Premier League - Fabregas saves Arsenal

Eurosport - Sun, 05 Oct 09:55:00 2008

An injury-time header from Cesc Fabregas earned Arsenal a 1-1 draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

FOOTBALL Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal - 0

Substitute Grant Leadbitter's stunning 86th minute strike had given the hosts the lead but the Spanish midfielder nipped in, three minutes into stoppage time, to nod home Robin Van Persie's corner.

A third League defeat of the season would have been tough on the Gunners who had a seemingly legitimate goal disallowed in the second-half when the assistant referee adjudged that Theo Walcott had taken the ball out of play before pulling it back for Van Persie to tap home.

Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon was at fault for the equaliser as he flapped badly at the set-piece but had earlier made a superb save from Van Persie.

Sub Nicklas Bendtner chipped through to the Dutchman but his well struck volley from ten yards was superbly saved by Gordon's outstretched left hand.

Just four minutes later Leadbitter sent the home crowd into raptures with a superb goal, just two minutes after coming on.

He wrestled possession from Alexandre Song and then unleashed a swerving shot that beat Manuel Almunia and went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Almunia made a fine early save when Walcott's woefully short backpass gave Djibril Cisse a sight of goal but the Spanish custodian came off his line quickly to smother the shot.

Almunia was called into action again to tip Cisse's 25-yard stinging diagonal drive over the crossbar as Sunderland started brightly with only a superb tackle by Kolo Toure preventing Dean Whitehead from reaching an astute pass by Steed Malbranque.

Arsenal improved as the half went on and Fabregas' long-range drive was well held by Gordon and the Scottish keeper also clawed away Walcott's fierce centre across the six-yard box.

Walcott and Denilson also screwed 25-yard shots wide of the far post while Andy Reid was unable to capitalise after finding space at the back post with Cisse's cross just a little too high for the Irish midfielder to control first time.

After the controversially disallowed goal on 56 minutes, Arsenal continued to press and Emmanuel Adebayor's volley was fumbled by Gordon only for Anton Ferdinand to clear before Kieran Richardson stung Almunia's palms with a 30-yard drive.

But a game that saw six yellow cards only exploded in the final stages with Fabregas' first goal of the season saving his team from a second League defeat in a week.

Lee Walker / Eurosport

Comment 34 - 53 of 113

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  1. dorendamackie hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    From Mike S, on Sat 4 Oct 8:01PM

  2. aresnal are the best team in the world

    From Paddington Bear, on Sat 4 Oct 7:58PM

  3. omfg

    From Paddington Bear, on Sat 4 Oct 7:57PM

  4. Quarshie24 shut up you prat

    From Mike S, on Sat 4 Oct 7:53PM

  5. What the hell is going on here, is it because Arsenal got so many international players, the English Officials have been advised to missjudge them any time they play or what? They did the same thing to Patrick Viera in the premiership. I think the referees should be punished just as the players, when they go wrong, their wrong decisions is causing Arsenal a lot, and this is a COUNTRY that thinks, all is goody goody out here, can any one comes up with better ideas to stop this instistutional racism in English games. Just look at the statistics of Roy Keane and Patrick Viera, they both very aggressive on the pitch, yet Patrick got punished for any little thing than Roy, WHY IS THAT? Come on people, wake up. ENGLISH CLEVERLY APPROACH OF RACE CARD IS SPOILING THE ENGLISH GAME. Institutional racism must be stoppppppeeeed.

    From Quarshie24, on Sat 4 Oct 7:47PM

  6. I thought football was 90 mins stop crying when you are as goos as the gunners speak as for Liverpool stop dreaming take gerrard out and they are as good as barnet.

    From perry08@..., on Sat 4 Oct 7:37PM

  7. Ha Ha "frank 400a" you are the clown. I'd rather be dead than red. There that's given you a clue. ARE YOU TOTTENHAM IN DISGUISE?

    From peterfarrelly@..., on Sat 4 Oct 7:34PM

  8. yes fabregas saves us not less not Wenger becouse if he stay maneger Arsenal not win a silver becouse he his not good to win silver's .

    From Pierre, on Sat 4 Oct 7:34PM

  9. Well said keithfleming3000 its ok when arsenal cheat but totally unacceptable when the opposition deigns to 'bend the rules' or a decision goes against them. Cheats never prosper arsenal that's why you don't win anything. Morons.

    From Mike S, on Sat 4 Oct 7:27PM

  10. REST IN PEACE ARSENAL. Includin chelsea(bloody @#$%). Kolade i guess arsenals run out of bullets. Lets all face the fact guys liverpool for the trophy

    From Uzoigwe, on Sat 4 Oct 7:24PM

  11. Is this a club capable of winning the CL as Wenger claims ? I think not. Wenger has NOT won anything in Europe for over 28 years so there is no reason that things will change anytime soon !!

    From Tim, on Sat 4 Oct 7:19PM

  12. good on you roy its only a matter of time before we gel come on the cats
    tommy

    From tommywhelehan, on Sat 4 Oct 7:13PM

  13. you keep moaning about your disallowed goal but it was alright when pires dived and got a penalty when you went through the season unbeaten, if he didn't cheat you would have lost 1-0,so you didn't do the whole season unbeaten,come on chelsea......

    From Fat Bloke, on Sat 4 Oct 7:06PM

  14. Thank God for the late goal. Last time, Arsenal's manager called for video tech (for justice) but some groups of people started engaging in an 'oleaginous comment(s)'. Today's game is another example. Arsenal's perfect goal got disallowed - what a shame of the part of officiating ref! He must appolize to the Arsenal team; failure to do so will convince a fly .......

    From 'Tunde, on Sat 4 Oct 7:05PM

  15. Any more excuses Mr wenger ..if we Can't beat little team with the little players u got how do we beat big teams ....

    From junior, on Sat 4 Oct 7:00PM

  16. wole a you loser

    From Frank400a, on Sat 4 Oct 6:49PM

  17. I think the man arsene should get rid off is Song. He's off pace, afraid of challenging. Humph, I miss Flamini..

    From afiq a, on Sat 4 Oct 6:46PM

  18. hey you chelsea and man u fans are jealous of gunners but one thing is for sure that Arsenal will be the champion both in europen and premier league OK there is nothing you can do about that please do not allow this word to escape from your memory.Fu"k man u and chelsea up gunners

    From ancolink1, on Sat 4 Oct 6:42PM

  19. fair result.....to call us northern thugs tho lol!!!!!!!! safc have spent over £50 million in the last 2 seasons.....still cant attract the best players but once this team gels and we start moving up the table , the better players will come...if they can get use to living up here , cant see why not tho the scum and the smoggs have had some decent players over the last few years....jones should be match fit within a couple of weeks...jones and cisse come on sunderland

    From JULIE, on Sat 4 Oct 6:16PM

  20. peterfarrelly you wearing your red nose. you clown.

    From Frank400a, on Sat 4 Oct 6:14PM
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