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Late Bendtner strike saves Gunners

Arsenal fans show their support for injured Eduardo da Silva before their Premiership match against Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium in London on Saturday. PHOTO: AFP

Arsenal left it late to stay top of the Premier League as second-placed champions Manchester United closed to within a point on Saturday.

The Gunners were seconds away from being knocked off top spot at the Emirates Stadium when Nicklas Bendtner cancelled out an early Philippe Senderos own-goal to secure a 1-1 home draw against Aston Villa.

United, who would have gone top on goal difference had Arsenal lost, maintained the pressure on the leaders with a 3-0 win away to Fulham.

Chelsea, now seven points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, bounced back from last weekend's League Cup defeat with a 4-0 win away to West Ham.

The Blues played more than half the game with 10 men after Frank Lampard was sent-off.

It was a different story for League Cup winners Tottenham as Birmingham City pulled clear of the relegation zone with a 4-1 win at St Andrews.

Third-bottom Reading ended a run of eight defeats with a 1-0 victory away to Middlesbrough thanks to James Harper's last-minute goal.

Sunderland, still without an away league win this season, missed a chance to pull clear of the bottom three after they were held to a goalless draw at basement club Derby County.

Newcastle were still left searching for their first win since the return of manager Kevin Keegan as Blackburn Rovers won 1-0 at St James' Park.

The home side squandered several chances before Rovers's Matt Derbyshire scored in the last minute.

Manchester City's hopes of European soccer next season suffered a setback when they were held to a goalless draw at home to strugglers Wigan in Saturday's late kick-off.

Manchester United took the lead at Craven Cottage when Owen Hargreaves scored his first goal for the club from a free-kick.

Then, just before half-time, Park Ji-sung doubled United's lead with a header from a Paul Scholes cross. An own-goal from second-bottom Fulham's Simon Davies made it 3-0 in the 72nd minute.

Arsenal, in their first match since star striker Eduardo suffered a season-ending broken leg at Birmingham last weekend, fell behind when Swiss defender Senderos turned a cross into his own net.

Villa then defended impressively despite seeing Curtis Davies go off with a serious Achilles tendon injury before Bendtner stole in from close range late on to secure a precious point for the Gunners.

In the London derby against West Ham, Chelsea scored three goals in the space of five minutes.

Lampard started the spree with a 17th minute penalty after Anton Ferdinand fouled Salomon Kalou on the edge of the box.

Minutes later Joe Cole, another Hammers' old boy, made it 2-0 with a powerful shot. Michael Ballack's well-struck half-volley made it 3-0.

Chelsea were reduced to 10 men in the 36th minute when Lampard was sent-off for a push on Luis Boa Morte.

That didn't stop Chelsea adding a fourth when Ashley Cole scored in the 64th minute.

At St Andrew's, Birmingham went ahead in the seventh minute when Mikael Forssell headed in a cross from James McFadden.

Sebastian Larsson's 55th minute free-kick made it 2-0 before Forssell completed his first club hat-trick. Jermaine Jenas's late goal was little consolation for Spurs.
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