Veteran striker Dimitar Berbatov says Monaco fully expected to exploit Arsenal’s wandering defence as they took control of their Champions League last 16 tie with a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium.

This was the tie both sides said they had wanted, with each viewing the other as the best bet for a Champions League future, writes Jon West.

Three key moments from the game and what we learned from them.

Arsenal 1 Monaco 3

Former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov returned to haunt Arsenal as Monaco secured a 3-1 win in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie at the Emirates Stadium.

Veteran striker Dimitar Berbatov will use all his insider knowledge to help his Monaco team-mates "do their homework" on Arsenal and get his unfancied team into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

In a week that sees Barcelona in Manchester, Juventus taking on Dortmund and Liverpool’s return to Istanbul, tomorrow night’s match between Monaco and Arsenal might seem like a sideshow, writes David Shonfield.

To Dimitar Berbatov football is less sport and more art.

Juan Mata has been handed his first Manchester United start for their Barclays Premier League encounter with Cardiff – and Robin van Persie returned too as David Moyes’ men looked to kick-start their season.

Much has been made about Jose Mourinho’s penchant for functional football during — and in the time between — his two spells at Chelsea but any lack of ambition to be found at Stamford Bridge, where they face Manchester United on Sunday, is far more endemic among the visiting ranks.

Fulham 1 Sunderland 4

Adam Johnson's hat-trick spearheaded Sunderland's third win in six days, a ruthless 4-1 Barclays Premier League victory at Fulham today.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger accepts the club will have to buy a new striker in the January transfer window if Nicklas Bendtner’s ankle injury proves a long-term problem.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned he will not accept another early FA Cup exit this season when north-London rivals Tottenham come to the Emirates Stadium this evening.

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud is doubtful for Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Tottenham following illness and an ankle problem.

Fulham 2 West Ham 1

Fulham 2 West Ham 1

Joe Hart will keep his place in the Manchester City side for the December 26 clash against Liverpool after making his first Premier League appearance in almost two months against Fulham, manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed.

Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen confirmed this afternoon that former striker Clint Dempsey had undergone a medical at the club and is set to return on loan.

Everton 4 Fulham 1

Fulham 2 Aston Villa 0

Dimitar Berbatov brushed off talk of a January exit to end Fulham's six-game Premier League losing streak as the Cottagers saw off Aston Villa 2-0 today.

Dimitar Berbatov is unhappy at Fulham and hopes to leave in January, according to his agent Emil Dantchev.

Fulham 1 Tottenham 2

Robin van Persie was again absent from the Manchester United squad but Marouane Fellaini was selected to face former club Everton at Old Trafford.

Dimitar Berbatov is unhappy at Fulham and hopes to leave in January, according to his agent Emil Dantchev.

Without ever quite being the fortress of old, Anfield has become quite the pleasure dome over the last 11 months.

Fulham 1 Manchester United 3

Southampton 2 Fulham 0

Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway played down the significance of a post-match meeting with the club's owner Steve Parish after Monday night's 4-1 home defeat to Fulham.

Crystal Palace 1 Fulham 4

Crystal Palace 1 Fulham 4

For the hard core travelling Red, last week’s prospect looked daunting.

Fulham 1 Cardiff 2

Fulham 2 Everton 1

Fulham 1 Arsenal 3

Arsene Wenger acknowledges Arsenal must strengthen in the closing days of the transfer window, but is refusing to buckle to pressure to sign players for the sake of it.

Former Sunderland striker Darren Bent had to settle for a place on the bench as his new club Fulham prepared to kick off the new Barclays Premier League season at the Stadium of Light.

Swansea 0 Fulham 3

Fulham 1 Liverpool 3

Fulham 0 Arsenal 1

Fulham 0 Chelsea 3

Fulham 0 Chelsea 3

Aston Villa 1 Fulham 1