Arsenal held, Pompey and Stoke draw

FA Premier League round-up: Fifth-placed Arsenal failed to make up much ground on Aston Villa, who were beaten by Chelsea in today's early kick-off, as they were held 0-0 by Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium.

Debutant Andrei Arshavin and Robin van Persie both went close early on for the hosts, who also saw Kolo Toure’s header cleared off the line, but Sunderland held their own in the first half and had good efforts through Anton Ferdinand and Dean Whitehead.

Substitute Carlos Vela dragged a shot wide when he should have done better late on as the Gunners failed to find a winner.

Stoke and Portsmouth traded a flurry of late goals to draw 2-2 at the Britannia Stadium in their relegation clash.

After a dreadful first half, Pompey took the lead with 15 minutes left when David Nugent played in Niko Kranjcar to slot home, but Glen Johnson was harshly adjudged to have handled in his own box seconds later and James Beattie slammed the spot-kick confidently into the net.

Beattie added a second in the 79th minute with a close-range header, although he looked suspiciously offside, before Ryan Shawcross deflected a shot into his own net in injury time.

Bolton survived a West Ham fightback to win 2-1 at the Reebok Stadium.

The Trotters raced into a two-goal lead thanks to Matt Taylor’s curled free-kick (10) and Kevin Davies’ sliding finish a minute later after he arrived late in the box.

Hammers striker Carlton Cole saw a header cleared off the line by Taylor just after the interval before Scott Parker swept in his first goal for 14 months in the 66th minute.

Middlesbrough and Wigan fought out a poor goalless draw at the Riverside Stadium.

Boro edged a low-key first half but created little, while the Latics came close through a Charles N’Zogbia free-kick which was saved by Brad Jones.

The second-bottom hosts pressed late on but lacked the quality to damage their opponents as they made it 13 league games without a win.