Arsenal maintained their position at the top of the league table with a clinical performance in the 3-1 victory over Reading in their Premiership clash on Monday.

Mathieu Flamini put Arsenal in the lead a minute before half time with a simple finish past Marcus Hahnemann. Emmanuel Adebayor doubled the lead in the 52nd minute and Alexander Hleb added the third 12 minutes before full time before Nicky Shorey got one back for Reading late in the game.

Reading shut up shop right from the kick off, intent on soaking up the pressure and attempt to hit Arsenal on the counter attack. The move almost boomeranged for Steve Coppell in the third minute when Adebayor latched on to Fabregas' through ball and drove the ball past Hahnemann only to see his attempt cannon against the post.

Reading managed to keep out Arsenal for almost whole of the first half before he visitors grabbed a deserved lead in the 44th minute. Hleb found the ball on the right wing and his perfect cross left Flamini with a simple finish in spite of Stephen Hunt trying his best to clear off the line.

Adebayor doubled the lead seven minutes into the second half after he instigated a superb move and took possession of the ball inside the penalty area before smashing the ball into the net. Hleb made it 3-0 in the 78th minute, latching on to the ball on the edge of the area before slotting it past Hahnemann.

Reading got one back with three minutes remaining when Shorey was the first to latch on to Hunt's shot that rebounded off the cross bar and cut Arsenal's lead to two goals.