Soccer

Arsenal back on top, Sunderland win

Emmanuel Adebayor scored his 19th goal of the season to help Arsenal back to the top of the table with a 3-0 win over Newcastle…

Tue Jan 29 2008 - 00:00

Emmanuel Adebayor scored his 19th goal of the season to help Arsenal back to the top of the table with a 3-0 win over Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium.

The result was a repeat of Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie and Newcastle have now gone three games without scoring since Kevin Keegan returned to the club as manager.

Arsene Wenger's side move on to 57 points, three clear of Manchester United who face Portsmouth tomorrow, having played a game extra.

The Togo international broke the deadlock at the Emirates Stadium in the 40th minute with a trademark header.

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Mathieu Flamini rode a challenge from Nicky Butt and burst into space before he delivered a perfectly-weighted cross towards the far post which Adebayor headed past Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given.

Flamini doubled the advantage in the 72nd minute with a superb 30-yard strike which flew past Given and into the top-right corner of the net.

Cesc Fabregas added a third goal in the 80th minute when he fired into the top-left corner from just inside the penalty area.

Sunderland climbed out of the relegation places with a 2-0 win over fellow strugglers Birmingham at the Stadium of Light.

Ireland's Daryl Murphy gave the Black Cats the lead with his second goal of the a season in the 15th minute.

Fellow striker Kenwyne Jones headed down a Phillip Bardsley free-kick and Murphy stabbed the ball home from six yards.

Rade Prica added a second for Roy Keane's side in the 65th minute with a goal on his debut.

The Sweden international capitalised on a poor back-header from Liam Ridgewell on the edge of the penalty area before he slotted the ball past goalkeeper Maik Taylor.

Wigan slip into the relegation zone on goal difference after they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

Jeremie Aliadiere scored the only goal of the game in the 19th minute to give Gareth Southgate's side only their third home win of the season.

The former Arsenal striker latched on to a long ball from winger Stewart Downing and finished superbly from the edge of the penalty area.

In the night's other fixture Fulham produced a battling performance to earn a point after they played out a goalless draw with Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.