worn today.
01:10Steve Brogert playing at left back for Coventry City in the absence of Marcus Hall.
01:20Now Overmars for Arsenal.
01:26Murray just bundled off it. Here's Carlton Palmer.
01:31He sometimes looks rather ungainly, but he's been so effective in central midfield, he wins an awful lot of tackles.
01:45Chippo.
01:50Paul Williams scored a wonderful goal against Newcastle earlier this season.
01:55A quite memorable moment for the fans at Highfield Road this year.
02:05Gordon Strachan, one of those managers who loves to see the ball played forward.
02:10I heard him saying earlier in the week that if in training players play a square ball, they sometimes check
02:16back.
02:17But McAllister try to go forward for Coventry.
02:21Good night on that occasion, but Froggert will set things in motion once again, perhaps.
02:27A little bit scrappy.
02:35Bermondi penalised.
02:41Williams free kick.
02:43Just beyond Palmer.
02:50Henry finding Canu over Mars, streaking forward to his left, Mark Overmars, saved by the legs of Hedman.
03:02A crucial block by the Swedish keeper.
03:10A great counter by Arsenal, who come forward once again.
03:13Grimondi.
03:15It's not a bad try by the Frenchman.
03:21Well May, he protested his defence.
03:23Coventry really stretched.
03:26Beautifully weighted pass by Canu, inviting over Mars to shoot.
03:32Telfer.
03:35To T for Arsenal.
03:37Canu's made a great run down the right-hand side.
03:44Palmer.
03:46Palmer.
03:46Palmer.
03:50Russell, lovely knocked down.
03:53Gary McAllister.
03:55He fancies a shot and he scored!
04:01A real turn up for the books.
04:06David Seaman.
04:09Statuesque as Gary McAllister fires the Sky Blues in front.
04:14He had time and space to shoot, but the deflection totally left Seaman stranded.
04:22Poor old Martin Keogh.
04:23Canu.
04:37Canu.
04:39Oh, that's well played.
04:41Petit!
04:44Rather dragged the shot in the end, Emmanuel Petit.
04:50Applauds the approach play from Canu.
04:53Suddenly there was a gap.
05:0020 minutes gone.
05:02And McAllister's goal, still separating the two sides.
05:07Keane.
05:08Can he work some magic?
05:10Robbie Keane!
05:11Oh, he has an uncanny knack, does Robbie Keane, of getting into places that other players just can't reach.
05:33Keane loves running at defenders.
05:35Pulled.
05:36Ljungberg all over the place.
05:39Oh, buddy.
05:49Improvisation for Maury.
05:51Wins out still a throw.
06:04Canu twisting his way into the danger zone.
06:10Over-Miles retrieving it.
06:16The lead by Gary Breen.
06:34Tony Adams.
06:37Looking for Dixon.
06:39That's brilliantly won though.
06:41And here comes Mustafa Hadji.
06:44Keane pulls away to the right.
06:46And here comes Mustafa Hadji.
06:57Keane pulls away to the right.
07:04And here comes Mustafa Hadji.
07:10Keep it.
07:11Keep it.
07:11Keep it.
07:12Keep it.
07:13Keep it.
07:14Keep it.
07:17Chipo.
07:19That's well done.
07:22And Robbie Keane.
07:25Coming very close there for Coventry to adding to Gary McAllister's earlier goal.
07:33Chippo just nicking it past Adams.
07:36And Robbie Keane again, he uses his body so well.
07:40A little shimmy here and there and he creates an extra half a yard which
07:44just gives him the space at this level to get a shot away.
07:53Thierry Henry just gliding it through here.
07:57Canu.
07:59Oh, he was trying to put it on a plate there for Freddie Ljungberg.
08:04And it was neither one thing nor the other.
08:13Well, it was neither a cross nor a shot.
08:17I think he was definitely looking for Ljungberg.
08:22Well, apart from the one chance created for Mark Overmars which was saved by the legs of Magnus Hedman.
08:28Coventry's Swedish keeper hasn't been greatly troubled.
08:35Here's Ljungberg.
08:40Canu dancing his way through.
08:43That was until Steve Froget got in the way.
08:49Keane.
08:51Roussel.
08:54Perhaps wasn't aware of the options to his right.
