Man United and Chelsea stay top – Arsenal to 4th.
Manchester United produced a second-half revival to stay on top of the Barclays Premiership by beating Wigan 3-1 at the JJB Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.Nemanja Vidic and Louis Saha scored within a four-minute spell to turn the game around after Wigan had led at the interval through Leighton Baines’ early opener.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finished off the scoring in stoppage time but the transformation owed much to the introduction of Ryan Giggs, who, despite being some way short of full fitness, proved unstoppable.
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United remain ahead of Chelsea only on goal difference after the champions beat Reading 1-0 in an eventful encounter at the Madejski Stadium
Jose Mourinho’s men ended the game with John Terry in goal after both of their goalkeepers, Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini, were stretchered off.
Frank Lampard’s shot deflected off Ivar Ingimarsson in the final minute of the first half for the only goal. And to add to the drama both John Obi Mikel and Andre Bikey were sent off during a bad-tempered second half.
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Craig Bellamy finally scored his first Premiership goal for Liverpool but Blackburn held on for a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Anfield.
In-form Benni McCarthy gave Rovers a half-time lead after sweeping home his fifth goal in his last six games after David Bentley’s right-wing cross was allowed to bounce through to him at the far post.
Bellamy levelled when Fabio Aurelio’s corner attracted everyone else towards the near post, leaving the Wales striker completely unmarked to stoop and head past Brad Friedel.
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Arsenal romped to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Watford at the Emirates Stadium.
Jordan Stewart was credited with an own goal after Cesc Fabregas’ free-kick caused havoc in the Hornets’ area and Thierry Henry made it two after latching onto a long ball and outpacing his marker before slotting home.
Henry unselfishly turned provider for number three, drawing Foster before squaring for Emmanuel Adebayor to tap into the empty net.
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Aston Villa recovered from a Juan Pablo Angel double-whammy against 10-man Tottenham to remain the only unbeaten side in English league football.
The Colombian blazed a 72nd-minute penalty wide after Calum Davenport had been sent off for bringing down Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Three minutes later Angel headed Jermain Defoe’s corner into his own net to seemingly complete a miserable afternoon at Villa Park.
But captain Gareth Barry scored a superb equaliser to earn Martin O’Neill’s men a 1-1 draw, cutting inside two men before curling a right-foot finish past Paul Robinson.
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Everton were beaten for the first time this season after going down 2-1 at struggling Middlesbrough.
Yakubu put Boro ahead from the spot after being felled by Tim Howard before missing his first penalty in English football following Joleon Lescott’s handball.
Mark Viduka finished off a brilliant move to double Boro’s lead but Tim Cahill thumped Andrew Johnson’s threaded ball past Mark Schwarzer to set up a grandstand finish.
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Portsmouth got back to winning ways after Kanu and substitute Andy Cole handed them a 2-0 victory against struggling West Ham.
Kanu scored his sixth goal of the campaign after breaking free of his marker to head home Glen Johnson’s inswinging cross. Cole came off the bench to score a fine second, exchanging passes with Matthew Taylor before turning and firing beyond Roy Carroll.
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Manchester City were held to a goalless draw by Sheffield United, the best chance falling to Bernardo Corradi who headed straight at Paddy Kenny from six yards, with Georgios Samaras firing the follow-up wide.
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