Bent's late blast denies Gunners

DARREN BENT did it again at the Stadium of Light this time in the fifth minute of injury-time. With Arsenal leading, Bent pounced on a loose ball in the six yard box to power an equaliser beyond Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. For so long it didn't look like being an energetic Sunderland's day. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was complaining for one reason or another, but in the end Arsenal's luck finally ran out on Wearside. It had looked for so long that the Gunners would climb to the top of the Premier League courtesy of a freak opener. But then Bent, in the fifth minute of injury-time, struck. It should have been worse for a tired looking Gunners, who had taken the lead when Anton Ferdinand's attempted clearance bounced off Cesc Fabregas and looped beyond Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet 13 minutes in. Arsenal had been fortunate to stay in front for so long. After losing Fabregas with a knee injury picked up scoring the opener, they then lost Alex Song for a stupid double booking sending-off. Even after Song's dismissal 35 minutes from time, Tomas Rosicky comically fired a penalty high over the bar. Arsenal rode their luck and looked to have survived when Bent arrived in the six yard box to power beyond Almunia. SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Onuoha (Zenden 76),Bramble, Ferdinand, Richardson; Riveros (Gyan 64), Henderson; Elmohamady, Malbranque (Reid 86), Welbeck; Bent. Subs: Carson (gk), Bardsley, Colback, Da Silva. ARSENAL (4-3-2-1): Almunia; Sagna, Koscielny, Squillaci, Clichy; Nasri, Song, Wilshere; Fabregas (Rosicky 29), Arshavin (Denilson 58); Chamakh. Subs: Fabianski (gk), Gibbs, Djourou, Eboue, Vela.

Source: Northern_Echo