Date:08/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/08/stories/2007100856511700.htm

Sport

Arsenal gets back on top

Doyle nets Reading’s winner against Derby

LONDON: Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League with a 3-2 win over Sunderland on Sunday with Robin van Persie securing the points with a well-worked winner 10 minutes from time.

Having won its last nine matches in all competitions, Arsenal looked set for another straightforward win after goals from Dutch striker van Persie and Swiss defender Philippe Senderos put it 2-0 up after only 14 minutes in the early kick-off.

Van Persie scored with a blistering free kick after Abou Diaby had a goal ruled out when the referee failed to play the advantage rule. Senderos scored with a soft goal to make it 2-0 seven minutes later.

Arsenal was also unfortunate to have a third disallowed when Diaby had what appeared a valid goal ruled out for offside.

Fightback

Sunderland fought back with Ross Wallace scoring against the run of play after 25 minutes and Kenwyne Jones heading the equaliser three minutes after the break.

Van Persie struck the winner in the closing stages, while Sunderland was reduced to 10 men after 90 minutes when Paul McShane was sent off for a clattering late challenge on Belarus midfielder Aleksandr Hleb.

Arsenal leads the table

Arsenal, who has led the table for the last three weeks, was knocked off the top by Manchester United on Saturday after the champion beat Wigan Athletic 4-0 at Old Trafford.

Arsenal has 22 points from eight matches, United 20 from nine.

A superb header from Kevin Doyle earned Reading a valuable 1-0 win over Derby that allowed Steve Coppell’s side to pull away from the relegation zone and left its beaten opponent firmly anchored to the bottom of the table. The Ireland striker’s 63rd-minute strike settled a contest Reading always looked like winning and condemned Derby to its sixth defeat in nine matches in its first season back in the Premier League.

It was never an inspiring encounter and Doyle’s goal was the only moment of real quality in the match. On Saturday, Craig Gardner’s first-half goal sent Aston Villa into fifth position.

Villa midfielder Gardner claimed his second goal in successive matches with a deflected free-kick and that was enough for Martin O’Neill’s men to condemn West Ham to a third consecutive league defeat.

The results: Arsenal 3 (Van Persie 7, 80, Senderos 14) bt Sunderland 2 (Wallace 25, Jones 48); Reading 1 (Doyle 63) bt Derby 0. On Saturday: Aston Villa 1 Craig Gardner (24) bt West Ham 0.