BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes described Andy Todd as immense' after the Rovers skipper answered his critics with a magnificent defensive performance to thwart Thierry Henry and his Arsenal team-mates.

Todd was savaged in the tabloid press after the two sides met in a controversial FA Cup semi-final last April, with many reporters accusing him of deliberately elbowing Arsenal's Dutch striker Robin Van Persie in the face.

Although the Rovers defender was later cleared of any wrongdoing by an FA disciplinary panel, the trial by media he underwent in the days immediately after that tie left a stain on his character.

However, Todd bounced back with a vengeance at the weekend, turning in a man-of-the-match performance to erase those painful memories from Cardiff, as Rovers secured a vital 1-0 win that lifted them up to fifth in the Premier League table.

"I thought Andy Todd was immense," said Hughes, who got his tactics spot on against the Gunners.

"He's had to put up with a lot since the cup semi-final last season and I think if the people who commented on him after that game saw the way he approached this then perhaps they would think again about the type of player they possibly thought Andy Todd was.

"I'm just pleased for him because I thought his performance was fantastic.

"He was really disciplined and really committed and I actually thought the booking he did get was really harsh on reflection.

"He was different class and that really showed the character of the guy."

Todd's courage and commitment epitomised that of the whole team as Rovers succeeded where Real Madrid had failed earlier in the week by thwarting the Gunners.

They took the lead courtesy of Morten Gamst Pedersen's goal in the 18th minute then, inspired by the irrepressible Todd, they soaked up some intense Arsenal pressure in a nerve-wracking second half to record another vital three points in their quest for Europe.

"We are delighted we have been able to overcome a very established side," said Hughes.

"We have got three points, we have leapfrogged above them in the Premier League so, all in all, I'm very satisfied.

"We had a gameplan and the lads really carried it out to perfection.

"Everything we tried to highlight to them, they did, and it worked for us.

"We had opportunities. I thought Arsenal had a reasonable amount of possession over the 90 minutes, probably more than we had in the second half, but Brad Friedel only had one save to deal with.

"Apart from that, they never really got behind us and had shots on goal."

Although it was Pedersen who grabbed the all-important goal, it was made brilliantly by Craig Bellamy, whose speed and trickery in the final third caused Arsenal no end of problems.

"Last year that was the position in which we really suffered," added Hughes.

"We needed someone who was able to pick the lock for us but, in many games last season, we never had that.

"But Craig gives us something different and I thought Flo (Florent Sinama Pongolle) added to the mix we have as well.

"We know we can cause good teams problems and we're excited (by how things are going).

"I sensed a real belief in the dressing room today and when we start well and get that commitment, which we invariably do get, we are a good side."