Emanuel Adebayor scored for the first time in nine matches to guide unbeaten Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League table.
Goals by Mathieu Flamini, Emmanuel Adebayor and Alexandr Hleb help Arsenal win over Reading and maintain their unbeaten record
READING: Emanuel Adebayor scored for the first time in nine matches to guide unbeaten Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League table and maintain his remarkable record of the Gunners never losing in any match he has scored in for them.
Alexandr Hleb and Mathieu Flamini, with his first goal in close to a year, were also on target as Arsene Wenger’s side cruised to a 3-1 victory over Reading.
Wenger made eight changes from the mid-week Champions League draw at Slavia Prague, with Cesc Fabregas, Hleb and Adebayor all restored.
Reading were without defender Michael Duberry because of a broken rib so Ivar Ingimarsson and the fit-again Ibrahima Sonko were paired together for the first time in ten months.
Arsenal took just 58 seconds to take the lead during their 4-0 mauling of Reading last season. Lightening looked to have struck twice when Adebayor raced clear as early as the third minute.
The Togo international latched onto the influential Fabregas’s clever through ball but put his side-footed shot against the base of the right hand post from 16 yards.
Fabregas put a long-range shot down the throat of Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann eight minutes later.
James Harper had Reading’s first attempt on goal soon after when he fired into the arms of Manuel Almunia from long range.
Arsenal, looking to overhaul Manchester United at the Premier League summit, dominated possession in the first half but lacked any cutting edge against a stubborn Reading rearguard.
Brynjar Gunnarsson almost gave Reading the lead against the run of play in the 31st minute when his 20-yard pile driver was tipped around the post by Almunia.
Emmanuel Eboue — who is the only one of the Arsenal players to have appeared in all their matches thusfar this term — summed up the Gunners’ frustration when he blazed into the stands from six yards four minutes before the break.
Flamini finally broke Reading’s rearguard in the final minute of the half just as Reading manager Steve Coppell was making his way to the touchline to deliver his post match teamtalk.
Eboue set Adebayor away down the right and the Togo ace combined beautifully with Hleb.
Hleb pulled the ball back for the onrushing Flamini who capped a fine team move by firing past Hahnemann from 12 yards for the Gunners’ 1000th goal in the Premier League.
Arsenal came storming out of the blocks in the second half and Adebayor doubled the visitors’ lead with a superb second goal in the 52nd minute.
Tomas Rosicky came bursting into the box on the left before cutting the ball back for Adebayor who played a neat one-two with Fabregas. Adebayor gave Hahnemann no chance with a stunning right foot curler to pick out the bottom left corner.
The former Monaco star was robbed of a second just three minutes later by a dubious offside flag.
Hleb put the result beyond doubt 12 minutes from time with a brilliant solo goal. Nicky Shorey bagged an 87th minute consolation for the home side with a close range tap in but it was not enough.
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