Arsenal – Birmingham City

1. Keep it here for all the Sunday action as the champions entertain last season's Division One play-off winners. Kicking off at 16.05 BST

2. Birmingham kick off in this, the most daunting of first matches back in the big time for them

3. 1'

   They come forward, but the ball is cut out and Vieira plays it forward... Tebilly fouls Henry on halfway and it's a free-kick

4. 1'

   ...but that comes to nothing and, in the end, the Blues have a free-kick of their own. Tebilly gets it all wrong

5. 2'

   Parlour comes forward and hits a shot, but Cisse is there to block. Cunningham then foils Bergkamp

6. 3'

   Predictably, it's a bright start for Arsenal while Birmingham are trying to find their feet

7. 3'

   Grainger swings their first cross in, and Sol Campbell is perfectly placed to head powerfully clear

8. 4'

   The ball comes forward from Birmingham, but deflects harmlessly into space. Bergkamp looks for Henry... Tebilly is there

9. 5'

   Now Parlour charges forward and Edu tries to find Cole. That's overhit, and nothing for Birmingham to worry about

10. 6'

    Wiltord shows some great skill to find Henry - but he's just offside

11. 6'

    Horsfield shows good strength to shield the ball and win Birmingham a throw near the Gunners' penalty area

12. 7'

    They can't make that count, and here comes Wiltord. Cisse chests the cross away - there are appeals for handball, but the referee is unmoved

13. 8'

    Arsenal on the ball inside their own half now... Birmingham stretched to clear this one and Vieira is looking for options

14. 9'

    He finds Henry, who is fouled by Johnson and wins a free-kick about 30 yards out...

15. 9'

    Henry takes the kick himself - it's not that well hit but Vaesen fumbles and the ball creeps into the corner of the net. It's 1-0 Arsenal!

16. 10'

    The Birmingham keeper will feel he should have done better: that was hardly one of Henry's more spectacular efforts

17. 11'

    Birmingham boss Bruce looks distraught - this is the last thing he needed at Highbury

18. 12'

    Arsenal haven't been in top gear yet, but that goal is the perfect boost for them

19. 12'

    Cisse cuts out a pass intended for Vieira, but Vieira snaps back to win it well

20. 13'

    Cole is clattered to the ground on the left, but Arsenal lose their way as Henry and Edu fail to link

21. 14'

    Birmingham happy to pick that off, but they then thump the ball straight out of play

22. 15'

    Horsfield holds the ball up on the right, but has nowhere to go with it and it runs out of play. The gulf in quality is starkly clear already

23. 16'

    Lauren on the charge - Wiltord crosses, Henry flicks, Vaesen blocks. That'll make him feel a bit better

24. 17'

    Bruce won't be feeling that good about the amount of space Arsenal found there

25. 17'

    But that was typical Arsenal - slick passing and sharp pace. Cisse tries to threaten at the other end, but all that brings is an Arsenal goal-kick

26. 18'

    Seaman catches from a high cross with Horsfield lurking and hoping for a lucky break

27. 19'

    A fine run by Johnson starts a Birmingham move, but Parlour's superb block on Grainger stops it again

28. 20'

    Arsenal in their own half again... they haven't hit their stride yet, but haven't been troubled either

29. 21'

    Derision from the stands as Cisse tries a pass forward and skews it horribly out of play

30. 21'

    A defensive miscue from Ahsley Cole sees the ball dropping towards Stern John in the area...

31. 22'

    But he lashes wildly at it and the attempted shot sails high over the top

32. 23'

    Johnson crosses from the right and Keown heads clear - better from Birmingham, but they're in danger on the break...

33. 24'

    Wiltord runs at the backtracking defence and, from the edge of the box, curls a sublime shot wide of Vaesen. It's 2-0!

34. 24'

    Crisp passing led up to it, and Wiltord showed stunning skill at the finish. That could well be game over already

35. 25'

    Parlour surges through, but his attempted pass forward is cut out at the last

36. 26'

    The Blues can't get the ball at the moment - but then Cole can't keep it in as he looks to attack down the left

37. 27'

    The Highbury crowd finding their voices... Henry hits a shot from the edge of the box, but it's just over the top

38. 28'

    Parlour gets in as Arsenal again rip the Birmingham defence to shreads - Vaesen saves well

39. 29'

    Campbell gets a header in from the corner and it's hacked off the line - Keown's follow-up shot is blocked almost on the line...

