SOCCER: Reading 1, Arsenal ... 3Arsenal have breezed back to the pinnacle having barely broken into a sweat. Arsene Wenger's side were given the freedom of this corner of Berkshire last night, their swagger rarely checked by obliging hosts whose mind-set never veered from the utterly defensive. Class was always likely to tell, with the trio of goals crafted so gloriously all worthy of champions.
Such was the quality on show that, even with Reading attempting to stifle, the visitors hovered with menace throughout. A rat-a-tat of goals straddled the interval as reward for their dominance, though they should have had more. Only when Reading trailed by three did they threaten to capitalise on Arsenal complacency, Nicky Shorey striking a post with a long-range free-kick and then prodding a consolation three minutes from time after Shane Long had headed against the bar.
Yet the visitors had switched off by then. Manchester United's sojourn at the top has been short lived.
Though Reading started brightly, they quickly retreated. Arsenal had prised them apart before the third minute was up, the normally fragile Tomas Rosicky dispossessing James Harper with Cesc Fabregas sliding Emmanuel Adebayor away. The striker, outpacing Ibrahima Sonko, drilled his shot against the far post and Reading survived but the tone had been set.
Reading striker Dave Kitson had been asked to fill in on the left of midfield once they had scampered back into their shells, which effectively pinned him at left-back for long periods. When he appeared uncomfortable in the role, the workaholic Kevin Doyle traded places. It came as little surprise that Reading's first meaningful effort was prised from distance, Brynjar Gunnarsson seeing a volley from 30 yards tipped aside by the diving Manuel Almunia.
That should have served as a warning to Arsenal. Much of their play had bordered on the over-elaborate, a common criticism, leaving Emmanuel Eboue, twice, and Kolo Toure with little option but to try from distance. Yet this team boast such panache that they were unlikely to remain flummoxed by the home side's defence for long.
Half-time was approaching, a glimmer of hope sighted by the Reading back-line, when Mathieu Flamini, Eboue, Adebayor and Aleksandr Hleb combined thrillingly for the Belarussian to square and the French midfielder, sliding in ahead of Sonko, to convert his first goal of the season.
Flamini, a player more noted for his industry in defensive duty, deserved the reward and it was his skimmed shot that forced Marcus Hahnemann into a sprawling save to maintain Arsenal's momentum after the break. A beautifully crafted second duly deflated Reading further. Flamini, yet again, had a part to play by sending Adebayor dancing down the left, the striker feeding the overlapping Rosicky. The Czech pulled his centre back, Fabregas laying the ball off first time, and Adebayor curled his shot deliciously into the corner.
It was a fitting manner for Arsenal to register their 1,000th Premier League goal. The Togoese should have had a second moments later, an over-eager linesman incorrectly ruling out what would have been a stunning third Arsenal goal, but this had long since become a stroll, with Gunnarsson's attempted interception only serving to send Hleb through on goal with 12 minutes to go. The Belarussian advanced, teased Hahnemann into going to ground, then sidestepped the goalkeeper and eased his shot beyond Sonko on the goal-line. The rout was complete.
READING:Hahnemann, Murty, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey,Convey (Oster 70), Gunnarsson, Harper (Fae 59), Hunt, Kitson,Doyle (Long 83). Subs not used: Federici, Bikey. Booked: Gunnarsson.
ARSENAL:Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue,Fabregas, Flamini, Rosicky (Walcott 83), Hleb (Diarra 79), Adebayor (Bendtner 83). Subs not used: Lehmann, Silva. Booked: Fabregas.
Referee:Rob Styles (Hampshire).
