Sunderland vs. Arsenal

Sunderland striker Bent bounced back from a miserable international break with England to score the only goal of the match 19 minutes from time, bringing Arsenal's 13 games unbeaten record to an abrupt end.

Bent provided the game's decisive touch when he leaped above the Arsenal defence to win Andy Reid's corner. His header lacked purchase and was heading for a throw-in when it bounced off substitute Fraizer Campbell and the former Tottenham striker beat Manual Almunia from inside the six-yard box.

It took all of five minutes for Arsenal to get into their stride and when they did assert themselves Marton Fulop foiled the Czech winger Tomas Rosicky with a fine save after he was teed up by Cesc Fabregas following Bacary Sagna's over-hit cross.

Sunderland were under pressure but they responded and, in the following five minutes, they twice escaped down the left and each time Steed Malbranque fired over when he should have done better.

That lifted the home fans briefly but their side soon fell back into a lethargic groove. In the 32nd minute, Song drove forward and fed Eduardo on the edge of the area. He slipped inside his sliding marker but the ball got stuck under his feet and, although he lifted the ball over Fulop, his shot drifted wide.

In the meantime, Sunderland had created two chances of their own, both of them falling to Malbranque from left wing crosses.

The first saw him fire just over from full-back George McCartney's ball in, but he skied the second high over the bar, with Andy Reid this time the provider.

Sunderland were the better team immediately after the break. Territorially, the home side were in charge but the closest they came was when Andy Reid fired a free-kick wide and then lifted an effort over the bar.

Wenger's response was to replace Ramsey with Arshavin, and Bruce quickly followed suit when he withdrew Malbranque and sent on Campbell.

But it was Sunderland's newcomer who made a swift impact with 71 minutes gone, although he did not know a lot about it.

Wenger had been preparing to bring on Walcott. In the wake of the goal, he added Vela too.

But the Black Cats battled all the way to the whistle to condemn the visitors to defeat, Arsenal's first shut-out since august 2009.