The 18-year-old forward scored twice as the Gunners romped to their first Premier League win of 2012, adding to Robin van Persie’s hat-trick, Mikel Arteta’s long-range strike and a late effort by substitute Thierry Henry.

Morten Gamst Pedersen had equalised for Steve Kean’s visitors with a superb free-kick but Rovers were level for less than 10 minutes before Van Persie and Oxlade-Chamberlain restored Arsenal’s lead – and Gael Givet was given his marching orders for a two-footed lunge on Van Persie just before the break.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was a threat throughout Saturday’s clash at The Emirates, has been in sparkling form for the Londoners after starting six of Arsenal’s seven games since the turn of the year.

And Wenger admits he is thrilled with the Southampton youth product’s displays and would not be surprised to see the teenager included in Fabio Capello’s England squad for this summer’s European Championship.

“In a very short period of time he has become an important player who can make a difference,” said Wenger. “I rested him in the last 20 minutes at Bolton, so he was not pushed to his limits. The medical staff said there was no risk he could damage his knee, so that is why I decided to play him [against Blackburn].

“He was not ready earlier in the season. He has made a big step in the last months. He produces team play, he is not only going forwards, he is contributing to the defending and has improved very quickly. He is a fighter as well, with personality. He is much more mature now and I would not be surprised if he got an England call-up.”

Saturday’s resounding victory hoists Arsenal up to fifth place and two points behind Chelsea in fourth, who host Manchester United on Sunday.

And Wenger, whose side travel to Sunderland next weekend, admits a positive result was vital for his side after having picked up just a point in the league since New Year’s Eve.

“It was important to the confidence of the side that we win a game and get three points but the result in itself will not make us win at Sunderland,” said Wenger.

“That will make us win there with the confidence we got today is to continue to play the way we did today. Every game is a new challenge and Sunderland are in a good spell as well. We have to be ready for that.”

André Villas-Boas admits Chelsea have all but given up in their pursuit of Shakhtar Donetsk winger Willian.

The Blues are reported to have had an offer of around £18m for the 23-year-old Brazilian turned down this week – and although the Chelsea boss describes the winger as an “extremely interesting” player, he concedes a January move is now looking highly unlikely.

“I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Villas-Boas told his weekly news briefing on Friday. “Willian is an extremely interesting player but I don’t think we are going to progress with our interest because of different issues, from work permit to price valuation.

“Our project next year is more important than the project at the moment. Not that Willian doesn’t have that characteristic for the future, but we are betting a lot on what we can build on for next year.”

Villas-Boas’s comments come after Shakhtar Donetsk assistant manager Alexandru Spiridon claimed Chelsea’s reported bid did not meet the club’s valuation of the player, comparing the Brazilian to Belgian star Eden Hazard.

“I think the transfer fee offered by Chelsea does not match Willian’s skill. You probably know from the internet that Eden Hazard’s transfer value is £30m. Chelsea offered £16.5m for Willian.

“I do not think that Willian is weaker than Hazard, and in some components he is even stronger.”

Making his ninth appearance of the season for the Gunners since joining from Southampton in August, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain thoroughly out-shone Arsenal’s other former Saints star Theo Walcott. The 18-year-old was confident in possession throughout and was not afraid to put himself about. The two wingers’ contrasting afternoons were summed up by a passage of play mid-way through the first half, when Oxlade-Chamberlain did well to carve out space on the left, cutting back for Walcott to scoop his shot pitifully over the bar. And after capping a brilliant display by setting up Robin van Persie’s second-half strike, Arsène Wenger bizarrely opted to withdraw him after 74 minutes. He was quite simply the Gunners’ best performer.

Nani torments Djourou into submission

Johan Djourou is yet to convince most Arsenal fans he is worthy of a regular spot in the Gunners’ back-four and Sunday’s display will have done little to help his cause. Nani got the better of the Swiss defender with ease on almost every occasion in the first half, and presented the Portuguese winger with a glorious opportunity after needlessly diving in to a challenge, only for Nani to spurn the chance. The Arsenal defender then failed to close down Ryan Giggs just before the break, leaving plenty of space for the Welshman to whip in a delicious cross for Antonio Valencia to nod home the opener. Djourou was replaced by Nico Yennaris at half-time – and little wonder, too.

Ryan Giggs continues to roll back the years

Never mind Benjamin Button, Ryan Giggs is a curious case of his own. To be featuring regularly for a club of Manchester United’s stature aged 38 is a feat in itself, but to still be capable of influencing the play to the extent that he did on Sunday is nothing short of remarkable. The Welshman’s inch-perfect cross picked out Valencia for United’s opener and he was a force in central midfield throughout for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. He has already made 20 appearances for the Red Devils this season and looks set to be as key as ever as the business end of the season approaches.

