Wayne's bolt for the Blues

Everton wonder boy comes off the bench to end Arsenal's record run

Wayne Rooney ended Arsenal's remarkable unbeaten run in the Premiership at 30 matches with a thunderbolt just a minute from time at Goodison Park yesterday, earning Everton a 2-1 victory.

The boy from the blue stuff controlled a dropping ball before turning and curling a 25-yard shot into the net off the cross-bar. Not bad for a 16-year-old. And no blame could be attached to the 39-year-old in the Arsenal goal. David Seaman could console himself with the thought that one defeat in 31 is not a bad Premiership record, which stretches back to 18 December when Newcastle United won 3-1 at Highbury. Nor is one defeat in 24 away games.

Arsène Wenger accepted the setback graciously, and was full of praise for Rooney. "He is the biggest England talent I've seen since I arrived in England. We were beaten by a special goal from a very special talent," Arsenal's manager said.

The impact of Rooney's rocket was felt throughout the Premiership, but nowhere more so than across Stanley Park at Anfield. Defeat for Arsenal meant they had to surrender top spot to Liverpool, who had won 1-0 at Leeds United earlier in the day. Salif Diao scored the only goal, which was set up by his Senegal team-mate El Hadji Diouf. Made in Dakar? D'accord.

At Goodison Park, it had started like just another day in the life of Arsenal. Eight minutes gone, Everton's David Weir slipped and Kolo Touré gave Freddie Ljungberg the chance to put Arsenal ahead. All was well with the world until Arsenal were caught discussing the merits of a refereeing decision midway through the first half and were hurrying to cover as Lee Carsley's shot, after a quick free-kick, rebounded from the post. Tomasz Radzinski was first to react and Everton were level.

But Rooney was not the only hero. Fabien Barthez performed wonders in goal for Manchester United. He produced a string of outstanding saves which he capped by keeping out a second-half penalty from Steed Malbranque after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had equalised Steve Marlet's opener for Fulham.

A 1-1 draw was not what United were looking for after six successive victories, nor was a 1-0 home defeat on Howard Wilkinson's wanted list for his first game in charge of Sunderland. The visit of West Ham United, whose own manager, Glenn Roeder, is seen by some as a front-runner in the sack race, seemed an ideal start for Wilkinson. But the former technical director of the Football Association saw things go sour when West Ham's Trevor Sinclair scored in the first half.