RVP scores after 29 secs! "I'm committed. This is my 8th year, if you can say of one player that's committed, it's me! I have a very nice new house in London!" AW "I inherited a fantastic defense but I built the 'Invincibles' defense! RVP is a special player & a true leader!” Ramsey & Gibbs 50-50 for Marseille! Koscielny, Fabianski talk! Gourcuff loan deal!

• Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie scored after just 29 seconds of the 2-1 win over Sunderland, and in his programme notes reaffirmed his commitment to the Gunners.

"I guess it was my first touch," Van Persie said.

"I was a bit surprised as well, but it was a really good pass from Gervinho, I took a good touch with my left foot and it went in.

"But I didn't know it was such a quick goal. How long was it?"

The Dutchman then fired in a fine free-kick with eight minutes left to put the Gunners back in front after Sunderland had levelled before the break.

"I felt confident because it's my favourite position, but I have to be a bit critical and look at myself because I have missed many chances, so it was about time to be honest."

There was a nervy finish as Arsenal clung on for a vital three points.

"We've been there before in the last couple of minutes trying to hold on to a 2-1 score and we did well," he said.

"They pump in every single ball and they can cause problems, but we have to handle them and all of the back four defenders and the midfielders try to help each other, so credit goes to the whole team."

Before the match, Van Persie had used his programme notes to dismiss speculation about his future at the club.

"I had seen loads of comments about a story like that, I thought after one or two days it would go away, but it didn't so I felt it was time to explain things and I did that.

"I'm committed. This is my eighth year. If you can say of one player that he's committed, it's me."

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists he's capable of building a quality defence.

When Wenger arrived at Highbury in 1996 he was handed some of the Premier League's finest - and most vocal - defenders on a plate. Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Martin Keown, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn were all at the club but their old manager rejects claims that he has not or cannot build a defence.

"I inherited a fantastic defence but what people forget is that it was not the unbeatable ['Invincibles'] defence, it was not the best defence," he pointed out.

"People say we never had to build a defence but that defence with Lauren, Sol Campbell, Kolo Toure and Ashley Cole was the unbeatable one. The four defenders we had were talkers as well.

"We have had quieter defenders recently but I think Mertesacker can be a talker. He will come out of himself, don't worry."

• Arsenal captain Robin van Persie has assured fans he's not planning to quit the club in January.

Van Persie raised fears that he would be the next big star out of the door at the Emirates Stadium when he said recently that he was in no rush to extend his contract, which expires in 2013, but he denies he wants to leave.

"There have been many stories in the media lately. I am committed to Arsenal. That's how it is," said Van Persie, who has been annoyed at a recent report that claimed he had put his house up for sale to help him secure his exit from Arsenal.

"I moved house last year. I see stories which make me laugh, but I can see how frustrating it is from the fans' point of view," the Dutchman added in his programme notes for the win against Sunderland.

"I am committed to Arsenal. I am the captain. Don't believe everything you read.

"As for that house story, the house has been for sale for a while, but I'm not living on the streets or anything.

"I have found a really nice house, and yes, it's

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has no doubts over the commitment of skipper Robin van Persie after victory against Sunderland.

Van Persie moved to allay fears about his future in his programme notes, insisting he is totally committed to the Arsenal cause, and Wenger is also not worried about the former Feyenoord man's relaxed attitude towards penning a new deal.

"The ideal situation is that he extends his contract and if he doesn't you have to respect that. What is important is he plays how he plays," Wenger said.

"We are all eager to see special football players and he is a special football player.

"For me commitment is [giving your best] as long as you are at the club, not how long you are at the club.

"If you give absolutely 100% until the last day of your contract, that is what I call commitment.

"For me it is not commitment to have a long contract.

"He knows that we are ready to talk about it (a new contract), but the most important thing is what you do on the pitch and how much you are committed to the cause as long as you are at the club."

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger feels Robin van Persie is proving himself a top Gunners captain.

Van Persie struck twice in victory over Sunderland yesterday.

"Many people question his leadership qualities but I believe he is completely committed for the cause on a daily basis. What's even more important is that he does the job on the football pitch," said Wenger.

On his free-kick ability, Wenger said: "Yes he among the best in the league, with Sebastian Larsson. I think Larsson is maybe the best free-kick taker in the league."

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits their injury woes continued in victory over Sunderland.

Wenger could be without Aaron Ramsey and Kieran Gibbs for Wednesday's Champions League match against Marseille.

Ramsey was left out with a hamstring problem and Gibbs came off five minutes in to the second half with a stomach injury.

The Arsenal boss, who is already without key defenders Bacary Sagna and Thomas Vermaelen, says Ramsey and Gibbs have only a "small chance" of playing in France.

• Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny insists they have the quality to shake off their poor start to the season.

Koscielny, like many senior teammates, has been hit by injury so far this term.

"I think we have the quality," he said. "The team has good players but the difficulty is playing together - to defend and attack together.

"It's the little details that will be the difference in winning the games."

• Lukasz Fabianski feels he should be Arsenal's No1 ahead of Wojciech Szczesny.

Szczesny has since made the position his own for club and country, leaving a now fit-again Fabianski to cut a frustrated figure on the substitutes' bench amid reports he is considering quitting the club.

"If it wasn't for my injury, he wouldn't be here today where he is," said Fabianski. "I'd still be the number one - I didn't lose my place because I played badly but because of the shoulder mishap. The same applies to the Poland national team. I didn't let down the coach, I did well in the games I played."

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is preparing a new offer for Olympique Lyon midfielder Yoann Gourcuff.

Wenger will make a cheeky bid to take Gourcuff on loan to Arsenal in January ahead of securing a permanent deal for the Lyon star.

The Gunners chief had a £20m bid for the playmaker turned down in the summer but remains resolute in landing his No.1 target.

The fee is a stumbling block and Wenger is keen to bring the midfielder, 25, to the Emirates before thrashing out a deal.

“Arsene wants the player but is aware of his injuries,” said an Arsenal source. “A loan period could solve all the problems for all parties. It is now up to Lyon.”