Arsenal up to third with 3-0 win over Liverpool

Rare goals by French midfielder Mathieu Flamini and Ivorian defender Kolo Toure set Arsenal on their way to an emphatic 3-0 victory over Liverpool and third place in the Premier League yesterday.

Flamini's second league goal since joining Arsenal more than two years ago came just before half-time, when he slid the ball home at the end of a neat passing move.

Toure added the second in the 56th minute after leading a counter-attack and fellow central defender William Gallas completed the list of unlikely scorers when he was left unmarked for an 80th minute header.

It was a precious victory for Arsenal, whose slow-starting title campaign had been checked by last week's 1-0 defeat at West Ham United and a 1-1 draw with Everton.

Even so, they are still 10 points behind leaders Manchester United, who have 31, and are seven points adrift of champions Chelsea, albeit holding a game in hand.

Chelsea beat Watford 4-0 on Saturday with a Didier Drogba hat-trick while United won 1-0 at Blackburn Rovers.

Defeat for Liverpool left them drifting in mid-table and reflected a dismal away record in which they have taken only point from six games. They have scored only once on the road - a Robbie Fowler penalty at Sheffield United on the first day of the season.

Arsenal, with Spaniard Manuel Almunia in goal after Jens Lehmann was laid low with a throat infection, made a bright start and had the ball in the Liverpool net in the third minute.

However, Robin van Persie had used his hand to control the ball before flicking it past Liverpool keeper Jose Reina and the Dutch winger was booked for the offence.

Liverpool had no better luck 10 minutes later when Steven Gerrard drilled in a low ball from the right and Peter Crouch prodded the ball past Almunia from an offside position.

It quickly developed into an open attacking game with shots being freely traded as Liverpool's Dutch pair Dirk Kuyt and Boudewijn Zenden tried their luck and Arsenal's lone striker Thierry Henry was denied at Reina's near post.

Arsenal's passing had been slick since the start and it finally paid off four minutes from the break when Alexander Hleb played in Cesc Fabregas and the Spaniard's square ball was steered home by 22-year-old Flamini.

Toure made the points secure after the re-start, galloping on to Van Persie's through-ball and threading the ball beneath Reina for his first league goal since February 2004.

Liverpool nearly pulled one back minutes later when Zenden sent a powerful header over the bar from a Gerrard free-kick.

But they did not look like turning the game around and left France's Gallas completely unattended in the six-yard box to head home Arsenal's third from a Van Persie corner.

Substitute Craig Bellamy summed up their day by having a late strike ruled offside as Liverpool slumped to their biggest defeat by Arsenal since a 4-0 drubbing in the old first division in April 1992.

Spurs' run halted

Earlier yesterday, Tottenham Hotspur's 10-game unbeaten run came to an end when Reading came from behind to beat them 3-1 at the Madejski Stadium.

A week after beating champions Chelsea, Spurs started well and led with a Robbie Keane penalty after 24 minutes.

Full-back Nick Shorey levelled from outside the box in the 38th minute and awful defending let in Steve Sidwell for a second just before half-time.

Tottenham pressed forward and were caught on the break when Kevin Doyle grabbed the third 11 minutes from time and though Jermain Defoe hit a post, Reading were worth their best win of the season that takes them above the Londoners to 11th.

Upcoming Fixtures...

Wednesday: Euro 2008 qualifier - 8.30 p.m. Ireland vs San Marino. Friendly international - 8 p.m. Holland vs England.

Saturday: Premier League - 1.45 p.m. Man. City vs Fulham. 4 p.m. Arsenal vs Newcastle; Chelsea vs West Ham; Everton vs Bolton; Portsmouth vs Watford; Reading vs Charlton; Sheffield United vs Man. United. 6.15 p.m. Middlesbrough vs Liverpool.

Sunday: Premier League - 2.30 p.m. Wigan vs Aston Villa. 5 p.m. Blackburn vs Tottenham.