40. 30'

    The champions are strolling it, in total control

41. 30'

    Birmingham, shell-shocked, try to buy themselves some time on the ball, but they can't do that. Arsenal are much too strong and much too quick

42. 31'

    Arsenal have to make a change - Bergkamp, who has been on the end of a number of heavy challenges, is taken off to be replaced by new boy Gilberto

43. 32'

    Henry's challenged, but again Arsenal snap back with Cole. Wenger's side are tapping the ball around with nonchalance - until Cisse gets there

44. 33'

    Purse starts a move from the back, but the cross is headed away. Grainger tries again...

45. 34'

    ...and Lauren shows calmness to steer it away from danger and avoid conceding the corner as well

46. 35'

    The ball comes out to Tebilly, who hits it well from 25 yards. Seaman gathers safely

47. 36'

    More tip-tapping in their own half from the home side... they're coasting towards the break

48. 37'

    Cisse swings in a shot which is comfortably charged down, and in the end the ball goes out for an Arsenal throw

49. 38'

    Henry is released by Keown's pass into the area. He tries to loft it over Vaesen, but sees it drift away for a goal-kick

50. 40'

    Parlour crosses, Purse swings a foot at it - corner to Arsenal...

51. 41'

    It's swung deep towards Keown, but Birmingham deal with that one well thanks to Purse and Cisse

52. 42'

    Another Blues move breaks down and Wiltord looks to come forward... he wins a throw midway inside the Birmingham half

53. 43'

    Wiltord crosses - or attempts to - and sees the ball trickle through to Vaesen. Not long left until the break now

54. 44'

    Horsfield is fouled inside his own half - free-kick, which ends up all the way back with Vaesen

55. 45'

    More encouraging - Johnson crosses from the right and there are one or two uncertain moments for Arsenal before it's cleared

56. 45'

    Into added time, which there isn't much of. The half-time whistle goes with Arsenal 2-0 up and looking very, very comfortable

57. 45'

    We're under way in the second half, and straight away Wiltord runs through onto a bouncing ball...

58. 46'

    He tries to steer it goalwards under pressure from Purse, and sees it bobble wide

59. 47'

    Birmingham hit it long, and it's easily cleared by Arsenal

60. 47'

    Great turn from the excellent Wiltord... Grainger, though, is there to cut out the danger

61. 48'

    Vieira cuts out the ball in midfield and finds Henry. He looks for Gilberto in the middle...

62. 49'

    ...and Purse makes a superb interception to save the day. Corner...

63. 49'

    The delivery is disappointing and easily cleared... Campbell finds Henry beautifully and Vaesen makes an excellent low save

64. 50'

    Arsenal have started the second period in the same way they ended the first - totally in command

65. 50'

    At the other end, Stern John twists and turns in the area but steers his final shot well wide of the far post

66. 51'

    Horsfield is fouled near halfway - free-kick to the visitors

67. 52'

    Tebilly hoists a long ball forward - in the end, it's easy for Arsenal to defend

68. 52'

    A rare aimless ball forward from Arsenal... Birmingham have the throw from that

69. 53'

    Kenna tries a cross and it finds its way towards Horsfield

70. 54'

    The result of that is a corner - the first of the game for Bruce's side

71. 55'

    David Seaman takes command, grabbing the cross comfortably

72. 55'

    Arsenal break with lightning pace - Parlour fires in a cross from the right, but Edu can only steer his header over the top

73. 56'

    Seconds later, another great break. Parlour again involved, but his final cross is just too long for the galloping Ashley Cole

74. 57'

    Henry is robbed by Tebilly, but back come Arsenal again with Vieira... now Edu...

