Arsenal - 3 Sunderland - 1 It is getting to the stage where Arsenal should be forced to start with a two-goal deficit or nine men to make things more interesting. Yesterday, as so often this season, the contest was over before anyone could say Nwankwo Kanu.
Arsene Wenger's players will have more testing training sessions.
Two goals from Kanu inside nine minutes made what followed meaningless and largely tedious as Arsenal were able to stroll around. That Sunderland were outclassed was no surprise, but their fans could at least have expected a greater fight. Defeat at home to West Ham in the next match is unthinkable for Peter Reid.
The speed with which Arsenal are disposing of opponents is allowing them to conserve energy in their quest for the Treble. Events here followed a familiar pattern. At home to Birmingham they were 2-0 ahead inside 24 minutes, against West Bromwich it was 3-0 by the same mark and at Leeds two goals inside 20 minutes made a mockery of a contest which was expected to stretch them.
Wenger's relentless side have now gone a record 30 Premiership games unbeaten, beating Manchester United's tally, and it is not just their drive, quality and confidence that enables them to begin games so emphatically.
Opponents can feel beaten before the start and Sunderland lacked the self-belief required. The dreadful defending that gave Arsenal those early goals looked the result of panic in their minds as well as incompetence.
Last season Sunderland were 2-0 down here inside five minutes, so this was progress, but Reid was not greatly amused.
"We had a game plan to keep it tight," he remarked. "If (Thierry) Henry's beaten two men and scored from 20 yards I would say that's brilliant. But we have caused our own downfall."
Letting Arsenal score after 128 seconds from a corner was awful, and things worsened when Kanu headed in unmarked. Sunderland showed not the slightest inkling they felt they could recover, standing off as Arsenal knocked the ball around in the hope of limiting the damage.
The speed of Arsenal's movement and passing was impressive in the first half, but Sunderland's failure to contest matters was baffling. Spirit was one thing Reid used to be able to count on but it has drained. After the defeat by Newcastle Reid questioned his players' desire and, though more measured here, an undercurrent of unhappiness was plain.
"They won everything, every tackle and every second ball," he lamented of the opening 45 minutes. To compound the early misery, his goalkeeper, Thomas Sorensen, dislocated an elbow in an aerial collision with Henry. Reid estimated an absence of between a fortnight and a month.
Sunderland did improve after the interval but that was no real achievement and by then Patrick Vieira had headed number three. The Frenchman was the outstanding player without having to stretch himself, enjoying complete midfield control with Gilberto Silva. Sunderland were saved a bigger beating only because Arsenal slowed down.
Jody Craddock and David Bellion were the only two Sunderland players to emerge with real credit. Craddock never gave up trying to keep out Arsenal's attacks and headed a late goal. Bellion, the promising French forward, at least showed a willingness to carry the fight to the champions even if his final pass was lacking.
Too many of his team-mates were passive and happy to accept their fate, with Claudio Reyna failing to set a captain's example. After West Ham come games at Bolton and Charlton, so they must recover fast. The value of refusing to give up is being illustrated by the rejuvenated Kanu.
Arsenal would willingly have sold the Nigerian over the summer but he has taken advantage of Dennis Bergkamp's injury to score five times in three Premiership matches.
His goals were gifts. First Sunderland failed to defend the near post from an Henry corner and, though Sorensen stopped the ball crossing the line, Kanu scored from the rebound. Then Ashley Cole crossed for Kanu to head in with Kevin Kilbane, an uncomfortable left-back, out of position.
Vieira headed the third unmarked after Thomas Myhre had parried Sylvain Wiltord's shot to become Arsenal's 12th scorer this season. When Craddock got ahead of Pascal Cygan to head in Kilbane's cross, it was Sunderland's only meaningful effort on target.
The next target for Arsenal is to beat Nottingham Forest's top-flight record of 42 games unbeaten. "If they play us every week," Reid noted, "they have every chance."
ARSENAL: Seaman, Lauren, Campbell, Cygan, Cole, Ljungberg (Toure 78), Vieira, Silva, Wiltord (Edu 77), Henry (Jeffers 77), Kanu. Subs Not Used: Taylor, Luzhny. Goals: Kanu 3, 9, Vieira 45.
SUNDERLAND: Sorensen (Myhre 13), Craddock, Babb, Reyna, Bellion, Williams, McCann, Arca, Kilbane, Thirlwell (Piper 58), Flo (Quinn 74). Subs Not Used: McCartney, Stewart. Goals: Craddock 82.
Referee: D Elleray (Middlesex).