09:06That was a wonderful piece of play by Canu.
09:10There's Froget's tackle.
09:12Which was short.
09:19McAllister.
09:22That's a great try.
09:24And a quite wonderful goal by Mustafa Hadji.
09:31Absolutely brilliant finishing by the Moroccan.
09:43David Seaman was left rooted by the deflection of Martin Keown.
09:49And frankly he was flapping at that one because the accuracy was pinpoint.
10:00The chairman Bryan Richardson and Gordon Strachan celebrate together.
10:08Canu.
10:11What sort of response can Arsenal fashion now?
10:19He's Henri.
10:21Oh!
10:22Brilliant save by Hedman.
10:29Well, he was at full stretch here.
10:33Hedman's made two absolutely crucial saves.
10:41And that chance for a little bit ring rusty.
10:45Several changes at the back.
10:46When you bear in mind that the back four and the goalkeeper have,
10:50what, around 1800 or so league appearances between them.
11:03Palmer again to go alongside the goalkeeper.
11:06Green at the near post.
11:12For the first half which sees Coventry City lead Arsene Wenger's team by two goals today.
11:19Gary McAllister, who celebrated his 35th birthday yesterday, got the first.
11:24Thanks to an unfortunate deflection from Arsenal's point of view from Martin Keown.
11:29But the goal from Hadji was absolute quality.
11:32Half-time though at Highfield Road.
11:34Coventry City two, Arsenal nil.
11:40Both Coventry City and Arsenal ready for the resumption of battle here.
11:45And Coventry City.
11:49In the sky blue shirts.
11:52Early clearance from Martin Keown.
11:55Castle!
11:56Castle!
11:59Castle!
12:04Castle!
12:06Castle!
12:11Castle!
12:16Padji makes a forward run now, it's in towards Roussel.
12:20and across goal, Chippo, well, so close to number three for Coventry, beautifully
12:30constructed, Roussel with the awareness to try to find Youssef Chippo,
12:43well, he was a boot stud away, so Grimondi replaced by Davos Schouker,
12:59and it'll be fascinating to see how tactically Arsenal play it now,
13:06and indeed at the moment it looks as if Henry's gone to the right side of Arsenal's midfield with
13:10Ljungberg coming inside,
13:25Schouker has been able to contribute some priceless goals, eight of them since his move from
13:33Madrid, over Mars, just caught there by Chippo,
14:01Thierry Henry who will take this free kick here for Arsenal, the wall does its job but it's hooked towards
14:07goal by Tony Adams,
14:16an opportunist strike from the central defender, time though is running out for Arsenal,
14:22Coventry with their two goal advantage,
14:30don't look under threat just yet,
14:36of course all the great sides, the teams that will go on and win titles, league championships,
14:41will fight right to the bitter end,
14:44Cano for Arsenal, and he's done brilliantly well there, if he can get the ball under control,
14:49he's trying to tee it up for Schouker,
14:59Roussela has only served to knock it back for Petit here,
15:04and a chance here for over Mars, and Schouker,
15:09and it's in in the end, and in fact it's Freddie Ljungberg who's pulled it back to 2-1,
15:22finally the breakthrough for Arsenal,
15:27over Mars, going in bravely,
15:31and Ljungberg kept on going,
15:34if at first you don't succeed, try and try again,
15:45and finally perhaps some light at the end of the tunnel for Arsene Wenger,
15:51without the inspirational Dennis Bergkamp,
15:53they still have the players of flair,
15:56and imagination to unlock Coventry City,
16:03meantime if they can get a third, well who knows,
16:06and it's another great run for Coventry,
16:10blocked in the end by Tony Adams,
16:17he's over Mars,
16:23the game may be opening up a little bit here,
16:29Henri providing the width,
16:32that's a lovely give and go Thierry Henri,
16:43certainly there was a bit of a vacuum in central midfield as Arsenal built that attack,
16:48the return from Dixon,
16:55Hadji at the other end, just a moment before,
17:02just one goal in it,
17:04will it be enough?
