Fault-lines appear at Fortress Highbury

In recent times Dwight Yorke has been in danger of achieving notoriety more as the father of a son born to an extraordinarily proportioned, high-profile glamour model than one of the country's top strikers. It seems an eternity ago that he and Andy Cole were performing their prolific double act for Manchester United.

Yesterday Arsenal had reason to reflect, as they analyse eight days in which they have been defeated on three occasions, that although we may have seen the best of the man from Tobago, who turns 31 shortly, he can still be devastating when the opportunity presents itself.

Though Blackburn's rearguard was under almost constant duress, on the break Yorke and Egil Ostenstad provided a persistent threat to a hesitant Arsenal defence. Yorke's winner, six minutes after the interval, was a delight, both in its execution and creation. He also contributed to the first goal.

With the suspended Patrick Vieira's replacement Edu scoring freakish goals at either end in the first half, Yorke's third goal of the season was sufficient to inflict another reverse on the Gunners who, from being hailed the practitioners of exquisite football a month ago, have mysteriously been overcome by a malaise rarely observed at Highbury. It is nearly two years since Arsenal last succumbed to such a sequence.

Inevitably the word "crisis" will start appearing in any discussion about the north London club, but that would be premature indeed. Arsenal should have won at Goodison, merited at least a draw in midweek against Auxerre and would surely have triumphed here but for the goalkeeper Brad Friedel's inspired performance and Yorke's clinical finishing.

Arsenal had 27 chances, 14 of which were on target. As even Graeme Souness declared: "Arsenal could have won 5-2 if they'd enjoyed the luck on the day, but football's not always like that. We took the three points without being anywhere near our best."

Friedel is apparently playing with a cartilage problem, which requires an operation. "It [the cartilage] came out before the game," said Souness. He was asked if it had hampered him much. "Obviously greatly," was the tongue-in-cheek reply of the Blackburn manager who insists that the American is "the best goalkeeper in the country".

Arsène Wenger, meanwhile, was phlegmatic in defeat. "Against Everton, Auxerre and Blackburn today we had eight shots against us and conceded six goals," said the Arsenal manager. "But we have very good mental strength and have been in this situation before. We will stick together and respond in our next game."

That is a small matter of Borussia Dortmund away on Wednesday. But at least Vieira will be available again for that. We can only speculate on the effect of the Frenchman's absence, having reluctantly accepted his two-match suspension for using "insulting language" to referee Andy D'Urso in the game at Chelsea last month. Vieira, however, has opted for a "psychological" rest, according to his manager, rather than an appeal against the verdict.

Rovers were without Damien Duff and Cole, but Souness has fashioned a strong, dependable squad at Ewood Park. Even with his injuries, the Scot was still able to leave Corrado Grabbi, Matt Jansen and Keith Gillespie on the bench.

It had all started so encouragingly for the Gunners. Sylvain Wiltord struck a stinging volley, which Friedel beat out, and then shot narrowly over. Yet, after six minutes, they fell behind to a most extraordinary goal. Yorke cut the ball back from the byline, Edu miskicked grotesquely and the ball ended up looping into the net over a stranded David Seaman.

Thereafter it was a half of persistent home pressure. Thierry Henry topped the ball when well placed and then Wiltord's low centre drifted right across goal. Ashley Cole, stealing in on the blind side, looked a certainty to score only for Henning Berg to thwart him on the line. But otherwise it was Friedel in command, as he blocked attempts from Wiltord and Henry, although there was a certain profligacy about other Arsenal efforts.

Rovers continued to frustrate Wenger's men but something had to give and, finally, as the last seconds of the first half ticked away, Edu swung in a free-kick from way out on the right and it eluded everyone before rebounding in off the far post. For once, fortune appeared to be on Arsenal's side.

It might have been anticipated that Arsenal would build on that. Instead it was Blackburn who recovered the initiative. Garry Flitcroft, Tugay Kerimoglu and Ostenstad were all involved in a delightful move which made the Arsenal rearguard appear unusually static and the latter set up Yorke to finish with aplomb from directly in front of goal.

With 27 minutes left, Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp came on for Edu and Nwankwo Kanu. Pires immediately shot over the bar, Bergkamp was denied by Friedel. The goalkeeper could simply do no wrong as he saved from Henry once again, although he was fortunate when Wiltord struck a post.

With 10 minutes remaining, Flitcroft, already booked for throwing the ball away, was dismissed for a foul on Ljungberg. "Never a sending off," said Souness, who then brought on Jansen. It was the latter who put Yorke through in the dying seconds with only Seaman preventing a 3-1 scoreline. But for Arsenal that really would have been sheer improvidence replaced by the absurd.

Arsenal 1 Blackburn Rovers 2
Edu 45 Edu og 6, Yorke 51

Half-time: 1-1 Attendance: 38,064