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Saturday, 4 November, 2000, 17:15 GMT
Gunners pile pressure on Robson
Middlesbrough 0-1 Arsenal
Middlesbrough started the afternoon without a league win at home in nine matches, and despite a bright start, they never looked capable of ending the run and easing the pressure on boss Bryan Robson.
Thierry Henry's penalty condemned Boro to their fourth successive league defeat and ensured Arsenal's fifth successive league victory.
Robson had appealed to the fans for more time to turn around Boro's slump in form and the Riverside faithful were in good voice and supplying plenty of vocal encouragement as their team began positively.
Playing at a very high tempo, the home side took the game to Arsenal, who seemed surprised to find themselves under seige in the early stages.
Boro forced a corner after just four minutes, and it took a goal-line clearance from Lee Dixon to stop Gary Pallister's header opening the scoring.
But two minutes later Dixon conceded a free kick for a foul on Andy Campbell 25 yards out.
Phil Stamp's shot was spilt by John Lukic and the Arsenal keeper just managed to scramble the ball out of play with his feet.
From the resulting corner it was Stamp who threatened again heading just over with Lukic back-pedalling.
Then Arsenal began to come into the game and exploited space down the right side.
Dennis Bergkamp had a left foot shot that went across the face of the goal on 14 minutes after a good run, and moments later Arsenal's success down the right flank continued as Henry left Pallister in his wake speeding past the veteran defender and delivered a pin-point cross for Parlour who blazed over from eight yards.
But Middlesbrough battled doggedly and Phil Stamp typified the tenacious approach, with tackles flying thick and fast.
Arsenal started to dominate the game and Ljungberg was inches away from reaching a Bergkamp through-ball ahead of Crossley.
Now Middlesbrough's fragility at the back was beginning to be exposed by the pace of Arsenal's counter attacks.
Boro have failed to keep a clean sheet all season and it was typically sloppy defending that led to Arsenal's first goal, mid-way though the first half.
Freddie Ljungberg took full advantage of a mix-up in Boro's central defence, intercepting Pallister's intended pass to Vickers. The Swedish international burst into the penalty area and was upended by Mark Crossley as he rounded the stranded keeper.
The referee awarded a penalty and Crossley was dismissed for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, although with Pallister covering, the decision was debatable.
Hamilton Ricard was sacrificed so Boro could bring on replacement keeper Marlon Beresford, but his first action was to pick the ball out of the net after Henry sent him the wrong way.
Afer the goal, Boro's confidence visibly waned and it took some heroic goalkeeping from substitute Beresford to stop the floodgates from opening.
On 41 minutes Beresford made a hat-trick of saves to prevent Arsenal doubling their lead.
First came a superb double save from Keown's header and Tony Adams' follow up. And from the corner that followed Gilles Grimandi was denied by the reserve keeper's agility.
Middlesborough emerged from interval looking determined not to be over-run and threw men forward in search of an equaliser.
And if Stamp had reacted quicker to Lukic's mishit clearance they would have got one, but Stamp stubbed his shot and his effort was not even close.
And Boro seemd determined to self-destruct as Noel Whelan's lazy back-heel flick deep in his own half, gifted posession to Thierry Henry.
The Frenchman took the ball on a couple of paces before curling his shot just wide of the upright.
And five minutes later Henry was guilty of missing another gilt-edged opportunity, as he tried to be too precise with his shot, attempting to place the ball in the top corner but sending his effort off target.
Henry the missed a third chance as the Arsenal finishing failed to improve and on 78 minutes Parlour joined in on the act, spurning a fantastic chance as he blazed wildly across the goal from Henry's cut-back, after good work form the Arsenal striker.
With just three minutes remaining Henry hit the post with a shot from the outside of his right boot and remarkably Middlesbrough had been spared a mauling due to Arsenal's woeful shooting.
And even a misake by Beresford in the final seconds, as the ball rolled along the goal-line after his fumble failed to increase the goal tally.
But for Robson, he knows if results keep going against him, he will not be spared the sack for much longer.
Middlesbrough: Crossley, Fleming, Vickers, Pallister, Deane, Campbell, Ricard, Summerbell, Stamp, Whelan, Cooper. Subs: Gordon, Festa, Karembeu, Beresford, Job.
Arsenal: Lukic, Dixon, Vieira, Keown, Adams, Ljungberg, Bergkamp, Henry, Parlour, Silvinho, Grimandi. Subs: Wiltord, Lauren, Vivas, Kanu, Taylor.
Referee: A D'Urso
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