Arsenal saved as Man Utd eye Premier League leaders

Arsenal saved themselves from a second straight embarrassing Premier League defeat with a last-gasp equaliser at Sunderland as Manchester United eyed the chance to catch Chelsea and Liverpool on Saturday.

Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas rescued the Gunners with an injury-time header in a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light just minutes after the hosts took the lead and seemed set for a shock victory.

Meanwhile Middlesbrough won 1-0 at Wigan and West Bromwich beat visitors Fulham by the same scoreline.

Champions Manchester United play at fellow Lancashire side Blackburn in Saturday’s late kick-off.

Grant Leadbitter scored an 86th-minute goal for Sunderland, two minutes after replacing veteran Dwight Yorke. The 22-year-old midfielder crashed a shot which hit the Gunners’ crossbar before bouncing down over the line.

Arsenal lost 2-1 at home to Hull last weekend and seemed set for a second defeat to lesser opposition.

But Fabregas salvaged a draw with an impressive header that left the Gunners on 13 points, one behind the leaders Chelsea and Liverpool ahead of Sunday’s matches.

Arsenal thought they should have taken the lead earlier when Theo Walcott cut the ball back for Robin van Persie to score, but the match officials ruled the ball had gone out of play.

At the JJB Stadium, former Gunners striker Jeremie Aliadiere scored a last-ditch goal of his own, his 89th-minute effort the only goal of the game as visitors Middlesbrough beat Wigan.

The goal ended Middlesbrough’s run of four straight defeats and was their first non-defeat on the road this season.

Aliadiere got on the end of a Stuart Downing header and beat goalkeeper Ross Turnbull with a left-footed finish from the centre of the penalty area.

Meanwhile Roman Bednar’s 61st-minute goal at the Hawthorns was enough to see off visitors Fulham.

It was the Czech international striker’s third goal of the season, but the first from open play — the other two having come from the penalty spot.

Chelsea’s bid to reclaim the title from United faces its first major test at home to Aston Villa on Sunday as manager Luiz Felipe Scolari faces up to the prospect of life without injured striker Didier Drogba.

Any slip-ups by the Blues could allow Liverpool to take over at the top and the Reds, who visit Manchester City, will be hoping to reap a dividend from Robbie Keane, the striker having finally ended his long wait for his first Liverpool goal.

Elsewhere Sunday, Newcastle play at Everton in their first match under the caretaker leadership of Joe Kinnear. The Irishman stunned reporters in his first press conference with a furious 52-expletive rant.

Fellow strugglers Tottenham will be hoping to avoid Arsenal’s fate when top-flight first-timers Hull visit White Hart Lane. Portsmouth host Stoke and Bolton travel to West Ham.