Arsenal 3 Sunderland 2:Roy Keane, a man who knows a thing or two about title races, said yesterday he believes "Manchester United have the edge" over Arsenal in what he sees as a two-team affair. The Sunderland manager declined to expand on his reasons - "I just think they do" - but anybody who thinks his coyness was down to old allegiances clearly did not see this game.

There was compelling evidence here to suggest Arsenal lack the maturity required of champions. Whereas United had strung together a succession of 1-0 victories to restart their Premier League campaign, Arsenal squandered a 2-0 lead against a Sunderland side who, though worthy, should have been arrogantly dispatched.

Instead, arrogance manifested itself in complacency as Arsenal overlooked the basics, failing to commit enough bodies to counter Sunderland's breaking.

"The game looked after 15 minutes to be easy and maybe we convinced ourselves of that as well," said Arsenal's manager, Arsene Wenger. "Sunderland made it difficult for us and part of our mental focus went. When you lose three per cent or four per cent you pay for it at this level.

"There was less urgency in our decision-making and less room for ourselves defensively and we paid for it.

"That was very frustrating for me and for the players."

Arsenal's overconfidence could be understood, if not forgiven. They had raced into the lead on seven minutes after Grant Leadbitter shoved Cesc Fabregas in the back 20 yards out. Robin van Persie's ferocious free-kick was struck so solidly that, although Craig Gordon was underneath it, he could not put a limb in the way.

Only seven minutes more had elapsed before Kenwyne Jones became confused at a defensive corner and put his team in trouble with a back pass. The ball was half cleared but only as far as Emmanuel Adebayor; his cross fell to Philippe Senderos whose scuffed shot wrongfooted Gordon and found the bottom right-hand corner.

Arsenal seemed already to have secured themselves the Premier League's top position, which had been surrendered overnight to Manchester United. Then Alek-sandr Hleb crossed for Abou Diaby to stab in from six yards and only a linesman's flag - apparently but wrongly ruling Mathieu Flamini offside when he was being played on by Nyron Nosworthy - prevented the home side adding a third after 19 minutes.

But then Arsenal were flat-footed in defence as Ross Wallace escaped down the left wing. While Sunderland poured forward, Diaby strolled back, a mere observer. Wallace's cross picked out Jones, one of three Sunderland attackers being loosely marked eight yards from Arsenal's goal, and the former Southampton striker headed an effort Manuel Almunia was powerless to prevent.

Arsenal's defence was less culpable for the goal that brought Sunderland back into the game. A spearing run from Jones produced a fine save from Almunia's legs, but the goalkeeper could not recover in time to put his body in the way of Wallace's calm, measured effort from 25 yards.

With Sunderland courageously taking the game to Arsenal, and with their hosts obligingly opening up channels for them to attack, there were some exhilarating exchanges. Liam Miller drew a save low to Almunia's left, while van Persie forced Gordon to fling himself to parry his drive.

Then, with the scores level on the hour, Kolo Toure advanced with the ball to within 40 yards of Sunderland's goal and hit a fizzer that cracked back off the post. It seemed to stir Arsenal.

Hleb danced through the whole Sunderland defence before laying off an exquisite ball across the six-yard box for the second-half substitute, Theo Walcott. But the teenager, when faced with an unguarded net six yards away, tripped himself up.

That might have been a costly error but the young man atoned. Fabregas slipped a ball wide for Emmanuel Eboue, who played Walcott into the box. The path between two defenders to van Persie was narrow but Walcott squared neatly on the run.

Although unchallenged, van Persie's task was still difficult but he made it easier with a sublime first touch that allowed him to unleash another ripping shot past Gordon's despairing right arm.

"I enjoyed the game if not the result," said Keane, who saw encouraging signs. "I know we have a hell of a lot to do. I said last year promotion was the easy part, building a club is what we've got to do now. Top managers bridge that gap, there are a lot of good managers who don't."

If Sunderland's aim is 17th place and survival, they are on the right road; Arsenal, though, must work harder to fulfil their more elevated ambitions.