Blackburn Rovers sent Arsenal crashing to a third straight defeat in the space of a week after Dwight Yorke stole the points with his third goal of the season.

Rovers took a shock fifth minute lead when Brazilian midfielder Edu sliced a clearance past David Seaman.

But he then made amends on the stroke of half time when he grabbed an equaliser for the Gunners with a free kick which crept in off the far post.

However, Rovers got their noses back in front when Yorke clipped a cool finish over Seaman in the 51st minute after great work by Egil Ostenstad and Tugay.

And they then managed to hold on for all three points despite frantic pressure in the closing stages after Garry Flitcroft was red-carded for a second bookable offence with 11 minutes left.

Blackburn Rovers took a shock first half lead at Highbury after Brazilian midfielder Edu scored a bizarre own goal.

Dwight Yorke's cross appeared to be going nowhere until Edu attempted to clear but only succeeded in slicing the ball over a stranded David Seaman.

From then on, the Gunners launched an onslaught on the visitors' goal but Rovers' overworked defence almost managed to get to the break without conceding to leave home fans pondering a third successive defeat.

United States international Brad Friedel had to be on top form to save efforts from Sylvain Wiltord and Thierry Henry as the Gunners cranked up the pressure going forward.

Then Rovers survived an incredible let-off in the 17th minute when Henry's goal-bound effort was blocked on the line by his own team-mate Freddie Ljungberg.

Rovers spent most of the opening 45 minutes pinned in their own half but in a rare breakaway, David Thompson fired over from a Tugay pass.

Eventually, Arsenal's pressure finally told, however, when Edu made amends for his earlier error when he scored direct from a free-kick on the right hand side of the box in first half injury time.

FA BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP: ARSENAL 1 BLACKBURN 2, HIGHBURY, SATURDAY OCTOBER 26, 2002

ARSENAL: Seaman, Cole, Ljungberg, Wiltord, Lauren, Henry, Edu, Cygan, Gilberto, Campbell, Kanu. Subs: Pires, Bergkamp, Taylor, Luzhny, Toure

ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, Tugay, Flitcroft, Dunn, Johansson, Yorke, Thompson, Taylor, Ostenstad, Berg. Subs: Short, Jansen, Grabbi, Kelly, Gillespie