MANCHESTER — Robin van Persie tormented former club Arsenal once again by scoring the only goal in Manchester United's 1-0 victory over the Premier League leader Sunday, lifting the resurgent champion to fifth place in the standings. The Netherlands striker met Wayne Rooney's corner with a header into the top corner in the 27th minute to condemn Arsenal to its second loss of the campaign. Since leaving north London for Manchester in August last year, Van Persie has scored in all three games against Arsenal. The result left Arsenal on 25 points from 11 matches, two clear of Liverpool, with United moving ominously up to fifth on 20 ahead of local rival Manchester City (19). Alex Ferguson may have been watching from the stands rather than shouting from the bench but David Moyes' side ensured the outcome remained depressingly familiar for the Gunners, who have now won only one of their last 10 league encounters with United. It was Arsenal's first away defeat since March after a run of 15 games unbeaten in all compeitions and thrust United right back into the title race after a faltering start to the campaign. Arsenal failed to live up to expectations, creating few chances on a strangely muted evening for their record signing Mesut Ozil, and could even have found itself 2-0 behind after an hour when Rooney shot just wide. Earlier, Gus Poyet's struggling Sunderland jolted the Premier League with an electrifying 1-0 win over big-spending Manchester City at the Stadium of Light. On a great afternoon for the reviving giant of north-east football, local rival Newcastle United won by the same scoreline at Tottenham Hotspur to move into the top half of the league. Sunderland, second from bottom with just four points from 10 games before Sunday, chalked up a fourth successive 1-0 home win over City thanks to a 21st-minute goal slotted in by Phil Bardsley from the left side of the box. With Uruguayan manager Poyet pacing around on the touchline as Sunderland faced a late City barrage, the Black Cats held on for their first clean sheet in 15 matches and a stunning win over a side which hammered Norwich City 7-0 last weekend. “They were outstanding,” beamed Poyet, who had defender Wes Brown making his first start in nearly two years, after his third win in as many home games since replacing sacked Italian Paulo Di Canio. We tried to plan the game in three days and tried to convince them it was possible, especially to keep a clean sheet against a top, top team.” City stayed seventh in the league, six points adrift of Arsenal and in danger of being leapfrogged by their Manchester rivals later on Sunday after their fourth defeat in six away games. “We had several chances at least to draw but we couldn't do it,” City manager Manuel Pellegrini told Sky Sports. “If I think what would I change, I think nothing. We are really playing well....” Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul performed the heroics with 14 saves at White Hart Lane to deny Tottenham a chance to move level with Liverpool. “I'm delighted, I'm over the moon...this is a highlight of my career,” grinned the flying Dutchman who was man of the match after making more saves than any Premier League goalkeeper in a match this season. “These kind of games don't happen very often. Three points away at Tottenham is a fantastic result.” — Agencies
