Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal
Darren Bent, who had looked a forlorn and improbable international striker as England were being taken apart by Brazil in Qatar, has proved his domestic quality by scoring against each member of the Big Four before November is out.
Against Liverpool, Bent had needed the intervention of a beach ball. Here against an Arsenal side that never mixed penetration to go with their sometimes impressive possession, he required his header to rebound back of his fellow striker, Fraizer Campbell, before stabbing it past Manuel Almunia. It was the only shot the Spaniard was required to make a save and ensured that Arsenal’s next league fixture – against Chelsea – would probably decide whether they are genuine title contenders.
Following the loss of Robin van Persie with an ankle injury, this is a defeat that will hit Arsenal hard. The gap between themselves and Chelsea is now eight points and Arsène Wenger would have noted they had the opportunities to at least take one point back to London. Andrei Arshavin, who was left on the bench after his midweek disappointments with Russia, drove into the side netting while in the first half Tomas Rosicky, set up brilliantly by Cesc Fàbregas, thundered his shot into Marton Fulop’s body.
By the end Wenger was employing three strikers – including William Gallas alongside Theo Walcott – but the Sunderland midfield, brilliantly marshalled by Lorik Cana never threatened to give way.
