Bergkamp keeps Arsenal afloat

Arsenal kept their faint Premier League title hopes flickering with a tense 1-0 victory over an off-colour Newcastle United at Highbury on Sunday.

Arsenal's 35-year-old Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp scored the winner after 19 minutes to lift the champions back above Manchester United into second place, although they still trail runaway leaders Chelsea by a mammoth 10 points.

With 14 games to go Chelsea, who beat Portsmouth 3-0 on Saturday, have 61 points, with Arsenal on 51 and United, 3-1 winners over Aston Villa on Saturday, on 50.

Bergkamp finished neatly after 19 minutes to settle a bad-tempered match and only some fine goalkeeping by Newcastle's Shay Given and some wasteful Arsenal finishing kept the score down.

Newcastle manager Graeme Souness, who left out Welsh international Craig Bellamy after a midweek training row, warned Chelsea that Arsenal were not out of the title race yet.

"They are still very much in the hunt," he told reporters. "You would be a fool to write them off. Until it's mathematically impossible, you've got to believe that.

"Arsenal blew up big style a couple of years ago. Anything is possible."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was delighted with Bergkamp, whose goal ended a 17-game barren run.

"He gave us his vision and his technical ability. It was a big goal today," said the Frenchman.

"Physically he cannot be like he was when he was 27 or 28 but he has super class. He has the science of knowing where to stand on the pitch and of course when he gets the ball he knows what to do with it.

"For us it was important to win today. We have dropped many points at home.

"The strong come back. That is our challenge and today's game will give us inspiration."

DELICIOUS TOUCHES

Wenger recalled Bergkamp and Spaniard Jose Antonio Reyes to their starting line-up following last weekend's 1-0 loss at Bolton Wanderers, but Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg missed out with a hamstring tweak.

Bergkamp immediately stamped his class on proceedings, warming the frozen Highbury faithful with some delicious touches as Arsenal dominated the first half.

He gave his side the lead by calmly slotting the ball home after a deft pass from Frenchman Mathieu Flamini.

It was Bergkamp's first Arsenal goal since August 28.

Following that the first half degenerated into a series of spiteful fouls, with Newcastle's Lee Bowyer and full back Steven Taylor playing agent provocateur.

Arsenal remained in control after the break and Thierry Henry was a whisker away from making it 2-0 on the hour when his shot came back off the inside of the post and landed in the arms of grateful keeper Given.

Given also saved superbly from Robert Pires and Henry twice while Ashley Cole missed a sitter. Bowyer squandered the chance to make Arsenal pay when he shot too close to an otherwise redundant Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia with nine minutes left.

Worryingly for Souness, Newcastle barely mustered any other shots worthy of the name and they remain a disappointing 12th in the table, 32 points behind Chelsea.