Premier League / maxliu / 04 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Fabregas saves Arsenal, big-price Middlesborough battle to away win and Rooney makes it three in three.

Arsenal avoided consecutive league defeats only when Cesc Fabregas headed-in in injury-time to earn a [12.0] draw against Sunderland who had traded as low as [1.09].

Three minutes into injury time it looked as though Roy Keane's men were going to record a famous victory. Over 1.5 goals touched [34.0] before the Arsenal midfielder spared their blushes and, perhaps, their title ambitions.

Before substitute Grant Leadbetter opened the scoring for Sunderland, Any Other Player was backed at [13.0] in the first goalscorer market. The Gunners are now [9.4] to win the 2008/09 Premier League.

Manchester United have found Ewood Park a barren hunting ground in recent season but the visitors fared better in East Lancashire today. United only drifted as high as [1.67] and are now [3.1] to retain their title after brushing aside Blackburn Rovers in the late kick-off.

It was a routine 0-2 victory with Wes Brown, backed at a high of [13.5] as any other player, opening the scoring after just over half-an-hour. Rovers protested that goalkeeper Jason Brown had been infringed and Paul Ince remonstrated with Steve Bennett at the interval, but the goal stood and, in the second-half, Wayne Rooney notched his third goal in as many appearances after latching on to Cristiano Ronaldo's pass.

Meanwhile, Middlesborough were backed at [48.0] before Jeremie Aliadiere scored in the 89th minute to give Boro a 0-1 victory against Wigan at the JJB Arena. Aliadiere was matched at a [15.5] high to be the first goalscorer and the 0-1 score-line was backed at [14.5]. Under 1.5 goals was matched at [3.7].

In West Bromwich Albion's 1-0 win against Fulham, Roman Bednar was backed at a high of [8.2] to be first goalscorer.

In the big game in the Championship, Birmingham City were backed at [2.38] on their way to victory over Queens Park Rangers.