The team lined up as expected and although things were a bit scrappy Arsenal were on top when City took the lead after 10 minutes. It started with a hopeful punt out of defence from Distin, which Lauren had to chase back towards goal with Trevor Sinclair snapping at his heels. The rightback had a good lead on Sinclair to start with, but his first touch was poor and by the time it came to his second the City man was snapping at his heels. There was a slight push from Sinclair just before Lauren caught it with his left foot and planted the ball forcefully past Lehmann's left hand. Quite a nice goal if it's in the right net. Hard to say much more, having no idea what Lauren was intending. He may not even have been playing the ball.

City got a few more chances in the spell that followed. Lehmann had to make one particularly noteworthy diving save from Anelka.

But as halftime approached Arsenal were putting City under more and more pressure. A good passing move finished with Ljungberg on the right. He got past his man and centred a chip which landed with Henry right in front of goal but his he couldn't control it. Moments layter the ball was back with Freddie on the right and this time he tried a shot which Seaman's fingertips turned round the post.

City nearly got another straight fromn the kick-off at the start of the 2nd half, when Sibierski was played into space on the left, but he tried to cross for Anelka and someone got in a crucial headed interception.

4 minutes into the half we equalised thanks to a spell of comical defending from City. First Pires was allowed to run through several lame tackles from our half, and got the ball wide left to Wiltord who won a throw. From that the ball was worked forward through a few half-hearted challenges, and at the end Cole got to a ball in the box which he shouldn't have been allowed near. He slid a foot forward to divert the ball square and central for Wiltord. Unmarked and right in front of goal, Seaman was given no chance.

A deflection took a cross from Anelka right into Sibierski's path and he was clear on goal but didn't make a good connection and the save was easy for Lehmann. The next wasn't, as he had to deal with a much more powerful strike from Anelka.

Cole birst through on the left and chipped a cross back infield which Pires tried to volley from just inside the box. But it was awkward, with teh ball coming a bit behind him, and Bobby skyed his shot.

Then on 72 minutes Tiatto gave the ball away in midfield and Henry fed Freddie on the right. He squared in for Wiltord sho lobbed it into thebox for Pires to run onto. Although he got in front of his marker he shouldn't have been able to sause too much trouble with Seaman charging out to meet him. But H looked uncertain as he came out and only got his body to it rather than hands or a telling foot. The ball ricocheted off Pires and Seaman again, and fell to Freddie who had followed in and knocked into a virtually open goal. I think he was booked for his celebration, which only involved a quick hop over the hoarding to hug an Arsenal fan or 2.

We did have a dodgy moment or 2 at 2-1 up, including a ball which Keown deflected onto the bar and nearly bounced in off Lehmann's back. But the flag had gone up for offside anyway. Right at the death Fowler, who only came off the bench after we went ahead, looped a header just over the bar from a corner. But Lehmann probably had it covered.

With Man Utd losing away to Southampton today, Arsenal now have a clear 3 point lead in the table. Early days yet, of course. The story of the day though has to be the continued solidness of our new keeper, contrasted with the less solid appearance of our old one. And of course, Lauren's classic own goal which surely shows that he is indeed a worthy replacement for Lee Dixon.