Theo saves Gunners blushes

ARSENAL last night edged into the last 16 of the Champions League with a nervous victory over Partizan Belgrade inspired by substitute Theo Walcott but it’s fair to say Barcelona and Real Madrid are not shaking in their boots ahead of next week’s draw.

Arsene Wenger’s side have a strong chance of facing one of the Spanish giants — or Germany’s Schalke or Bayern Munich — because their 3-1 triumph was not quite enough to secure first place in Group H; they should be relieved to be through at all.

Three-one may sound convincing but Arsene Wenger’s side were pegged back to 1-1 in the second half and so uninspiring was their performance that there were real fears at the Emirates that it could all go wrong in the end.