London: Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott scored last-gasp goals as Arsenal edged Cardiff City 2-0 on New Year’s Day to retain their place at the Premier League summit.
With former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in attendance, amid reports he is due to succeed the sacked Malky Mackay as Cardiff manager, Arsenal dominated the game but looked destined to drop points until Bendtner’s dramatic intervention.
Arsene Wenger’s side did not manage to muster a single shot on target in the first half, although they were denied a penalty after Gary Medel appeared to trip Jack Wilshere inside the Cardiff area.
Wilshere struck the base of the post in the second half, before substitute Bendtner slammed home in the 88th minute after Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall parried a header from Bacary Sagna.
Walcott added a second goal in injury time to rubber-stamp Arsenal’s return to first place, after Manchester City had taken temporary possession of top spot by winning 3-2 at Swansea City.
City’s Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho scored the first goal of the new year in the 14th minute at a rain-soaked Liberty Stadium, drilling home right-footed after Swansea partially cleared a Samir Nasri corner.
Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony equalised with a well-placed header in first-half stoppage time, but his international colleague Yaya Toure restored the visitors’ lead with a deflected shot in the 58th minute.
City’s Serbian left-back Aleksandar Kolarov added a third eight minutes later, lashing a powerful strike past Swansea goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel, before Bony struck again in injury time with a vicious low shot. City finished the day a point behind Arsenal in second place, with Chelsea a point further back in third after a 3-0 success at Southampton.
Liverpool responded to consecutive losses at the hands of City and Chelsea by winning 2-0 at home to Hull City. Daniel Agger broke the deadlock with a 36th-minute header, with Luis Suarez netting his 20th goal of the campaign early in the second half.
