Story highlights
Kyle Walker scores winner as Tottenham Hotspur beat Arsenal 2-1 in north London derby
Defeat leaves Gunners just two points above drop zone after poor start to EPL season
Frank Lampard scores hat-trick as Chelsea beat Bolton 5-1 to stay third
Fulham rout QPR 6-0 with Andrew Johnson grabbing a hat-trick
Kyle Walker scored a superb second half winner as Tottenham Hotspur beat north London rivals Arsenal 2-1 at White Hart Lane Sunday for their fourth straight English Premier League victory.
The defeat, Arsenal’s fourth of the season, leaves Arsene Wenger’s struggling team just two points above the drop zone as their defensive frailties were exposed again.
Rafael van der Vaart put Tottenham ahead in the 40th minute with the visitors appealing for handball as the Dutchman controlled Emmanuel Adebayoi’s pass on his chest.
Arsenal, who had their share of possession and chances, leveled just after the break through Aaron Ramsey, but it was right back Walker who proved an unlikely match winner.
Watched by England manager Fabio Capello, the youngster showed his attacking qualities with a 25-meter strike which swerved late to beat Wojciech Szczesny in the Arsenal goal.
“It doesn’t get much better than that. I just picked the ball up and hit it,” he told Sky Sports after the match.
Tottenham might have added to their tally as Arsenal pushed forward in desperate search of a second equalizer but the victory lifted them to sixth spot with a game in hand on the teams above them.
Earlier, third-placed Chelsea underlined their title challenge with a 5-1 rout of struggling Bolton at the Reebok.
The visitors were ahead after just 92 seconds when Daniel Sturridge, who enjoyed a successful loan spell at Bolton last season, headed home Juan Mata’s corner.
There was no way back for Bolton and midfielder Frank Lampard showed he has not lost his scoring touch as he grabbed a hat-trick with the other coming from an own goal from home keeper Adam Bogdan.
Dedryck Boyata scored Bolton’s consolation.
In other matches Sunday, Fulham crushed promoted west London rivals QPR 6-0 at Craven Cottage.
Andrew Johnson scored a hat-trick for Martin Jol’s men with Danny Murphy from the penalty spot, Clint Dempsey and Bobby Zamora sealing a fine win.
Swansea, who went up with QPR, fared better with a 2-0 home win over Stoke with striker Danny Graham scoring his first goal for the club.
Scott Sinclair had opened the scoring for the Welsh side with a ninth minute penalty.
