Match Report

Arsenal moved into the top three of the Premiership with a well-deserved 3-0 win over Liverpool.

In a game considered to be one that neither team could afford to lose, Arsene Wenger's side wore down the opposition and, in the end, the margin of victory should have been wider.

Rafael Benitez's team played well in patches, but eventually run out of steam and ended up chasing shadows as the Gunners out-passed and out-witted their visitors.

Both teams began the encounter in attacking mode and it was the Gunners that had the ball in the net in the third minute when Robin van Persie broke into the Liverpool half with a trail of defenders in his wake.

The Dutch striker got to the bouncing ball before Pepe Reina and then coolly slotted the ball home. Unfortunately for the Gunners, referee Mark Clattenburg spotted the use of a hand by the Arsenal attacker and the goal was ruled out with van Persie picking up a yellow card for his indiscretion.

The game ebbed and flowed as both sides went in search of all the points. Liverpool went close on 11 minutes when Dirk Kuyt seized on a defensive error inside the Arsenal area, but his attempt at lifting the ball over Manuel Almunia flew over and wide of the goal.

Alexander Hleb tested Reina at the other end with a well-struck curling shot on the right side of the area a minute later and immediately after that it was Liverpool that suffered the disappointment of a disallowed goal.

The lively Kuyt got away from his marker on the right side of the area to drill in a low cross for Peter Crouch who gleefully turned the ball into the net. Unfortunately for the England striker, he was two yards offside.

Almunia, a late replacement for Jens Lehmann who was sent home with a throat infection, was happy to gather a 20-yard shot from Kuyt on 19 minutes to settle any of his nerves.

The high tempo was maintained by both sides and Thierry Henry sent a fierce shot in to Reina's midriff on 25 minutes and Bolo Zenden was on the end of a clever Mark Gonzalez free-kick, but his curling shot on the turn brushed the crossbar.

Henry should have done better with a fit-again Emmanuel Eboue's pin-point cross on 34 minutes but, while the Gunners skipper got up well, his header lacked any power, direction or conviction.

Arsenal took the lead on 41 minutes after some clever build-up play by Hleb who picked up Cesc Fabregas' intelligent run into the area with a wonderfully weighted reverse pass for the young Spaniard to accelerate on to.

Fabregas then pulled a pass across into the box where Mathieu Flamini was able to dig the ball out from slightly behind himself and direct it into the net for his first goal of the season.

Both teams began the second half tentatively as the ball spent most of the time in the middle of the park.

Kolo Toure continued to join the attack at every opportunity with Gilberto Silva stepping back in to defence as cover.

Almost predictably it was Toure who doubled Arsenal's lead on 56 minutes as a reward for his endeavour.

Fabregas won possession in the middle of the Liverpool half and found van Persie on the edge of the visitors area. The Gunners striker then picked out Toure's run into the box as he threaded a defence-splitting pass for the Ivorian to run onto.

Once in the box, Toure calmly shot into the net through the legs of the on-coming Reina.

Liverpool continued to press forward and Zenden headed just over from a Steven Gerrard free-kick.

The game quickened and the chances at each end became more regular. The speedy Gael Clichy broke from his own half on a mazy run that culminated in him being upended just outside the area, but the ball spilled to van Persie whose shot was well-claimed by Reina.

Within seconds the ball was at the feet of Gerrard whose 25-yard effort took a deflection on the way past Almunia, but dipped just too late.

With the 2-0 cushion, the Gunners began to play keep ball, taking their time in mounting attacks. On 80 minutes Fabregas won a corner by conning John Arne Riise into making the final touch.

The resultant set-piece was taken by van Persie whose inswinger found the unmarked William Gallas who headed home from just two yards out.

Craig Bellamy had a headed goal ruled out for offside in the 84th minute and that was as close as Benitez's side got to reducing the arrears.

The Gunners on the other hand should have been 4-0 up when late substitute Emmanuel Adebayor broke from inside the Arsenal half and raced towards the Liverpool goal but, with just Reina to beat, he hit his shot straight at the Spanish keeper, but the points were already secured as the Gunners' move up the table continues.

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides