Arsenal 2 - 1 Bolton

First half strikes by Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp were enough to keep Arsenal undefeated as they got past a determined Bolton side 2-1 at Highbury this afternoon.

Robert Pires opened the scoring about 16 minutes in with a masterful curling strike.

Eight minutes later, Dennis Bergkamp was at the end of a beautiful series of passes, the last by Thierry Henry, which allowed the non-flying Dutchman to volley the ball home with ease.

Bolton made things interesting just before the break when former Real Madrid man Ivan Campo scored after Arsenal failed to successfully clear a corner.

The second half was particulary tense. Bolton were a determined side, and for the first fifteen minutes or so, it looked as if they were going to be rewarded for their efforts. However, Arsenal were up to the task, defending well, and eventually, the balance of power shifted back to the Gunners.

Freddie Ljungberg came on to replace Gilberto, and the impact was immediate. Arsenal’s attacking play increased, and perhaps on another day, penalty kicks could have been rewarded to the Gunners on two seperate occassions.

However, it remained a moot point, as Arsenal hung on for the win. By remaining undefeated, Arsenal equal the mark of 29 matches from the start of the season shared by the 1973-74 Leeds and 1987-88 Liverpool sides. The Gunners’ chance to break the record comes at home next Sunday against the ManUre scum. The match kicks off at 10 AM ET on Sunday, and will be shown on PPV throughout the US.

There is also the little matter of the Champions League 1/4 Final cum London-derby against Chelski. The first match is away at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday afternoon. The match is being shown live by ESPN2 here in the US. Coverage begins at 2:30 PM ET.