LONDON, Oct 5: A rare header by Cesc Fabregas in injury time earned Arsenal a 1-1 draw at Sunderland on Saturday after the home side had seemed on course for an upset win when they took the lead in the 86th minute.

Manchester United edged closer to the leading pack with a dominant 2-0 win at a rain-sodden Blackburn Rovers with goals from Wes Brown and Wayne Rooney.

There was late drama at Wigan Athletic where Jeremie Aliadiere got the only goal in the 89th minute to give Middlesbrough the points, while West Bromwich Albion beat Fulham 1-0 with a Roman Bednar goal.

Chelsea, who welcome Aston Villa on Sunday, lead the standings on 14 points on goal difference ahead of Liverpool, who visit Manchester City.

Arsenal and Villa have 13 points and West Ham United, who host Bolton Wanderers, are on 12. Manchester United, with a game in hand on all the teams above them, now have 11 points.

A week ago Arsenal were upset 2-1 at home by Hull City but roared back to beat Porto 4-0 in the Champions League with a performance Wenger said was their most complete of the season.

But the Frenchman was left shaking his head in frustration for long spells on Saturday as they were too easily kept at arm’s length by a Sunderland team intent on playing for a point.

Arsenal were denied a goal early in the second half when Robin van Persie turned in a Theo Walcott cross only for the linesman to rule that the ball had gone out of play.

Sunderland substitute Grant Leadbitter entered the fray as an 84th-minute substitute and took two minutes to make his mark when he lashed in a shot via the underside of the bar.

Arsenal poured forward in search of an equaliser and got it from an unlikely source when midfielder Fabregas rose well to head in Van Persie’s corner.

“It’s frustrating. Sunderland didn’t come out, they didn’t try to play but they defended very well,” Wenger told Sky Sports.

“We had a good attitude... that tells you a lot about the team and about Cesc as a man, he refuses to lose. Heading is not his strength but he scored with a good header.”

Sunderland boss Roy Keane defended his tactics. “The temptation for me is to have a go but you look at Arsenal’s last few away games, particularly on the break...,” he said.

“I thought we were outstanding, we had a lot of discipline and had to do a lot of defending.”

Manchester United were all over Blackburn and should have won by more goals.

Brown headed them into a 31st-minute lead after home keeper Jason Brown, claiming he was fouled, dropped a cross.

Rooney got the second in the 64th minute after a low Cristiano Ronaldo cross.

Results:

Blackburn Rovers 0 Manchester United 2

Sunderland 1 Arsenal 1

West Bromwich Albion 1 Fulham 0

Wigan Athletic 0 Middlesbrough 1

—Reuters