00:00Arsenal's welcome to visitors Sunderland extends today to the presentation of a silver cannon to Steve Bould in recognition of
00:08the 11 seasons that he played at Highbury.
00:11But the Gunners will be advised to keep a more wary eye on another returning old boy in Niall Quinn,
00:16who began his career at Arsenal making 94 appearances and scoring 20 goals.
00:22He returns today from injury to face an Arsenal defence disrupted 20 minutes before kick-off.
00:27Gilles Grimondi taken ill in the dressing room with flu, so Oleg Luzini moves up from substitute, Stephen Hughes comes
00:36onto the bench.
00:37Ray Parler returns in midfield, but with Manny Petit also suffering today from the effects of flu, and still no
00:43Bergkamp, Overmars or Canu, Arsenal do look to be below strength.
00:50Sunderland's team is as expected, Niall Quinn's partnership with Kevin Phillips has already produced 27 goals, and there's yet another
00:58Arsenal old boy in midfield.
01:00Stefan Schwarz played one season here in the mid-90s.
01:22The one-minute silence in honour of Cliff Lloyd, former chairman of the PFA, who died this week.
01:32Paul Alcock is the referee, Sunderland at kick-off are two points adrift of Arsenal, the teams currently third and
01:41fourth in the Premiership.
01:45And this is the first of three vital matches for Arsenal in the space of ten days.
01:50Here's Henry with the first break!
01:54Good positive start by Arsenal, and chance to close the gap a little bit on the two teams ahead of
02:01them, Leeds and Manchester United, who are both inactive today.
02:06Henry has chipped in goals, eight this season, but Arsenal are without their joint top goalscorers.
02:13Canu away on African Nations Cup duty.
02:16Overmars still suffering from that ankle injury, picked up at Sheffield Wednesday, both on ten goals.
02:23Henry starts a chase, gold with him.
02:28Maybe the Frenchman with just a little sharper turn of pace.
02:30Henry!
02:31Oh!
02:34What a strike by Henry!
02:44Well, they gave Steve Bold a present before kick-off.
02:51But there were no presents here from the French World Cup winner.
02:56He cut inside, a blistering shot that seemed to go right through Sorensen's grasp.
03:01It was just too hot to hold.
03:10Maybe the...
03:12Maybe the...
03:34Suka.
03:34I don't remember at all when the Croatian had the ball on the far edge of the penalty area.
03:42But he looked up.
03:44He saw where Sorensen was.
03:46It didn't seem badly placed, the goalkeeper.
03:52But it was brilliantly played.
03:56And Arsenal lead by two goals to nil.
03:59We've not yet had half an hour.
04:03The Arsenal machinery looking very well oiled at this stage, despite all the absentees.
04:14Oh, and keeping that alive, Henry Suka!
04:20It's 3-0 Arsenal, but surely the points are as good as wrapped up already.
04:25And there's an hour of the game to play.
04:31Suka having become Arsenal's third joint top goalscorer with that wonderful strike.
04:39Now with a simple tap-in, after Ornry's persistence had completely unstitched Sunderland's defence and left the goal unguarded.
04:53Well, if Arsenal take the three points from this match, and it's inconceivable to imagine any other result,
05:00there'll be one behind the leaders' leads, and on the same number of points, the second place Manchester United.
05:07And what a big game that will be at Old Trafford a week on Monday.
05:34Sunderland could have worked out for the second half.
05:37Sunderland have tried to knock it in early, it hit Luzny, Sunderland have forced an early corner.
05:46Quinn! Yes!
05:50Well, Sunderland have got a foothold.
05:52One minute and 44 seconds of the second half.
05:56And Niall Quinn scores against his old club.
06:03Bowles look for a flick on, I'm not sure that he got it.
06:06But it seemed to miss him, it came off Maltz, it might have been,
06:10and fell very nicely for Niall Quinn to toe-poke it past David Seaman.
06:16Well, how much self-belief will that goal now instill in Sunderland?
06:28Luzny comes forward.
06:33Rouat, Maltz, Maltz, goes around Chris Makin.
06:39Petit, very well struck.
06:46Henry, Makin in pursuit, but Henry will get there, he's so fast over the turn.
06:55Suka!
06:59Suka!
07:00Well, the front two, Henry and Suka, getting wearily to their feet, having both had a half chance.
07:07Henry, Maintany, goes around, goes around, goes around!
07:16Henry, cutting inside, quickly back on his feet.
07:20Didn't look as if Suka managed to make a connection on the ball.
07:25otherwise surely it would have gone in
07:38free kick for Shirt holding
07:40decision applauded by Suka
07:43and you feel that Stefan Schwartz
07:45is on a short fuse
07:47the tee wants to take it
07:50Keon's come forward
07:55yeah
07:56off the post
08:02here's Ray Parler
08:04into Henry
08:05oh Arsall did that wonderfully
08:14sorensen with a good save
08:16which has brought a corner
08:19fatigue
08:21bowl heads without pressure
08:27this is Phillips
08:34McCann to Nicky Somerby
08:36excellent ball
08:40good defending by the Brazilian
08:45Dixon
08:46Henry
08:47skips around
08:49Henry
08:53it's sheer quality
08:55it's world class
08:57it's 4-1 Arsenal
09:02and Steve Bold
09:04isn't enjoying his return to Highbury
09:09a brilliant touch
09:13did he play it with his shoulder
09:14or did he just anticipate the bounce
09:16either way
09:17he easily got the better of Steve Bold
09:22as Sorensen came to meet him
09:24slipped it underneath the goalkeeper's dive
09:27on this injury
09:28and international duty
09:30did their best to dent Arsenal
09:33and I can see the injury
09:33don't have to
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