Tottenham 1-3 Arsenal

Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice as Arsenal came from behind to beat north London rivals Tottenham. Gareth Bale curled in a 15th minute free-kick to put Spurs ahead before Paul Robinson twice denied Adebayor.

Abou Diaby hit the bar as Arsenal pushed on, then Dimitar Berbatov was thwarted by a last-ditch Kolo Toure tackle and Adebayor blazed over.

Arsenal equalised when Adebayor nodded in before Cesc Fabregas’ drive put them ahead and Adebayor volleyed a third.

Arsenal don’t need a billionaire backer - Hill-Wood

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood insists suggestions the club need a billionaire backer are ‘lunacy’.

There has been much speculation the Gunners are ripe for a takeover, with the likes of Alisher Usmanov and Stan Kroenke having already taken a considerable stakeholding in Arsenal’s parent company.

Former Gunners vice-chairman David Dein - who controversially left the club in April - long held the opinion that the Gunners needed major foreign investment in order to compete with their Premier League rivals like Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool, who all have international backing.

But Hill-Wood insists Arsenal’s sensible financial policy will work in their favour.

He said: ‘We have always run Arsenal as a business and kept within reasonable bounds.

England 2-2 Japan

England were denied an opening Women’s World Cup win as Japan stole a 2-2 draw with the last kick of the game. Aya Miyama put Japan ahead with a free-kick before Kelly Smith turned the game on its head with two goals.

Smith held off two defenders to level, and England looked on course for victory in Shanghai as the Arsenal striker struck from close range.

But England were thwarted as Miyama struck with a second free-kick from an identical position deep in injury time.

Arsenal not for sale - chairman

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood says he is willing to talk to Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov - but not about selling the Gunners. Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein heads a company that wants to gain a significant stake in the Gunners after selling his shares to Usmanov.

Hill-Wood told BBC Sport: “The major shareholders have no intention of selling and wouldn’t welcome an offer.”

“But we will have a dialogue with any principal or major shareholder.”

Hill-Wood added: “If they’ve got some sensible proposals we’ll listen to them.”

However Hill-Wood’s attitude to the possibility of talks with Dein was somewhat different.

“I see no major point in that, I’ve had 25 years of listening to him,” the Arsenal chairman told me.

Wenger signs new deal

Arsenal have confirmed that manager Arsène Wenger has committed himself to the club until June 2011.

 Wenger, 57, would have seen his current deal expire at the end of the season, but has signed a three-year extension, worth around £4million a season to the highly-respected French coach.

Wenger, who arrived at the club in 1996 will become the longest serving manager in the Gunners’ history, overtaking George Allison who coached the team between January 1934 to May 1947 ? 13 years 4 months.

“My heart is tied to this football club so signing a new deal was always my intention,” said Wenger. ”Arsenal is the club of my life. I have been entrusted with complete freedom to implement and execute my plans on what will make the team successful and that means I have a responsibility to the fans to deliver silverware and also a responsibility to the players to help turn our potential into prizes.

Fabregas: No Real regrets

I think it’s absolutely great that Fabregas has chosen to stay at Arsenal. He is an excellent young player and has a lot to offer. And he’s playing good football at Arsenal where he is always assured a place in the first team. Who knows what would have happened when if he went to Real Madrid. He could have been even better but you never know and given his status now, i think it was a wise decision nonetheless to stay at Arsenal.

Fabregas: No Real regrets

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas says he has no regrets about turning his back on a potential move to Real Madrid.

 The Spain international has long been linked with a move to the Bernabeu and Fabregas revealed he had spoken with Real president Ramon Calderon and sporting director Predrag Mijatovic during the close season.

However, Fabregas snubbed a possible return to his homeland to remain with the Gunners, with whom he signed an eight-year contract extension last season, and the 20-year-old is happy with the choice he made.

“The truth is I will always be grateful for it (the interest from Real),” said Fabregas. “They said what they had to say and in the end I decided, for good or for bad, to remain with Arsenal,

“We shall see what happens in the future, but now I am going 100% with the decision which I have taken.”

source:premierleague

Wenger agrees new deal at Arsenal

Arsene Wenger has agreed a new three-year contract as Arsenal manager, BBC Sport understands. The Gunners are set to announce in the next two days that an agreement has been reached with the 57-year-old French boss.

“The new deal will earn Wenger about £4m a year,” said BBC sports editor Mihir Bose.

“The timing is no big surprise because the last time he signed a new deal was towards the end of his last contract.”

Wenger’s deal was set to run out at the end of the season and speculation over his future was fuelled by the departure of striker Thierry Henry in the summer and vice-chairman David Dein, who brought him to the club.

Wenger teases fans with new contract hint

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expects there will be a development in his contract negotiations on Thursday or Friday this week.

The Frenchman’s current deal expires at the end of this season and there had been speculation that close ally David Dein’s departure from the board last season might make him think twice before agreeing new terms.

But Wenger, who has been with Arsenal since 1996, says he feels a ‘responsibility’ to the young side he is building at the Emirates Stadium and now looks almost certain to stay on.

‘Am I still motivated to go on at Arsenal? Yes absolutely. I am very motivated,’ Wenger told RMC radio.

‘With all the young players I signed, I feel a kind of responsibility.

Four absent from England training

Head coach Steve McClaren’s England squad trained without four key players ahead ahead of the crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia. Captain John Terry missed the squad’s first training session due to illness, ahead of the Group E game against Israel at Wembley on Saturday.

Midfielders Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard did not take part as they have thigh and toe problems respectively.

Owen Hargreaves spent a session in the gym rather than with the other players.

Terry reported to the squad on Monday evening feeling under the weather, but both he and Hargreaves are expected to train on Wednesday.

Gerrard continued his rehabilitation from a broken toe with some gym work, but he has assured McClaren he will be fit for England’s crucial double-header.