Where did it all go wrong for Arshavin?

Arsène Wenger’s decision to withdraw Oxlade-Chamberlain with 15 minutes left sparked a chorus of jeers from the home fans, as well as a look of sheer bemusement from Van Persie. His replacement, Andrey Arshavin, was simply feeble in his short spell on the pitch. Offering little going forward, the Russian had been involved for less than 10 minutes before he failed to prevent Valencia from cutting inside from the right and picking out Danny Welbeck, who drilled his close-range effort past Wojciech Szczesny to hand the visitors victory. Visibly lacking in confidence and spending most of his time on the bench this term, Arshavin is surely set for an Emirates exit after failing to perform for so long in red and white.

A classic game of two halves

What was a fairly placid first half was sharply contrasted by a highly entertaining and open second period full of chances. Neither side really got going before the break, with Valencia’s goal the only clear sight on goal. But the game sprung into life in the second 45. Van Persie missed a sitter and then netted an equaliser for the Gunners, and Welbeck’s effort was only cleared off the line by a last-ditch Per Mertersacker clearance before the England striker smashed home the winner nine minutes from time.

André Villas-Boas has told his Chelsea players to focus on Saturday’s trip to Norwich City and forget about other results ahead of a weekend of high-profile Premier league clashes.

The Blues make the trip to Carrow Road on Saturday lunchtime knowing a win would take them to within three points of third-placed Tottenham Hotspur before Harry Redknapp’s men travel to the Etihad Stadium to take on league leaders Manchester City on Sunday.

Arsenal then host second-placed Manchester United later on Sunday – but the Chelsea boss has reminded his players that those games will be rendered meaningless for the Blues if they fail to win their own game on Saturday.

“At the moment I would turn my focus only towards Norwich and I really don’t care about what happens in the other games,” Villas-Boas told a news conference on Thursday. “First, we have to find our consistency and that can be better if we get the win against Norwich. That’s the most important thing.

“It doesn’t matter to play before the others if we don’t do our job. We have to do our job properly, which is to win. At the moment we focus on every weekend and then we see.

“There’s no point in continuing to [talk about title] aspirations when you have to get the consistency right. It’s possible, we believe it and I think the players share this feeling and ambition for the title because they also feel it.”

Villas-Boas admitted he may not hand Gary Cahill his first Chelsea start against Norwich but said that the England centre-half has impressed in training since him £7m move from Bolton Wanderers earlier this week.

“It was a positive, good integration,” continued the Chelsea boss. “We saw all of his natural technical abilities plus his defensive capacities as well. I think he adapted quite well. It’s a welcoming sign for the club and it’s good to have him on board.

“In the process of a player’s arrival there are adaptation issues that you have to take into account regarding the dynamics of the group. Not that Gary doesn’t have this capacity, but we have to make the best option for the team.”

Asked if a John Terry-Cahill partnership was likely to become his first-choice defensive pairing, the Portuguese coach replied: “I don’t have a first choice or rotation policy. I choose the best for the team.”

Alex has been given permission to talk to Queens Park Rangers over a potential move to Loftus Road, Chelsea boss André Villas-Boas has revealed.

The Brazilian defender handed in a transfer request earlier in the season but Villas-Boas said the two London clubs are yet to settle on a fee for the 29-year-old.

“From what I know I think Alex has been authorised to have talks with QPR but there hasn’t been any agreement between the clubs,” Villas-Boas told a news conference on Thursday. “We are speaking about a Brazil international of great value and it’s always difficult to let a player of this dimension go for a price that we don’t see fair.”

Meanwhile, Villas-Boas refused to be drawn on whether new signing Gary Cahill would be thrown straight into the Chelsea starting line-up for Saturday’s trip to Norwich City.

“It was a positive, good integration. We saw all his natural technical abilities [in training this week],” Villas-Boas continued. “I think he adapted quite well and it’s a welcoming sign for the club and it’s good to have him on board. [But] there are adaptation issues you have to take into account.”

Mark Hughes insists he is at Queens Park Rangers for the long haul after taking the reigns at Loftus Road on a two-and-a-half year deal.

The Welshman left Fulham at the end of last season after just a year in charge – but at his first news conference as QPR boss on Wednesday, Hughes made clear his desire for “longevity” at his new club.

