Source: Telegraph
Sunderland 1 Arsenal 1: match report
A dramatic late equaliser by Darren Bent deep into stoppage time prevented ten-man Arsenal from moving to the top of the Premier League table. [LNB]Cesc Fabregas' bizarre goal seemed enough to give Arsenal victory even though Arsene Wenger's side lost the services of their talismanic [LNB] Related ArticlesSunderland v Arsenal: as it happenedPremier LeagueSunderland v Arsenal: match previewCoyle and Allardyce hit out at WengerClichy: stay at Arsenal for years FabregasCannon fodder undermine Champions Leaguemidfielder through injury and then made life difficult for themselves as Alex Song was sent off early in the second half before Tomas Rosicky missed a penalty before Bent struck. [LNB]Initially, Arsenal struggled to impose themselves on Steve Bruce's high-energy side in the opening exchanges but then took command of the contest when skipper Cesc Fabregas profited from sloppy play by Anton Ferdinand in the 13th minute. [LNB]The Spaniard's work ethic paid dividends as he sensed hesitation by Ferdinand as he dawdled when he should have cleared and Fabregas charged down the centre-half's attempted clearance 35 yards out and saw the ball loop over Simon Mignolet and into the net. [LNB]Back came Sunderland and Nedum Onuoha should have levelled two minutes later when he rose unmarked at Jordan Henderson's corner but nodded over the bar from a favourable position. [LNB]Even though Fabregas had started hobbling, Arsenal still threatened on the counter-attack and Alex Song almost doubled the lead in the 19th minute following Andrey Arshavin's cross but Simon Mignolet saved. [LNB]Sunderland's hopes were raised when Fabregas limped off and Cristian Riveros should have equalised following the impressive Ahmed Elmohamady's cross but he sent a glancing header wide as Arsenal were let off the hook. [LNB]Arsenal began the second half brightly but Arshavin wasted two openings [LNB]before Mignolet denied Chamakh when he was sent scampering through by Samir Nasri's clever flick. [LNB]The Arsenal cause suffered a major set-back in the 55th minute when Wenger's side were reduced to ten men after Song - booked in the first half for dissent -was harshly shown a second yellow card by Phil Dowd for blocking Steed Malbranque. [LNB]Wenger re-organised by sending on Denilson in place of Arshavin and Sunderland were restricted to half-chances and that came and went for Darren Bent and Titus Bramble. [LNB]Ironically, Arsenal seemed to thrive despite being short on numbers as Sunderland threw bodies forward without testing Manuel Almunia. [LNB]The outcome of the game should have been put beyond reasonable doubt in the 74th after Elmohamady brought down the excellent Nasri but Tomas Rosicky blazed his spot-kick wildly over the crossbar and into the bemused Arsenal fans. [LNB]That miss looked as though it would prove costly five minutes later when Malbranque curled in a cross towards Asamoah Gyan but Almunia saved his weak header comfortably. [LNB]Arsenal seemed certain to leapfrog Chelsea at the summit of the Premier League until the visitors failed to clear Jordan Henderson's corner and Bent lashed in the equaliser. [LNB][LNB]Sunderland v Arsenal[LNB]
