Arsenal captain Robin van Persie has rubbished reports he wants to leave the Gunners after their miserable start to the season.
Arsene Wenger's side have lost four of their seven Premier League games, including an 8-2 humiliation at Manchester United, and are already almost out of the title race.
Arsenal's woes have compounded the negative feeling around a club that lost two of their best players, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, during the close-season and it has been suggested that van Persie would follow them out of the Emirates Stadium.
Van Persie added to the exit fears when he said recently that he was in no rush to extend his contract, which expires in 2013.
But the Dutch forward used his column in the Arsenal matchday programme for Sunday's clash against Sunderland to reaffirm his commitment to the north London club.
"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 by a recent report that claimed he had put his house up for sale.
"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.
"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 in London. So I want to put that straight. I am committed and I will show that on the pitch."
Robin van Persie gave Arsenal's stuttering Premier League campaign a boost on Sunday by curling home a late free kick to earn the team a 2-1 victory over Sunderland, AP adds.
The Netherlands striker added to the opener he scored for the north London club after just 29 seconds by stepping up in the 83rd minute to hit the winner with a sublime effort from 25 yards (meters) for his fifth goal of the season.
Sweden winger Sebastian Larsson had equalized for Sunderland against his former club in the 31st minute with a free kick just as impressive as Van Persie's, but the struggling visitors failed to hold on in the face of a spirited late effort by the hosts.
Arsenal's third straight victory at the Emirates lifted it to 10th place in the table as Arsene Wenger's team looks to rebound after a poor start to the season that included an 8-2 defeat at Manchester United.
The Gunners look as if they will invariably have to lean heavily on Van Persie, the team's captain and attacking fulcrum, to have any chance of climbing back into the top four — where they have been habitually finished during Wenger's 15-year reign.
The Dutchman's first goal, which came when he ran onto Gervinho's through-ball and fired a low shot into the corner, was the quickest in the Premier League in nearly four years.
And after taking the lead, Arsenal appeared ready to run away as Van Persie chipped a superb angled shot back off the far post in the 12th minute before curling just wide from 25 yards (meters) soon after.
Sunderland's defense appeared at a standstill as Gervinho fired over from a good position before a dip by the hosts allowed Sunderland to get back in it at the Emirates stadium.
Sunderland scored against the run of play after Mikel Arteta was penalized for handball, with Larsson stepping up to whip a shot into the top corner beyond the reach of Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Szczesny then scrambled across his line to make a point-blank stop to Lee Cattermole's close-range header before Jack Colback volleyed over from 10 yards.<
rsenal re-established its authority in the second half but failed to seriously test Sunderland 'keeper Simon Mignolet, increasing the frustrations of the home crowd.
Russia forward Andrey Arshavin came close to putting Arsenal ahead after the substitute embarked on a run in the 73rd that took him past four players before poking his shot narrowly wide.
Van Persie, however, stepped up to rescue Arsenal with a late winner that showed how important he will be to the Gunners following the offseason departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.