Arsenal beat Reading to go back on top

Reuters

Classy Arsenal cruised to a 3-1 win at Reading yesterday to maintain their unbeaten start to the season and replace Manchester United at the top of the Premier League.

Goals from Frenchman Mathieu Flamini after 44 minutes, Ivorian Emmanuel Adebayor after 52 and Belarussian Aleksandr Hleb 12 minutes from time lifted Arsenal to 30 points from 12 matches. United have 30 points from 13 games.

Both teams have goal differences of plus 17 but Arsenal are top, having scored 27 to United's 23.

Arsenal dominated the match at the Madejski Stadium and could easily have won by a bigger margin after Adebayor hit the post in the third minute and the same player had a goal harshly ruled out for offside in the second half.

Nicky Shorey took advantage of rare confusion in the Arsenal defence to score a consolation for Reading three minutes from time.