Arsenal extend unbeaten run with Sunderland win

Champions Arsenal maintained their two-point lead at the top of the English premier league and their record-breaking unbeaten run with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Sunderland on Sunday.

Liverpool kept up the chase but left it late, as England striker Michael Owen scored in the last minute to snatch a 1-0 win over Chelsea at Anfield.

Arsenal, the defending champions, have 23 points to the 21 of Liverpool.

Middlesbrough, 2-0 winners over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, are third on 17 while Tottenham Hotspur moved up to fourth on 16 when an 89th minute Jamie Redknapp goal earned them a 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers.

Fulham are fifth on 14 after beating Charlton Athletic 1-0 while Manchester United, sixth on 14, host Everton on Monday.

Sunday's other game was a disappointing goalless draw between Aston Villa and Leeds United at Villa Park.

Two goals from Nwankwo Kanu in the first 10 minutes and one from Patrick Vieira in first-half injury time secured Arsenal's victory, which set a new record of 30 premier league games undefeated, beating Manchester United's previous record.

"We were superior today...it looked like a bigger gap (between the sides) because we are on a high and Sunderland do not have the same confidence," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

"We had an outstanding first half, our passing was very sharp and it is good because we wanted to finish on a high (before the two week break for international matches)."

ATTACKING FORCE

Sunderland had gone to Highbury full of confidence after two wins in the past week, including a 7-0 thrashing of Cambridge United in the League Cup, but Arsenal's attacking force was too much for Peter Reid's side.

They could not have had a worse start. Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen failed to clear Thierry Henry's corner and Kanu converted from close range on three minutes.

The Nigerian striker made it two six minutes later when Ashley Cole's cross found him unmarked at the far post, then in first half injury time Patrick Vieira nodded home the rebound from Sylvain Wiltord's free kick.

"Arsenal are a good side with a great squad but we didn't make them work," Sunderland manager Reid said.

"We made it difficult for ourselves, the game was over after 15 minutes and you can't do that against a side like that."

Jody Craddock scored Sunderland's consolation goal eight minutes from time with a diving header.

Chelsea, humiliated in midweek by Norwegians Viking Stavanger in the UEFA Cup, looked set to restore some pride after an impressive defensive display at Anfield.

Carlo Cudicini kept them in it in the 52nd minute when he brilliantly tipped a venomous Steven Gerrard shot on to the bar.

But they were undone when Heskey broke through in the last minute. Cudicini touched his shot on to a post but Owen was in quickly to ram home the rebound to end Chelsea's unbeaten away run.

"It was a striker's goal," said Owen. "You always follow it in when there's a shot, in hope more than anything. It wasn't the best of games but if you want to go far in the league you have got to win scrappy games.

At Ewood Park Robbie Keane put Spurs ahead after six minutes with his first goal for the club. Egil Ostenstad equalised for the hosts midway through the second half before Redknapp's winner a minute from time.

"It's a tough place to come but we dug deep and worked hard as a team and got the result," Irishman Keane said.

Villa manager Graham Taylor was disappointed with his side's inability to score despite dominating the match against Leeds.

"I've seen us dominating a game like that so many times...but we're not converting the chances," he said.

Facundo Sava secured Fulham's win over struggling Charlton in the 36th minute when Dean Kiely parried Steed Malbranque's shot only for Sava to drill in the rebound.