The Hindu : Sport : Gallas strike keeps Arsenal on top

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Sunday, Nov 04, 2007
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Sport - Sports : General

Gallas strike keeps Arsenal on top

Chelsea closes in after beating Wigan

LONDON: Arsenal preserved its place on top of the Premier League after William Gallas’s late equaliser earned the side a dramatic 2-2 draw against Manchester United on Saturday. Gallas’s late strike ensured Arsene Wenger’s side stayed ahead of United on goal difference and extended its unbeaten run this season to 18 matches in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Chelsea closed the gap from Arsenal to three points after goals from Frank Lampard and Juliano Belletti gave the Blues a comfortable 2-0 win at struggling Wigan on Saturday.

United went ahead in first half stoppage-time when Gallas turned Wayne Rooney’s shot into his own net.

Rallying

Arsenal was back on terms two minutes into the second-half as Cesc Fabregas collected Bacary Sagna’s cutback to slot into the bottom-corner for his 10th goal of the season.

United regained the lead in the 82nd minute when Cristiano Ronaldo scored off a pass from left-back Patrice Evra. The home team snatched a point in the dying seconds when Gallas scored at the right end by turning in Theo Walcott’s scuffed shot.

At the JJB Stadium, Lampard followed his midweek League Cup hat-trick against Leicester by giving Avram Grant’s side an 11th minute lead. Seven minutes later, full-back Juliano Belletti scored his first goal since his move from Barcelona and Chelsea was well on its way to its seventh successive win while Wigan has now lost six in a row.

The results: Aston Villa 2 (Martin Laursen 57, Ashley Young 61) bt Derby 0; Everton 3 (Yakubu Aiyegbeni 10, Lee Carsley 90+3, James Vaughan 90+4) bt Birmingham City 1 (Olivier Kapo 80); Fulham 3 (Simon Davies 18, Clint Dempsey 72, David Healy 90) bt Reading 1 (Kevin Doyle 54); Middlesbrough 1 (Luke Young 52) drew with Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Darren Bent 35); Newcastle United 1 (Sol Campbell 16-og) lost to Portsmouth 4 (Noe Pamarot 8, Benjamin Mwaruwari 9, John Utaka 11, Niko Kranjcar 71); Wigan Athletic 0 lost to Chelsea 2 (Frank Lampard 11, Juliano Belletti 18); Arsenal 2 (Cesc Fabregas 48, William Gallas 90+1) drew with Manchester United 2 (William Gallas 45og, Cristiano Ronaldo 82). — Agencies

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