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| Sunderland's Scottish goalkeeper Craig Gordon watches the goal slip in [AFP] |
A rare header by Cesc Fabregas in injury time earned Arsenal a 1-1 draw at Sunderland after the home side had seemed on course for an upset win when they took the lead in the 86th minute.
Sunderland sat back and defended for most of the match then stunned Arsene Wenger's team when substitute Grant Leadbitter lashed the ball home from 25 metres.
Arsenal 1 - Sunderland 1
A week ago Arsenal were upset 2-1 at home by Hull City but roared back to beat Porto 4-0 in the Champions League with a performance Wenger said was their most complete of the season.
But the Frenchman was left shaking his head in frustration for long spells as they were too easily kept at arm's length by a Sunderland team intent on playing for a point despite being at home.
Arsenal were denied a goal early in the second half when Robin van Persie turned in a Theo Walcott cross only for the linesman to rule that the ball had gone out of play.
Good save
Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon, hardly tested all afternoon, then produced a good save to deny Van Persie eight minutes from time before the home fans really had something to shout about.
Leadbitter, who entered the fray as an 84th-minute substitute, took two minutes to make his mark when he lashed in a shot via the underside of the bar.
Arsenal poured forward in search of an equaliser and in stoppage time levelled with an unlikely goal when midfielder Fabregas rose well to head in Van Persie's corner.
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| Wenger is not having a good start to the domestic season [AFP] |
Sunderland defensive
"It's frustrating. Sunderland didn't come out, they didn't try to play but they defended very well," Wenger told Sky Sports.
"We had a goal cancelled, then were 1-0 down from one of their rare shots.
"We had a good attitude but it wasn't an open football game.
"I expected them to play more going forward, but they were very, very defensive.
"That tells you a lot about the team and about Cesc as a man, he refuses to lose.
"Heading is not his strength but he scored with a good header."
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| Grant Leadbitter, second left, celebrates his goal [AFP] |
Keane satisfied
Sunderland boss Roy Keane defended his tactics.
"The temptation for me is to have a go but you look at Arsenal's last few away games, particularly on the break...." he said.
"I thought we were outstanding, we had a lot of discipline and had to do a lot of defending."
Keane was pleased for Sunderland-raised Leadbitter.
"It's nice to see a local lad coming through and making an impact.
"He's a top lad, a great pro and we're all delighted for him."
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| Fulham's Danny Murphy gets his foot to the ball [AFP] |
West Bromwich Albion 1 Fulham 0
West Brom continued their good start to the season with a deserved win over a struggling Fulham side.
Gianni Zuiverloon clipped a post with a header for West Brom early on but they took charge after the break and took the points with a close-range effort by Czech Roman Bednar in the 61st minute.
Fulham have now lost their fourth straight game, and West Brom’s second Premier League victory in a row has sent Tony Mowbray’s team up to seventh place.
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| David Wheater of Middlesbrough tackles Amr Zaki of Wigan [AFP] |
Wigan Athletic 0 Middlesbrough 1
Boro secured their first away win in the league since December but left it late.
In a game of few chances and little action they won it a minute from time when Stewart Downing nodded the ball into the path of Jeremie Aliadiere who swept it home.
Middlesbrough now get three points which pleased manager Gareth Southgate who has watched his side concede three points in the closing minutes of several games so far this season.
United win
Manchester United edged closer to the leading pack with a 2-0 win at a rain-sodden Blackburn Rovers after goals from Wes Brown and Wayne Rooney.
United were all over Blackburn and should have won by more goals.
Brown headed in after 31 minutes when home keeper Jason Brown, arguing he was fouled, dropped a cross and Rooney swept in the second in the 64th from a low Cristiano Ronaldo centre.
"It was our best performance of the season in terms of possession," said United manager Alex Ferguson.
"It's always a difficult ground for us but today everyone was on song.
"The first 10 minutes was hammer and tongs but once we got the ball down and started passing we took control."
Asked about Rooney's contribution, he added: "That was his best performance of the season. He was full of energy".
Sunday games
Chelsea v Aston Villa
Everton v Newcastle
Manchester City v Liverpool
Portsmouth v Stoke City
Tottenham v Hull
West Ham v Bolton
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