Blackpool give 10-man Arsenal a fright night

It was a night of old legs and young heads for Arsenal, who returned to winning ways after surviving a considerable fright that was almost entirely of their own making. There were strikes from 34-year-old Stephan Lichtsteiner and 18-year-old Emile Smith Rowe for Unai Emery’s side – a cross-generational pair of goalscorers if ever there was one – but there was also a hot-headed red card for Matteo Guendouzi that created so many of their problems.

The record books will show that Arsenal won their 12th game in 13 here, but this was far from being straightforward against a group of spirited Blackpool players who had the scent of an upset in their nostrils. After Guendouzi received his second yellow card, a fog of nervousness descended on the Emirates. Such was the unease against these League One opponents that Emery was forced to turn to two of his key players, Pierre-emerick Aubameyang and Lucas Torreira, in order to regain control.

Arsenal will now be without Guendouzi for Saturday’s meeting with Liverpool. The 19-year-old midfielder has been so impressive since arriving in the summer, and was instrumental in the opening goal here, but his naivety so nearly cost his team.

Emery was reluctant to criticise Guendouzi, instead praising the Frenchman’s “spirit”. The Arsenal head coach will know, though, that mistakes like these cannot happen when they face Tottenham Hotspur in the next round of the Carabao Cup. “He is playing well,” Emery said. “And he is playing with one very important thing: good spirit. He is competitive.” Arsenal and Guendouzi were helped by the dismissal of Blackpool’s Paudie O’connor in the final stages, for a lunging challenge on Aubameyang, which came when the visitors were looking most likely to force a late equaliser. “I did not think it was a red card for our lad,” said Terry Mcphillips, the Blackpool manager. “Where we play every week that is a yellow. I couldn’t believe it when he pulled out the red. We were in the ascendancy and had them on the back foot but credit to all the players.”

Guendouzi was central to Arsenal’s early dominance, despite receiving his first yellow card for a wild tackle on Jordan Thompson. The teenager spotted Lichtsteiner at the back post for the first goal, playing a fine pass that allowed the full-back to become the oldest player to score for Arsenal since Sol Campbell in 2010. The second arrived shortly after the break, when Danny Welbeck and Carl Jenkinson combined down the left and Smith Rowe blasted home.

From here, Blackpool had no choice but to push forward. O’connor promptly struck the woodwork with a fine header before Guendouzi was shown a second yellow for a tug on Thompson.

Again it was O’connor providing the threat from set pieces, the centre-back nodding Blackpool back into the game from Thompson’s corner.

Now the nerves truly set in, as the rain poured down and Arsenal were at risk of being washed away. Petr Cech was erratic with the ball at his feet, and Blackpool were pushing hard before O’connor clattered into Aubameyang. The red card sapped any remaining energy from Blackpool’s tiring legs.