Kanu's quick start leaves Sunderland on starting blocks

Arsenal 3 Sunderland 1

The party pieces were on show early at Highbury yesterday. Step-overs, dummies, flicks and tricks. And that was just in the first half. As competitive events go the BBC received far better value from their £1m deal with boxer Audley Harrison than anyone coughing up for this pay-per-view option. Arsenal fans and masochistic Mackems aside, most viewers will have switched over to the Old Firm derby long before the end.

Do not be misled by the scoreline. Had it been 6-0 to Arsenal it would not have exaggerated their dominance. Few games have better illustrated the extent of the Premiership divide between the élite and the cannon fodder. Another few seasons of mis-matches like this and we will all be calling for a European Super League.

True, a fortnight ago Bolton Wanderers were unlucky not to leave with a point. But there was never any prospect of them winning and Arsenal should have sewn the match up long before Nwankwo Kanu's late winner. They did not make that mistake yesterday. Sunderland came for a point, fielding just Tore Andre Flo in attack, but knew within eight minutes they would not get it. By then Kanu had scored twice. From then on it was an exhibition match with only Patrick Vieira's 45th-minute goal, and Jody Craddock's late reply, interrupting the elegant tedium of Arsenal's passing.

"We were outstanding in the first half," said Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager. "We showed good passing, movement and concentration."

Every time Arsenal leave the dressing room another record seems to fall and yesterday was no exception as they established a new 30-match mark for unbeaten Premiership matches. That it was Manchester United's name which was expunged doubled the delight. Nottingham Forest's record of 42 top-flight matches unbeaten remains in their sights along with Wenger's ambition to complete the league season undefeated – a feat not achieved since 1894 in any division. "To do that will be very, very difficult," said Peter Reid, "but they have a hell of a squad. It's very talented with pace, power and ability. They have world-class players who are not even playing."

The Sunderland manager does not have anyone meeting that description on the pitch or off. With six of his better players injured he was forced to deploy Kevin Kilbane, a winger, at left-back. Had Julio Arca, a dilettante masquerading as a footballer, not been in front of Kilbane he might have got away with it but the pair were exposed in the first minute and Arsenal's opening goal followed.

With neither in position, Sylvain Wiltord had skipped between them to win a corner. This ought not to have been a problem. Set-pieces are the one area where Arsenal rate as ordinary. However, Sunderland's attempt to clear only resulted in conceding another flag kick. Taken by Thierry Henry, it evaded two defenders around, but not on, the near post. Thomas Sorensen pawed the ball off the line but Kanu tapped it back in. It was a criminally bad goal to give away, all the more so as it was the fifth time in as many visits Sunderland had conceded within five minutes at Highbury.

Last season they were two down in four minutes. This time they at least kept Arsenal waiting twice as long for their second. "It was a great start compared to last year," said Reid with bitter irony.

This was primarily because Arsenal spent around two minutes passing the ball between them before Fredrik Ljungberg ran onto Pascal Cygan's pass down the left. The Swede backheeled it into the path of Ashley Cole who chipped a cross to the far post where Kanu, unmarked, headed in.

"It was very, very disappointing," said Reid. "We all know how Arsenal start. I had impressed on the players the need to keep it tight and then we give away goals like that. If Henry has beaten two people and put it in the top corner from 20 yards I'll hold my hands up and say 'Arsenal are brilliant' but we've caused our own downfall."

Inevitably matters got worse for Sunderland before they got better. Thomas Sorensen, trying to punch a ball contested for by Henry and Craddock, landed awkwardly and dislocated his elbow. He is expected to be out until Christmas.

Reid had three attacking players on the bench but there they remained until the hour. Damage limitation was the aim. Even a manager under the pressure Reid is will not face calls for the sack on the back of a respectable defeat at Highbury. A thrashing, though, and even his apparent impregnability might be tested.

Arsenal were thus allowed to ease down a gear and pass prettily among themselves. Unusually for a team managed by Reid, Sunderland did not even want to rattle their bones. Perhaps they were wary of provoking Arsenal into stepping up the tempo. Eventually Arsenal stirred themselves. Craddock fouled Kanu. The free-kick was tapped to Wiltord and, though Thomas Myhre saved his drive, Vieira followed up to head in.

Sunderland raised a gallop after the break, enlivened by the enthusiasm of David Bellion, and soon after the hour Flo brought the first save from David Seaman. Arsenal responded with a pair of sweeping moves which concluded with Darren Williams clearing a shot by Henry and Craddock blocking Gilberto Silva's header on the line. The centre-half then went upfield to head in Kilbane's cross and add a veneer of undeserved respectability to the score. It was Sunderland's second away goal of the Premiership season. Arsenal may hope their season goes on to 28 May, and the European Cup final, but Sunderland's is going to seem the longer.

Goals: Kanu (2) 1-0; Kanu (8) 2-0; Vieira (45) 3-0; Craddock (83) 3-1.

Arsenal (4-4-2): Seaman 6; Lauren 7, Campbell 7, Cygan 7, Cole 7; Wiltord 8 (Edu, 77), Gilberto Silva 8, Vieira 8, Ljungberg 7 (Touré, 77); Kanu 8, Henry 8 (Jeffers, 77). Substitutes not used: Taylor (gk), Luzhny.

Sunderland (4-1-4-1): Sorensen 4 (Myhre 5, 17); Williams 4, Craddock 5, Babb 4, Kilbane 4; Thirwell 3 (Piper 4, 60); Bellion 6, Reyna 3, McCann 4, Arca 3; Flo 3 (Quinn 4, 75). Substitutes not used: McCartney, Stewart.

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow) 7.

Man of the match: Kanu.

Attendance: 37,902.