ARSENAL PREVIEW: Repeat of 10-goal thriller unlikely at Ince's Blackburn

Premier League Ewood Park Saturday Kick-off 3pm Ewood Park, nestled in the cobbled streets of the old cotton town of Blackburn, holds fond memories for Arsene Wenger. It s almost 12 years to the day since the new, mysterious-sounding Arsenal manager firs

PREMIER LEAGUE

EWOOD PARK

SATURDAY

KICK-OFF 3PM

EWOOD PARK, NESTLED IN THE COBBLED STREETS OF THE OLD COTTON TOWN OF BLACKBURN, HOLDS FOND MEMORIES FOR ARSENE WENGER.

IT'S ALMOST 12 YEARS TO THE DAY SINCE THE NEW, MYSTERIOUS-SOUNDING ARSENAL MANAGER FIRST SENT OUT A TEAM IN ENGLISH FOOTBALL AGAINST ROVERS, COMING AWAY WITH A 2-0 WIN.

NOW IT IS BLACKBURN WHO HAVE THE NEW MANAGER. PAUL INCE'S RISE HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF METEORIC AFTER STARTING OUT AS BOSS AT LITTLE MACCLESFIELD JUST DOWN THE ROAD IN CHESHIRE. AFTER SAVING THE CLUB FROM RELEGATION IN LEAGUE TWO, HE JOINED MK DONS WHERE HE WON BOTH THE LEAGUE TWO TITLE AND THE JOHNSTONE PAINT TROPHY LAST SEASON.

BUT INCE (PICTURED RIGHT), WHOSE FAMILY REMAIN IN THE NORTH-WEST AFTER SPELLS AT MANCHESTER UNITED AND LIVERPOOL, WAS QUICKLY ATTRACTED BACK TO THE AREA - AND A STAB AT THE PREMIER LEAGUE.

THE FORMER HAMMER QUICKLY SAID "YES" WHEN ROVERS CAME CALLING, FOLLOWING MARK HUGHES' DEPARTURE TO MANCHESTER CITY.

HE KICKED OFF THE LATEST CHAPTER OF HIS MANAGERIAL CAREER WITH AN IMPRESSIVE 3-2 WIN AT EVERTON BUT FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH A DISAPPOINTING 1-1 DRAW AT HOME TO NEWLY-PROMOTED HULL CITY.

THE 4-1 LOSS AT WEST HAM IN THE LAST MATCH MAY HAVE BEEN A DISTORTED SCORELINE, BUT IT WAS STILL A REALITY CHECK FOR A CLUB HOPING TO IMPROVE ON A SEVENTH PLACE FINISHED LAST TERM.

THE GUNNERS HAVE WON ON THREE OF THEIR LAST FIVE VISITS TO EWOOD IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE, WHILE OLDER FANS STILL TALK EXCITEDLY OF A STUNNING 5-5 DRAW BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES IN NOVEMBER 1962.

JUST ONE GOAL AND THREE POINTS WOULD DO FOR THE GUNNERS ON SATURDAY, AFTER THEIR LAST PREMIER LEAGUE AWAY GAME ENDED IN A DISAPPOINTING 1-0 REVERSE AT CRAVEN COTTAGE.