Champions League: Arsenal v Partizan Belgrade

It's no wonder Arsène Wenger has got his serious face on tonight, the Gunners need to win this match to ensure qualification to the knock-out stages Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Wooly hat? Check. Padded coat? Check. Arsenal blanket? Check. Gloves? Gloves? Wilshere seems to be looking for his as Theo Walcott and Niklas Bendtner seem all snug and warm as they sit on the Arsenal bench. If you're a Gunners fan and fancy one of those blankets, they are available from the club shop but because it's been blooming cold recently they're currently out of stock Photograph: Tom Jenkins

It's not just the Arsenal manager who's a bit worried about tonight's match as Samir Nasri prays before kick-off Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Robin van Persie not only makes his first Champions League start in more than a year but he's also been handed the captain's armband Photograph: Tom Jenkins

It takes the returning Van Persie just half an hour to make his mark. First he is upended by Radoslav Petrovic in the penalty area and the referee rightly points to the spot. With a responsibility that is bestowed perhaps by the armband, he picks himself up takes hold of the ball and steps up to take the penalty. He hits the ball powerfully to his right. Vladimir Stojkovic guesses correctly and dives the same way, but it's hit just too high and too hard for the Partizan keeper to save it. With the score 1-0 to Arsenal relief reverberates around the Emirates Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Nasri gives Van Persie a hug as they celebrate the stand-in captain's goal Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Uh-oh things have taken a turn for the worse at the start of the second half. Cleo gets the ball 25 yards out and seeing as he's the only Partizan player around and the Arsenal defenders have backed off him, he decides to have a speculative punt at goal. Unfortunately for Arsenal it deflects off Squillaci's leg which totally wrong foots Fabianski and the ball ends up in the right hand corner. 1-1 and Arsene Wenger's blood pressure has probably risen tenfold Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Van Persie can't believe it. The next 37 minutes are going to be very tense indeed Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Laurent Koscielny, Denilson and Cleo challenge for a header in the second half Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Nasri makes a charging run down the left Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Arsenal are almost gifted the lead back when Song goes up for a ball with Stojkovic, but the Partizan keeper must have taken his eyes of it for a split second as he misses it and the ball heads towards the visiter's goal. However, he manages to save his own blushes by recovering the ball before it's to late and then tries to cover up his mistake by claiming he was fouled Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Just seven minutes after discarding his multiple warming layers and coming on for Arshavin, Theo Walcott eases the tension at the Emirates when he gives Arsenal the lead back. It's a wonderful volleyed finish after a nice bit of ball control ball on his chest Photograph: Tom Jenkins

He thoroughly deserves to celebrate that finish and the Arsenal fans can rest a little easier now Photograph: Tom Jenkins

They can rest a whole load easier just four minutes later when Nasri makes it 3-1 and the Arsenal fans can definitely start thinking about who they will get in the next round. It was another smart goal by the Gunners and the move was started by Song's one-two with Bendtner and then his shimmy which bamboozles a defender or two, before he pokes the ball to Nasri. A smart switch of feet by the attacking midfielder gives him the opportunity to lift the ball over the keeper and into the net Nasri scores 3rd goal Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Stand-in captain Robin Van Persie keeps an eye on proceedings to see if he can spot any last minute problems Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Oh look there's one. Just five minutes to go and the referee gives his red card an airing after Bacary Sagna clips the heels of Lazevski as he heads towards the penalty area. He's the last man so he's got no real argument, even Wenger doesn't really moan too much to the fourth official Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Much to the relief of Arsenal's players and fans the final whistle goes which is the signal for Theo Walcott to swap shirts with his marker Lazevski. The Arsenal midfield will have a sterner test ahead of him in the next round when Arsenal will play either Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Schalke. Despite some good moments in the match, Arsene Wenger conceded that his team must improve ahead of this match next year and said “There is room for improvement and I am confident we will" Photograph: Tom Jenkins