Arsenal have knocked champions Manchester United off the top of the Premier League with a convincing 4-1 win over Middlesbrough at Highbury.
With United hosting Newcastle on Sunday, a Thierry Henry penalty, an own goal by Boro's French defender Franck Queudrue, and second-half strikes from Robert Pires and Frederik Ljungberg hoisted Arsenal to the top on alphabetical order.
Saturday's win, which gave Arsenal 49 points and identical goals scored and conceded to United, was a setback for third-placed Chelsea, who are now seven points adrift of both their title rivals ahead of their match against Leicester City on Sunday.
Charlton Athletic stayed fourth with a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Liverpool followed up a midweek win at Chelsea with a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa, and Fulham, also chasing a Champions League slot, were 2-1 winners over Everton.
But the spotlight was inevitably turned on Highbury, where Arsenal played the first of four games in 19 days against the same opponents. Arsene Wenger's men also face Boro in the FA Cup fourth round and a two-legged League Cup semi-final.
The outcome was a good omen for the home side, whose fluid attacking football was interrupted only when Boro's Italian substitute Massimo Maccarone converted an 86th minute penalty.
"It was a complete team performance, defensively and offensively," Wenger told Sky Sports. "Until 75 minutes, we were really, really good.
"What killed the game was maybe the second goal just before halftime... but today we could have scored more."
Jason Euell struck both goals for Charlton, while Liverpool's win was secured by a Mark Delaney own goal that kept them fifth in the table two points behind Charlton.
Manchester City extended their winless streak to 14 games with a 4-2 defeat at lowly Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers beat Blackburn Rovers 4-3, while Robbie Keane scored against his old club in Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 away win at Elland Road against Leeds United.
© 2024 Rediff.com -