Arsenal power up to second place

Arsenal leapt to second in the Premier League when they thumped Blackburn Rovers 3-0 and Wigan Athletic lost 2-1 at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Goals by Francesc Fabregas, Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie gave Arsenal a win that lifted their points tally to 26, eight fewer than champions Chelsea who were playing at Portsmouth in a match that kicked off at 2245 IST.

Wigan slipped to third on 25 points after Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids netted his first goal for Spurs in their victory at the JJB Stadium. Spurs are up to fifth on 24 points.

On a day when fans paid their respects to former Manchester United great George Best, who died on Friday, improving Liverpool won 1-0 at Manchester City, Birmingham won 1-0 at bottom club Sunderland and Aston Villa beat Charlton, also 1-0.

Some fans observed a minute's silence for Best, others applauded his memory, although it was not well-observed everywhere and the tribute was cut short at the Manchester City-Liverpool match, BBC reported.

Best's former club United, who are fourth on 24 points, play at West Ham on Sunday.

Arsenal were not entirely comfortable throughout the first half at Highbury.

However a low fourth-minute shot by Spanish midfielder Fabregas and French striker Henry's sliding finish on the stroke of halftime, after he was sent through by Robert Pires, gave them control.

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Robbie Keane strengthened his case for a regular starting place with an eighth-minute goal to put Spurs in front at Wigan and Davids drilled in their second 13 minutes from time.

Wigan striker Lee McCulloch halved the deficit after 88 minutes but it proved too late for Paul Jewell's promoted side.

CROUCH WOE

In Manchester Liverpool once again made light of the failings of their striker Peter Crouch.

Crouch endured his 17th game without a goal since joining the club but a typically fierce drive by Norwegian John Arne Riise on the hour secured Liverpool a 1-0 win over Stuart Pearce's Manchester City.

The European champions' fourth consecutive league victory lifted them above City to seventh place on 22 points and they have a game in hand on the leading trio.

Bottom club Sunderland slipped four points adrift after the team above them, Birmingham, won 1-0 at the Stadium of Light thanks to Julian Gray's close range 68th-minute goal.