Robin van Persie wonder-volley saves Arsenal's blushes

Arsenal maintained their eight-match unbeaten streak in the Premier league thanks to a moment of magic from Robin van Persie. The Dutch striker volleyed home Alex Song’s cross on 70 minutes to make it 19 for the season and 33 for the calendar year.

With Thierry Henry looking on from the stand, van Persie is now one goal behind the Frenchman’s tally of 34 and just three shy of the record 36 goals scored by Alan Shearer in 1995.

“It was a terrific finish, a really good goal which beat us,” admitted David Moyes, though the Everton boss acknowledged it was nothing less than the Gunners deserved after they dominated the match.

But, on a day when Arsenal celebrated their 125th anniversary by inviting some of their stars from the past, the 2011 vintage struggled to find the crucial goal. In the end it needed something special, a deft pass from Alex Song that van Persie volleyed past Toffees goalkeeper Tim Howard.

“Robin has scored an exceptional goal but he said himself he was not in his best of days,” said Arsene Wenger later. “But what is important is you are efficient. That is what it is to be professional, when you do not feel the greatest.”

The win moved the Gunners into fourth spot, one place above Chelsea who play Manchester City on Monday night. Meanwhile Manchester United put their midweek disappointment behind them with a 4-1 thrashing of Wolves at Old Trafford, a result that leaves Alex Ferguson’s side just two points behind their neighbours.

Having suffered the humiliation of failing to qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions' League, Ferguson demanded a positive response from his players and that’s just what he got. A brace each from Nani and Wayne Rooney sent out a statement to United’s rival that they are far from finished for this season.

It was the first time Rooney has scored in the Premier league since September and Ferguson spoke highly of the England star. “Strikers go in bursts,” he said. “Hopefully Wayne is on a spurt of goals to take us up to the New Year."

Liverpool also got back to winning ways with a 1-0 defeat of QPR. Luis Suarez scored the crucial goal a minute into the second period to give the Reds their first home win in the League since September.

“The players showed great courage and belief in what they are doing,” said Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish as he side climbed into fifth spot. “Some of the football we played in the first half was brilliant and I think we played better before we scored than after it.”

Elsewhere, Newcastle’s poor run continued as the Magpies suffered a 4-2 defeat away at Norwich. It was their third defeat in four games and they now lie in seventh spot. Demba Ba scored twice for Newcastle but Grant Holt did the same for Norwich, while teammates Wes Hoolahan and Steve Morison also got on the scoresheet for the Canaries.

“We don't need any more blows, particularly injury-wise,” said Newcastle boss Alan Pardew later. “We have to keep our spirit about us and we showed that today. We want to stay in the top seven or eight if we can.”

In other results Swansea beat Fulham 2-0 and Wigan moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 victory away at West Bromwich Albion. But there was bad news for Bolton, their 2-1 loss at home to Aston Villa leaving them at the foot of the table. ·