“My last couple of positions haven’t lasted as long as I wanted them to so now I’m wanting longevity,” said Hughes. “I’ve just had my first day at the training ground. I’m certainly not thinking of leaving any time soon.

“It’s been a whirlwind of negotiations. It all happened very quickly but it was clear in my mind that the ambition of the club matched that of my own career.”

With QPR one place and one point above the relegation zone, the 48-year-old is under no illusions about what is expected of him after succeeding Neil Warnock, who was sacked on Sunday after less than two years in charge.

“We need to be in the Premier League this time next year,” he said. “We’re not thinking we’re going down. Maybe that was one of the factors in pursuing me as manager – perhaps the board felt they needed to make the change to stay in the Premier League.”

Hughes also insisted he had no intention of stripping controversial midfielder Joey Barton of the captaincy at Loftus Road.

“Joey’s the captain and I see no reason to change that,” he continued. “Obviously, I’ll be having conversations with all the players and understanding the dynamics of the team but it’s not my intention to take the captaincy away.”

Speaking about his departure from Craven Cottage last summer, Hughes added: “The situation at the end of last season is one that has happened. That was the correct decision and I stand by it. I’m very excited about what’s ahead and I’m going to give it my best shot.

“This excites me. I’m looking forward and really happy with the decision I’ve made and I’m very excited of what is ahead of us.”

QPR chief executive Philip Beard added: “We’ve spent a lot of time over the last few days trying to understand the ambitions that Mark has as a manager. When we sat down I explained the short, medium and long-term visions that we’ve got for the club and the conversation started to get a lot closer. It took two or three hours of exciting discussions to understand what we feel we can achieve here.”

Wayne Rooney has hailed Sir Alex Ferguson as the best manager ever and insists he would be thrilled to finish his career working under the Scot at Manchester United.

The 26-year-old England international recently quashed inaccurate reports suggesting his Old Trafford future was in doubt after falling out with Ferguson – and Rooney has moved to further reassure fans that he is committed to United.

“He’s a great manager and he’s a big reason why I joined Manchester United,” Rooney told reporters at the Ballon d’Or gala in Zurich. “If I could finish my career playing under Sir Alex I won’t have gone far wrong.

“To be still so successful now is incredible. He picked up the [Fifa presidential award for services to football] and rightly so. He’s been a fantastic manager for all his career. He’s still fit and healthy so I’m sure he’ll continue.

“I think his success and trophies speak for themselves. He’s done so much for football and so much for my game. In my eyes he’s the best ever.

“He’s at the training ground before every player in the morning. His commitment, desire to win and his dedication is incredible.”

Pep Guardiola insists he will not let Barcelona rest on their laurels after he was named world coach of the year for 2011 on Monday.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi scooped the Ballon d’Or award for the third year running, and the Catalan club had five players in the FIFPro world team of the year after the winners were announced at the glitzy Ballon d’Or gala in Zurich.

But Guardiola, who beat Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Real Madrid coach José Mourinho to the coach award with 41.92 per cent of the vote, maintains that individual accolades are simply the result of collective success.

“Obviously [the individual awards] are a great source of joy, but you don’t become a player or a coach for that reason,” he told Fifa’s website. “You do so to enjoy the game, to put a certain philosophy into practice and work with the players. And then, of course, events like these put football in a good light and we all need to encourage that to keep the sport growing.

“When you win titles, individual recognition comes hand in hand. At the end of the day we’re fortunate both because we’ve won these prizes and because we’re happy to have received so much praise for the way we’ve played. We hope to stay on this path in order to live nights like this again.”

But Guardiola admits that living up to the high standards set by his side is a challenge. “It’s not easy as the more successful you are the more other teams want to beat you, the more they learn about you and the harder you have to work,” he continued.

“But we need to keep working as effectively as we can, as well as setting our objectives as high as possible in order to keep winning.

“In football a team’s success or failure hangs by a thread. It might seem that because we’ve been successful in the past and we’re very young this is going to last, but you have to take things very carefully. It’s extremely difficult to build something good and strong, but letting it slide is much easier.”

Pep Guardiola: His 13 titles as Barcelona coach

3 La Liga titles (2009, 2010, 2011)
1 Copa del Rey (2009)
3 Spanish Supercups (2009, 2010, 2011)
2 Champions Leagues (2009, 2011)
2 European Supercups (2009, 2011)
2 Club World Cups (2009, 2011)

It was fitting that Lionel Messi dedicated his 2011 Ballon d’Or award to his Barcelona team-mate Xavi. “I want to share this with my friend, he deserves it,” said the Argentine on receiving the prize for the third straight year. Fitting because it so perfectly encapsulates the mentality instilled into this extraordinary crop of Barça players.

