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  • Kick-off: 20:00
  • Venue: Madejski Stadium
  • Attendance: 24024
  • Referee: Styles, R

Live Commentary

90 mins

Rob Styles finally puts Reading out of their misery and although that Shorey strike took some of the gloss of the scoreline, Arsenal will be very pleased to have recorded such an easy victory from a potentially tricky fixture.

90 mins

Now Theo Walcott with a chance for Arsenal as he races onto a Rosicky cutback but he can't keep his shot down and he blazes over.

90 mins

Eboue is in, surely it is number four for the Gunners, but the Ivorian tries to be a little too clever and can only find the side netting.

87 mins

GOAL: Reading 1-3 Arsenal: Nicky Shorey does finally get his name on the scoresheet as he pokes the ball home after a short goalmouth scramble, but it will be little more than a consolation.

84 mins

Changes for both sides as Tomas Rosicky and Adebayor are off for Arsenal with Bendtner and Walcott on, while Shane Long replaces a very tired Doyle for Reading.

83 mins

Nicky Shorey almost gives Reading a consolation for their efforts as his free kick rattles back off the post and that is definitely as close as the Royals have come.

80 mins

He may be a superb player but Fabregas has stupidly got himself his fifth caution fo the season and he will now miss the Wigan game.

79 mins

Lassana Diarra has complained already about a lack of minutes this season but he gets the chance to impress now as he replaces Hleb - who gets a standing ovation.

78 mins

GOAL: Reading 0-3 Arsenal: Hleb with a supber solo goal where he takes it round or past Hahnemann three times before finally putting the keeper out of his misery by finding the top corner from 12 yards.

76 mins

For what is one of the first times in the half Reading find a way into the Gunners half but Murty is dispossessed almost immediately and Arsenal can come forward again but this time there is nothing doing for them.

72 mins

Here they come again. Fabregas fancies himself a goal on this bracing Berkshire night and has a chance after a superb one-two with Hleb on the edge of the box but he slices it over.

70 mins

Another change from Steve Coppell as John Oster replaces the anonymous Bobby Convey, he might wish he had stayed on the bench.

68 mins

We said at half time how the game could go two ways, well it is most definitely going in only one at the moment, towards Hahenmann's goal and in all honesty this game is over.

65 mins

It is oh so easy for the Gunners. They are passing the ball around beautifully tonight and giving Reading a real lesson in the art of total football.

62 mins

Adebayor has been caught offside yet again! It must be 6 times already in this half alone and if only he could time his runs better then he could have a hatful.

60 mins

Reading have made a change now as Emerse Fae replaces James Harper who has been unable to get on the ball, can he do anything to half the Arsenal charge?

58 mins

Replays have showed that Adebayor was in fact onside when he rounded Hahnemann to score so reading got away with that one, although I doubt it will matter.

57 mins

Adebayor again! He has had a goal drought of late but now he has one he fancies more and the man nicknamed 'Kanu with pace' almost adds a second again as he blasts over from the edge of the box.

55 mins

Another superb flowing move from the Gunners as Adebayor is slipped in behind the defence again and finds the back of the net but it is ruled out as the Togolese had strayed offside.

55 mins

Arsenal are really finding their rhythm now as they begin to pass the ball around with ease but with pace and swiftness to match.

52 mins

GOAL: Reading 0-2 Arsenal: Arsenal have doubled their advantage as Adebayor converts after some superb work as ever from Fabregas.

50 mins

Flamini goes im search of his second of the night as he drives it low from 25 yards and brings a superb save from Hahnemann down low to his right.

48 mins

Arsenal have started the second period with more of a spring in their step and Eboue escapes down the right wing and tries to find Adebayor in the middle and Ingimarsson does superbly to stop a chance.

45 mins

The second half is underway at the Madejski and this could go two ways now as Reading look to attack. Arsenal could romp home by a number or Reading could turn it round.

45 mins

HT: Reading 0 - 1 Arsenal: Arsenal were looking a little frustrated until Flamini struck on the stroke of half-time and now Reading are going to have to try something different after the break.

45 mins

GOAL: Reading 0 - 1 Arsenal: Reading waste a corner and Arsenal break to take the lead as Adebayor and Hleb combine to give FLAMINI a simple tap-in.

43 mins

Arsenal don't look to have brought their shooting boots with them tonight as first Toure and then Eboue smash the ball wildly wide and over respectively from just outside the box.

40 mins

Reading are slowly edging their way into this game and at the moment it would be fair t say they look the most likely to break the deadlock.

37 mins

After the opening few minutes the game hasn't really caught fire and that is harming Arsenal as they are unable to counter attack and use their pace to trouble the home defence.

34 mins

Steve Coppell has made a slight change to his tactics as Kitson moves up front on his own, switching places with Doyle in the process and his height has been at the forefront of their better ball retention in the last few minutes.

