AFP/London
| Sunderland’s Egyptian midfielder Ahmed Elmohamady (L) vies with Arsenal’s French defender Bacary Sagna (2nd L) during their English Premier League match at The Emirates Stadium in London yesterday |
With United facing a tricky away game at Liverpool on Sunday, Arsenal could have piled the pressure on Sir Alex Ferguson’s team with a win over Sunderland at the Emirates. However Arsene Wenger’s injury-hit team, missing Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie, were frustrated by a resolute Sunderland side who were determined to end a run of four consecutive defeats.
A disappointed Wenger was furious that an Andrey Arshavin goal had been disallowed for offside when replays appeared to show he had been onside.
"It’s really disappointing and it’s very difficult to take a decision like that in a game of this importance,” Wenger told Sky Sports. "We have to take it on the chin and continue to fight. But it’s absolutely disappointing and unacceptable,” added Wenger, whose side now face a daunting trip to face Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The draw leaves Arsenal three points adrift of United ahead of Sunday’s game at Anfield. The Emirates stalemate was the only goalless draw on a day of breathless entertainment across the league. In a dramatic game at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton twice came from behind against Aston Villa and saw the visitors miss a penalty before snatching a dramatic 3-2 victory.
Villa took the lead on 15 minutes, January transfer signing Darren Bent netting his third goal for the club after meeting Kyle Walker’s cross at the back post to silence the Reebok Stadium. But Gary Cahill equalised with a header on the stroke of half-time to restore parity for Bolton.
Villa were not to be denied though, and Marc Albrighton gave the visitors the lead again when he finished on 64 minutes.
Ashley Young could have made the game safe for Villa on 70 minutes only to see his penalty saved by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Young was made to rue the miss shortly afterwards, when Cahill grabbed his second to make it 2-2. And four minutes from time substitute Ivan Klasnic fired in the winner to sink Villa and see Wanderers move up a place to sixth. There was more drama at Craven Cottage where Fulham overcame a stubborn Blackburn side 3-2 courtesy of a late penalty from Bobby Zamora.
Earlier, Damien Duff had twice given Fulham the lead against his former club only for his goals to be cancelled out by Grant Hanley and David Hoilett, Everton meanwhile bounced back from the disappointment of their midweek FA Cup exit to Reading to beat Newcastle 2-1 at St James Park.
Leon Best fired the Magpies ahead on 23 minutes before two goals in five minutes from Leon Osman and Phil Jagielka gave Everton a valuable three points.
West Ham’s revival gathered pace with a 3-0 win over Stoke at Upton Park, with Senegalese striker Demba Ba taking advantage of some comedy defending by Asmir Begovic and Marc Wilson to open the scoring after 21 minutes.
March 06, 2011 | 12:00 AM