Bendtner, Walcott Keep Arsenal Top

[Folami David]

Arsenal kicked off the New Year with a last-ditch 2-0 win at home to struggling Cardiff City on Wednesday that confirmed their credentials as Premier League title contenders.
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Arsenal looked to have run out of ideas as they were frustrated by Cardiff's blue wall of resistance before substitute Nicklas Bendtner struck in the 88th minute.
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Theo Walcott sealed the win in injury time to complete a gritty victory that suggests that this could yet be the year that Arsene Wenger's side end their nine-year trophy drought with the biggest prize in English football.
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The late goals enabled Arsenal to return to first place, after Manchester City had taken provisional control of the title race with a 3-2 success at Swansea City earlier in the day.
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Missing so many key players, it looked as though Cardiff would come away with a precious point before their crushing late heartbreak.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the stands as he edges closer to taking charge of Cardiff following Malky Mackay's sacking.
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The former Manchester United striker, now managing in his native Norway with Molde, would have been impressed with his potential new side in spells at the Emirates Stadium.
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Few would have given Cardiff a chance, given their current strugglmes at the wrong end of the table.
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Arsenal, on the other hand, would have considered this a home banker. Sitting at the top of the tree heading into 2014, this was a game they were expected to canter through.
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However, an unremarkable opening 45 minutes saw Arsenal fail to bring a save out of Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall.
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Walcott came the closest when he volleyed Jack Wilshere's cross into the side-netting after 13 minutes.
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That besides, Arsenal looked a pale imitation of the side that had previously dismantled so many teams at the Emirates.
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The home side dominated territory and possession, but everything was done at such a slow tempo that Cardiff were able to pile bodies behind the ball. Santi Cazorla and Walcott lost their radars by shooting wide when well-placed and the midfielders were not the only Arsenal players to suffer a similar fate.

[femifemzy3]

Those were the two late important goals they needed to win that game against Cardiff. They refused to give up!

[femifemzy3]

Great goals from both players and great come-black for the league leaders