31 mins

Brynjar Gunnarsson finds himself in shooting range as Reading keep the ball around hte edge of the Arsenal box and he lets fly now and Almunia is forced into a fine save to deny him the opening goal.

29 mins

Reading finally manage to force out an attack as Doyle escapes into the right channel and whips in a cross that Harper may have got on the end of if Almunia had not dived so smartly on the ball at the near post.

27 mins

The Royals faithful, perhaps appreciating how the play has gone of late, are singing ironic 'oles' as their team manage to string a few passes together but they can't get anywhere really and the Gunners are happy with that.

25 mins

Reading frustrated United earlier this season with defensive tactics and they are trying to do the same here but the way Arsenal are stroking the ball around you get the feeling a goal is on the way.

22 mins

Kevin Doyle looks completely isolated in the opening 20 minutes or so and he is living off scraps so far, Reading really need to get some support to him when he gets the ball.

19 mins

Although Arsenal have hit the post they are yet to really make Hahnemann scramble to make a save in the Reading goal.

16 mins

Both sides look to be keeping the ball well and look confident in their ability in possession and the first goal could be crucial as if Arsenal are the scorers then Reading could have real problems.

13 mins

Arsenal have enjoyed almost total possession of the ball in the last five minutes or so and if Reading allow them to pass the ball around in the final third as they are now then they could be giving themselves problems.

10 mins

Fabregas is a marked man so far and everytime the little Spaniard gets on the ball three Reading players converge on him before he can get his head up.

6 mins

It really is end-to-end stuff at the Madejski as Harper is denied form range by Almunia and the Spaniard sets up a break through Hleb but for once the Belarusian is sloppy with his control and Reading steal it back.

4 mins

The game has settled into a neat rhythm already as Arsenal take possession and now Harper is hustled out of it by Fabregas and he feeds Adebayor brilliantly and he strikes the outside of the post.

1 mins

Reading beginning at lightning speed and Arsenal are under early pressure as Kitson and Doyle both have shots blocked.

0 mins

Rob Styles is tonight's official and - after a minute's silence for Rememberance Sunday - he blows his whistle to start the game in front of an excitable Reading support.

0 mins

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Flamini, Rosicky, Hleb, Adebayor

0 mins

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Convey, Gunnarsson, Harper, Hunt, Kitson, Doyle

0 mins

Arsenal preseved their unbeaten start to the campaign with a late late William Gallas goal against table topping Manchester United last week and they go with the same starting eleven tonight.

0 mins

Reading started very slowly this season and tha was partly down to a lack of goals from Kevin Doyle but the Irishman has found his scoring boots lately and they will look to him to breach what can be a breachable Gunners defence.

0 mins

We are preparing for kickoff at the Madejski where an improving Reading side are hosting an Arsenal side who are looking to return to the league's summit this Monday evening.

Match Report

Arsenal's three midweek absentees will be welcomed back on Monday when the Gunners aim to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

The Gunners begin the weekend above Manchester United on goal difference with a game in hand, giving United the chance to take top spot if they can beat Blackburn on Sunday.

After last weekend's blue-ribbon 2-2 draw between the two sides, the Gunners will be keen to restart a winning run which has stumbled since the 1-1 draw with Liverpool two weeks ago.

Despite only managing a goalless Champions League draw with Slavia Prague on Wednesday night, Arsenal should be buoyant and rested come Monday, particularly those players rested in the Czech Republic.

Cesc Fabregas, Kolo Toure and Alexander Hleb didn't even travel and, despite Toure carrying a calf injury, should all be back in the team to face Reading.

Tomas Rosicky was the fourth star to stay grounded, however, his groin problem is likely to keep him out for a week at least and he's unlikely to play on Monday.

Manuel Almunia's place as the first-choice goalkeeper remains up for debate, despite manager Arsene Wenger's insistence that he will be given further chances to redeem himself.

Almunia has been blamed for both of United's goals last week but Wenger has since confirmed that he will be, "sticking with one goalkeeper".

"Jens Lehmann was injured and Almunia has done extremely well since then for ten games on the trot. I didn't want to disturb the side and until now, he has done very well," Wenger said earlier this week.

Reading lost 3-1 at Fulham last weekend and will need a much better performance to cope with Arsenal's attacking side and get anything from a fixture they've never won before.

Speaking after that defeat, Reading manager Steve Coppell looked ahead to the fixture against Arsenal with low expectations.

"If we get anything from that game it's a magnificent boost for us. We all aspire to match them and realistically we've got to compete against them, but as long as we have a go at them it's a no-lose situation," Coppell explained.

John Oster and Kalifa Cisse both started for the reserve side on Wednesday, but could struggle to make the squad on Monday after being out injured since early October and September respectively.

Reading

Arsenal

Corners

5 1

Fouls

9 5

Goal attempts

8 16

Shots off target

1 8

Offsides

1 7

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