17:09Shuker chasing,
17:19now Keane,
17:22unfortunate pass from Robbie Keane,
17:30Dixon,
17:33Coventry snapping at the heels, they want to get a third here, Keane waits in the middle,
17:39Adams clears,
17:44now it's gone fragging,
17:49now it's gone fragging,
17:51Perplexed,
18:04Rossell,
18:05and Keane,
18:06it's 3-1,
18:08and Robbie Keane,
18:10the little Irishman who packs a real punch,
18:14might just have delivered the knockout blow on Boxing Day,
18:203-1 to Coventry City,
18:22and Robbie Keane comes up trumps,
18:28understanding between Rossell and Keane,
18:32nothing David Seaman could do about that,
18:35a deft finish,
18:45inch perfect once again,
18:47how about that?
18:54fatigue,
19:01what a good position this is for Arsenal,
19:08Manu Petit lining one up,
19:11only scored one this season,
19:16this is perhaps,
19:17the better side for a left footed player,
19:21Petit strike,
19:23it's foul away through,
19:24but not past Edmund,
19:29unflappable Magnus Hedmund today,
19:35Edmund switched direction as he went for that,
19:40another excellent piece of goalkeeping,
19:43another excellent piece of goalkeeping,
20:05Dixon with a throw,
20:11McAllister,
20:12just nipping in ahead of Canu,
20:14conceding a corner,
20:16and you have to think that if Arsenal aren't going to find a way back into this game,
20:19they really have to score now,
20:26here's Dixon,
20:31Tony Adams,
20:34a little bit untidy,
20:35but certainly effective enough for Coventry,
20:37who can break once more,
20:39Arsenal have committed men forward,
20:46Palmer winning it back for Coventry,
20:50now Whelan,
20:53always looking towards goal,
20:55Noel Whelan,
20:56that's a wonderful run,
20:57Noel Whelan,
20:59didn't have the finish that the run and the approach play really deserved,
21:38that's a great pinpoint ball to pick out Davo Shuker,
21:41they've got Ori arriving in the middle,
21:42Shuker might not need him,
21:44Shuker,
21:453-2,
21:46and the Croatian,
21:49has just provided a goal that,
21:52well will it be enough for Arsenal,
21:54will it give them enough time,
21:56it's providing a dramatic finale to an enthralling contest,
22:01and Shuker almost walking the ball in,
22:06fabulous solo goal from Davo Shuker,
22:17here's Henry,
22:19and Jumberg,
22:20a frantic finale here now,
22:22Coventry,
22:23backs to the wall,
22:24over Mars,
22:28and Shuker,
22:29red and white shirts,
22:30pouring forward into the middle,
22:32Shuker,
22:34trying to manoeuvre some space,
22:36can't do so,
22:38Chippo,
22:39caught by Shuker,
22:41Arsenal maintain the pressure,
22:46anxious moments for the home supporters here,
22:48Winterburn's cross,
22:50Greens header away,
22:54Chippo momentarily clearing the lines,
22:56Adams launches another one forward,
23:03Keown,
23:04pumps it up once again to the edge of the area,
23:10Hadji breaking,
23:17can Coventry get goal number four,
23:21Seaman this time,
23:22with a fingertip stop to deny Mustafa Hadji a second,
23:34Jumberg,
23:35suddenly with space to run into,
23:37Palmer comes across,
23:43another like a nice hockey body check,
23:52Adams,
23:53waving his team forward,
23:55leading by example,
23:56a low-rank shot,
23:58oh the goalkeeper spilled it,
24:00and Green turns it behind,
24:17a real hash of a clearance from Seaman,
24:23Whelan, and Hadji,
24:28oh and just passed everybody,
24:34and that's the full time whistle,
24:37and Coventry City have run out,
24:393-2 winners,
24:41McAllister setting them on their way,
24:44their first win,
24:46in 11 league matches,
24:48against Arsenal,
24:50and a wonderful victory for Coventry City,
24:53who beat Arsenal,
24:54by three goals to two.
24:57A fabulous result for the Sky Blues,
24:59and the perfect way to end a poor run of form,
25:02Gordon Strachan had injected some genuine quality into the side,
25:06with the likes of Keane, McAllister and Hadji,
25:08as a result,
25:09they pulled clear of trouble,
25:11eventually finishing a respectable 14th.
25:14Defeats like this,
25:15I've got all the numbers for you.
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