Arsenal late show keeps Man City waiting

LONDON— Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott scored last- gasp goals as Arsenal edged Cardiff City 20 on New Year's Day to preserve their place at the Premier League summit.

With former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in attendance, amid reports he is due to succeed the sacked Malky Mackay as Cardiff manager, Arsenal dominated the game but looked destined to drop points until Bendtner's dramatic intervention.

Arsene Wenger's side did not manage to muster a single shot on target in the first half, although they were denied a penalty after Gary Medel appeared to trip Jack Wilshere inside the Cardiff area.

Wilshere struck the base of the post in the second half, before substitute Bendtner slammed home in the 88th minute after Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall parried a header from Bacary Sagna.

Walcott added a second goal in injury time to rubberstamp Arsenal's return to first place, after Manchester City had taken temporary possession of top spot by winning 3-2 at Swansea City.

" We needed to be patient against a very good Cardiff side," said Arsenal manager Wenger.

"We know we have to play 10 home games and we want to make this place a fortress and take the points no matter what the others do. If we can manage to do that, we will be in a very strong position."

City's Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho scored the first goal of the new year in the 14th minute at a rain- soaked Liberty Stadium, drilling home rightfooted after Swansea partially cleared a Samir Nasri corner.

Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony equalized with a wellplaced header in first-half stoppage time, but his international colleague Yaya Toure restored the visitors' lead with a deflected shot in the 58th minute.

City's Serbian left-back Aleksandar Kolarov added a third eight minutes later, lashing a powerful strike past Swansea goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel, before Bony struck again in injury time with a vicious low shot.

" It was a very good result because Swansea are a strong team here at home and also away," City manager Manuel Pellegrini told Sky Sports. "I think the way we won today is very important for us."

City finished the day a point behind Arsenal in second place, with Chelsea a point further back in third after a 3- 0 success at Southampton.

Fernando Torres gave Chelsea the lead on the hour with a close-range header after a deflected cross from Oscar came back off the post, with Willian making it 2-0 11 minutes later from Oscar's pass.

Oscar, a second- half substitute, crowned an impressive individual performance by adding a third goal eight minutes from time.