Arsenal stay top with late win over Cardiff

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and City register wins while United beaten 2-1 at home by Spurs in the Premier League.

Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner (L) scores a late opening goal in his side's 2-0 win over Cardiff [Reuters]

Arsenal scored two late goals to finally break down Cardiff’s resistance and stay top of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory.

The Gunners dominated the entire game but wasted the few clear-cut chances they created until substitute Nicklas Bendtner thumped home a rebound in the 88th minute.

Theo Walcott then made sure of the victory with a chip over goal-keeper David Marshall.

Bendtner was injured in the process of scoring and was immediately substituted.

With the win, Arsenal remained a point above Manchester City atop the standings.

Meanwhile, Tottenham claimed a second straight Premier League win at Old Trafford by beating Manchester United 2-1 to drop the champions further out of title contention.

Emmanuel Adebayor put Spurs ahead with a header in the 34th minute before Christian Eriksen turned from supplier to scorer to leave United 2-0 down in the 66th.

Danny Welbeck responded a minute later with his fifth goal in his last five league matches, but United slipped to a fourth home defeat of the campaign and is now 11 points behind Arsenal.

Torres stars

Elsewhere, Fernando Torres helped Chelsea to a 3-0 victory over Southampton as the Blues kept pace with their title rivals in the Premier League.

The Spain striker broke the deadlock on the hour mark, heading home a deflected cross from close range.

Chelsea’s substitutes then combined to deliver the second, with Oscar cutting in from the left to set up Willian for a powerful shot from the edge of the area in the 71st minute.

Oscar then put the result beyond doubt with a clinical finish in the 82nd minute after Eden Hazard and Ramires linked up to put the Brazilian through.

Chelsea stays third in the standings behind Manchester City and league leader Arsenal.

In the early match, second-half goals from Yaya Toure and Aleksandar Kolarov guided Manchester City to a 3-2 victory over Swansea, keeping its Premier League title campaign firmly on course.

Goals from Steve Sidwell and Dimitar Berbatov helped Fulham secure a 2-1 win over 10-man West Ham.

Aston Villa ended its five-match winless run by beating Sunderland 1-0 through Gabriel Agbonlahor’s early goal to keep the home side bottom of the Premier League.

Saido Berahino converted an 87th-minute penalty to earn West Bromwich Albion a 1-0 victory over 10-man Newcastle.

Leighton Baines converted an injury-time penalty to earn Everton a 1-1 draw at Stoke while Crystal Palace and Norwich played out a 1-1 draw. 

 

Source: News Agencies