The world player of the year’s nod in the direction of the shortlisted midfielder who finished third in the voting for the third year running is like the decision to slide a perfectly-weighted pass across goal for a tap-in when others less humble may go for glory themselves. It’s all about the team.

Messi was always going to win his third straight crown. Cristiano Ronaldo opted not to travel to Zurich for the ceremony ahead of his side’s Copa del Rey trip to Malaga the day after, but nobody would have blamed the Portugal international if he had cited the improbability of him pipping Messi to the award as the real reason for his absence.

Messi dazzled in 2011, scoring 53 goals in all competitions and helping Barcelona seal La Liga and Champions League glory last term. The 24-year-old left the experts with no choice and he swept away the competition by claiming over 47 per cent of the final vote.

His dedication of the award to Xavi was, it seems, pre-planned. His vote as Argentina captain was for the Spain midfielder, with Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Aguero his second and third selections. “I knew that if I won I was going to do it this way,” he said after receiving the accolade. “We’ve been playing together for many years and he deserves it because every year he plays better and better and we have a very special relationship.”

Messi’s is an individual accolade but it’s a team game and Barcelona’s title as the best around is not up for debate. Sir Alex Ferguson, who was pipped to the coach of the year prize by Guardiola but received the presidential award for services to football has no doubts that Barça are setting the standards. “Sometimes in football you have to hold your hands up and say: ‘yes, they are better than us’. It’s not a crime or a weakness, it’s just a plain fact.”

And the Manchester United boss, whose side were defeated in the Champions League final for the second time by Guardiola’s men last year, admits the Catalan giants’ focus on bringing youth players through their academy and into their first team has paid dividends.

“It’s the perfect philosophy,” he said. “From my experience of producing our own players, you get loyalty all your life from them. They appreciate the start you’ve given them and the development – and they become friends.

“For instance, the great group we had in the 90s of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers are great friends – they’re always with each other. It’s an amazing friendship to have and that’s what you get when you produce your own players. They stay with each other all their lives. It’s much cheaper too.”

With Barcelona having secured a five-trophy haul in 2011 and Pep Guardiola’s silverware tally now standing at 13 since he took charge at the Camp Nou in 2008, the question often asked of the Catalan giants is: what now?

For Messi, the answer is simple. “I want to win the same trophies that we did last year. That is the greatness of this team. We have won so much, but we still want to win more.”

But does Guardiola face a challenge in keeping his players motivated? No, according to the coach himself. “These kind of players, like Xavi, Leo and Andrés, they are complete competitors,” he said. “It isn’t necessary for the coach to motivate them. They love the game and every season they love to touch the ball. That’s why they have the motivation to remain on top.”

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award for the third year running after beating off competition from Barcelona team-mate Xavi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 24-year-old Argentine is only the fourth player to have won the accolade three times, with Michel Platini the last man to have scooped the price three times in a row. Messi received 47.88 per cent of the votes, ahead of Ronaldo (21.6 per cent) and Xavi (9.23 per cent).

“It’s a huge pleasure for me,” Messi said. “It’s the third time I get this award, and it’s a huge honour. This one is very special because I want to share this with my friend and team-mate Xavi.”

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson won the Fifa presidential award for services to football, and Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola was voted coach of the year for 2011.

On receiving his prize, Ferguson said: “I’ve been very lucky to have had so many good players. They’ve all shared my vision, my passion and that’s what makes Manchester United such a special club. You don’t always win in football, sometimes you lose, but we have tried to win – and that’s more important than anything.”

Fifa president Sepp Blatter said of Ferguson: “Elite football is about results and winning. There is no one better at it than him.”

Guardiola, who led his Barcelona side to La Liga and Champions League glory last season, said: “I would like to share this award with José Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson and all the coaches around the world who love this game. I want also want to dedicate this award to the thousands of people who have worked for FC Barcelona and have who have helped to develop one of the best clubs in the world.”

Wayne Rooney, whose overhead kick against Manchester City at Old Trafford last season was beaten by Brazilian Neymar in the Fifa Puskas award for the best goal of 2011, said: “It was a great year and the highlight was winning the Premier League for the 19th time, which was a great moment for the club and for Manchester.”

The awards were voted for by the captains and head coaches of the men’s and women’s national teams, as well as international media representatives selected by French football magazine France Football.

FIFPro World XI: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi (Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd).