Anelka returns to haunt Arsenal

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Nicolas Anelka shattered the title hopes of former club Arsenal by ending his Bolton goal drought with a double as the home side claimed a 3-1 win at the Reebok Stadium. Anelka, who had failed to score a single goal in ten Premiership games since his 8.5 million pounds arrival from Fenerbahce in August, ended that run in style with two stunning strikes against Arsene Wenger's team. And the defeat now leaves Arsenal way off the pace in the title race with tough fixtures against bitter rivals Spurs and Chelsea looming in early December. Arsenal arrived at the Reebok having failed to beat Bolton on their own patch in the Premiership since 2002, but their hopes of ending that run were dealt a blow before kick-off with Thierry Henry being ruled out with a neck injury. Bolton and their coach Sam Allardyce have clearly got under Arsenal's skin in recent seasons with their physical and direct approach. But Gunners boss Arsene Wenger insisted prior to the clash that his young team has now developed the mental and physical toughness to cope with the sternest of examinations at the Reebok. That looked to be the case in the early stages when Arsenal, with Theo Walcott making only his second Premiership start, tore the home side to shreds with his blistering pace down the right flank. But despite an early chance for Emmanuel Adebayor, and a near own-goal by Bolton defender Nicky Hunt, Arsenal failed to take advantage of their bright start. Bolton grabbed the lead through Senegalese defender Abdoulaye Faye on ten minutes with a goal straight out of the Allardyce textbook of direct football -- a near post header from a corner. Faye netted against the Gunners last season and he scored his first goal since that strike when he escaped markers Kole Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to head home from three yards. Arsenal were stung and the game threatened to boil over when Kevin Davies was booked for a late challenge on Emmanuel Eboue. But referee Mike Dean did well to keep a lid on the emotions by flashing further yellow cards to Freddie Ljungberg, Jens Lehmann and Quinton Fortune before half-time. Bolton should have had a two-goal half-time lead, though, after Anelka netted his first Premiership goal for the club with a stunning 25-yard strike. The former Arsenal star cut in from the left and rattled an unstoppable right-foot effort past Lehmann, but poor defending let Arsenal pull one back seconds later. Gunners midfielder Gilberto Silva was left unmarked six yards out to head Cesc Fabregas's cross into the net and it was a crucial lifeline for the visitors. The goal lifted Arsenal and they dominated the early stages of the second-half, with Fabregas bringing a fine save from Jussi Jaaskelainen and Ljungberg heading against the post. Wenger's team failed to take advantage, though, and they were punished when Anelka struck his second of the game on 76 minutes. Ivan Campo's long pass found Anelka racing away on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area and the striker showed his class by beating Lehmann with a right-foot strike into the far corner of the net. Despite Adebayor hitting the post four minutes from time, Bolton held on to maintain their stranglehold over Wenger's team at the Reebok.