75. 58'

    ...Lauren crosses, Henry heads - but it's fractionally wide of the target

76. 59'

    It could so easily have been four or even five already

77. 60'

    Birmingham making a change - Tebilly coming off and Darren Carter takes his place

78. 61'

    Vaesen will hit this one long downfield... Hughes does well, taking on Lauren and winning another corner

79. 62'

    Grainger gets a cross in and Stern John heads goalwards. Seaman is there, but Cole has been grounded by a challenge in the area

80. 63'

    The Gunners defender is back on his feet, and zips down the left to win a throw

81. 64'

    Gilberto fouls Carter on the edge of the area and pretty central... Grainger is having a look at this one...

82. 64'

    His effort, though, is straight at the defensive wall and poses no threat

83. 65'

    Soon afterwards, Cisse tries an effort from the edge of the box - it's way over the top and flies into the Clock End

84. 66'

    Good skill by Stern John, who fires in a shot which Seaman deals with

85. 66'

    Good spell this by Birmingham, and Arsenal have just taken their foot off the pedal a little bit

86. 67'

    Arsenal break with Wiltord and Parlour: Purse, who has done well so far, gets there to clear the danger

87. 68'

    Henry zips through for Arsenal, but his attempted pass out wide is overhit and poses no trouble to the Birmingham defence

88. 69'

    Cisse makes a heavy challenge on Wiltord down the Arsenal left - and he joins Purse, whose name was taken in the first half, in the book

89. 70'

    Another Birmingham corner - Horsfield winning this one down the left...

90. 70'

    It falls to the unmarked Stern John, but he can't make proper contact with a fast-moving ball

91. 71'

    Horsfield is taken off and Aussie winger Stan Lazaridis is his replacement as Blues make another change

92. 73'

    Birmingham again do well in defence as Wiltord and Parlour threaten - they've grown in confidence as this half has progressed

93. 73'

    Cisse challenges Cole as Birmingham attack - he picks up a second yellow card and is sent off. Blues down to ten men for the last 17 minutes

94. 74'

    Birmingham's travelling fans take out their frustrations on Cole - meantime, Darren Carter meets a cross and sees his header brush the top of the net

95. 75'

    So nearly a route back into the game for the Midlanders. Aliadiere comes on for goalscorer Wiltord as Wenger decides to make a switch

96. 76'

    Aliadiere nearly gets onto the end of a low Edu pass into the area... all he gets for his pains is a knock, but he's soon back on his feet

97. 77'

    Blues on the ball again - but they soon face danger as Henry is fouled by Purse on the edge of the area

98. 78'

    Henry, who got on the scoresheet from a similar range in the first half, is looking at this...

99. 79'

    He hits it, but in the end it's a comfortable catch for Vaesen in the Birmingham goal

100. 80'

     Lauren chips the ball into the area, where Kenna is waiting to head clear

101. 81'

     Vieira lurking outside the area. Henry crosses, Gilberto shoots...

102. 82'

     ...it's blocked and goes behind for a Gunners corner

103. 82'

     Keown meets it, but his headed attempt is off-target

104. 82'

     The game rather meandering towards its conclusion at the moment

105. 83'

     Birmingham have settled well to their task after the break - at times in the first half they looked likely to be overrun

106. 85'

     Aliadiere races into the area and squares for Parlour, who looks a certain goalscorer - until Purse makes a great block. He's had a fine game

107. 86'

     Edu is off and Koulo Toure replaces him. Not long to go now, and Arsenal are in possession

108. 87'

     Parlour charges forward and a neat move gives Vieira a shooting chance from the corner of the area...

109. 88'

     Vaesen tips it round the post for a corner. A finishing flourish from the home side

110. 89'

     The flag-kick comes to nothing... the Birmingham fans are making the noise as we enter the last minute

111. 90'

     Mad scramble: it ends with Toure belting in a shot and Purse - who else - clearing off the line quite brilliantly

112. 90'

     Into added time, and it's been a controlled victory for Arsenal

113. 90'

     Birmingham launch a late ball forward. Keown stops it and frees Parlour... Aliadiere is there but the defending is again superb

114. 90'

     That's the end of the game - life in the Premiership for Birmingham has begun with a 2-0 defeat as champions Arsenal get off to the expected start

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