Football: PARLOUR'S RAY OF SUNSHINE

BARNET 0 ARSENAL 1

RAY PARLOUR was delighted to have put his Euro 2000 heartbreak behind him with his first 90 minutes of football for two months.

The 27-year-old midfielder gave an all-action performance in this friendly win in which Jermaine Pennant (pictured celebrating right), scored the winner in the 53rd minute.

But it was Parlour's day as he showed he had recovered from the damaged knee ligaments suffered against Brazil in May which ruled him out of England's bid for European glory.

Parlour said: "I enjoyed today. All the hard pre-season training you do is one thing but it's great to play a competitive match.

"I went back into training two and a half weeks ago, before everyone else, and it's gone well so far. I felt the knee a bit every morning but I've kept going."

Parlour's dominant performance was a ray of sunshine in a stormy summer for Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger, who said: "Ray was very impressive. Technically he was very good."

Wenger smiled as he rubbished rumours linking Parlour with a pounds 5m move to Sunderland. "That's a real nonsense," he said. "They were interested in him, but we want to keep our English players."

Parlour insisted: "I'm happy at Arsenal."

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