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Chelsea go top of the log
25/08/2007 19:07 - (SA)
Krystyna Rudzki
London - Arsenal ended the perfect start of Sven-Goran Eriksson as Manchester City manager on Saturday with a 1-0 win, while Chelsea also won 1-0 against Portsmouth to go top of the Premier League.
Cesc Fabregas scored in the 80th minute for the Gunners, who earlier had a penalty saved by Man City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Arsenal's win ended the perfect start to the Man City career of former England coach Eriksson.
City also lost top spot to Chelsea, with Frank Lampard's goal giving the Blues 10 points. City is second with nine points.
Also on Saturday, it was: Aston Villa 2, Fulham 1; Bolton 3, Reading 0; Derby 1, Birmingham 2; West Ham 1, Wigan 1. Everton 1, Blackburn 1.
On Sunday, Manchester United hosts Tottenham and Newcastle is at Middlesbrough.
At Emirates, Schmeichel saved a penalty from Arsenal striker Robin van Persie in the 73rd minute.
The 20-year-old son of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel only started because of injury to first-choice No 1 Andreas Isaksson, but Saturday's goal was the only one Schmeichel has conceded in four league matches this season.
Late in the match, Schmeichel pushed a shot from Fabregas over the bar, and he also forced Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia to save a shot from him in injury-time after he had run up for a City corner.
Flick-on from Didier Drogba
Frank Lampard gave Chelsea the lead in the 31st minute at Stamford Bridge. After collecting a flick-on from Didier Drogba, Lampard ran clear and struck the ball under Portsmouth goalkeeper David James.
Portsmouth has now failed to beat Chelsea in nine meetings since it returned to the Premier League in 2003.
Liverpool defeated Sunderland with debut Premier League goals from Mohamed Sissoko and Andriy Voronin.
Sissoko scored in the 37th minute with a powerful shot into the corner of the goal. Voronin, who joined Liverpool in the off-season, added a second in the 87th minute in another well-worked move.
Liverpool were denied a larger win by a strong performance from Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was happy to register the club's second win away from home this season after only notching up six in total away from Anfield last season.
"We had chances that maybe could have been in before (the second goal) but in this period when everyone was talking about our performances away last season, I think it was really important to win the match," Benitez said.
The win came with two injuries to defenders - Sami Hyypia broke his nose and Jamie Carragher was taken to the hospital with a suspected broken ribs.
Argument with the referee
Fulham scored the opening goal through Clint Dempsey in the sixth minute, but lost 2-1 to Aston Villa and finished with 10 men when Chris Baird was sent off for two yellow cards in the 70th.
Ashley Young levelled for Villa in the 51st minute, with a deflection off Fulham defender Zat Knight, and substitute Shaun Maloney had a 90th-minute winner.
Villa manager Martin O'Neill watched the second half from the stands after an argument with referee Steve Bennett. Fulham hasn't won away from home since September.
Gary Speed, Nicolas Anelka and substitute Daniel Braaten each scored to give Sammy Lee his first win as Bolton manager.
Lee drew one game and lost the other after taking over from Sam Allardyce near the end of last season. Saturday's result was Bolton's first win from four games this season.
West Ham defender Lee Bowyer scored in the 81st minute to earn his club a 1-1 draw with Wigan. Paul Scharner had scored in the 78th minute with an acrobatic overhead strike.
Cameron Jerome scored twice for Birmingham in a 2-1 win at Derby. Jerome scored in the first and 63rd minutes for Derby's first win of the season. Matt Oakley replied for Derby in the 51st.
At Goodison Park, Blackburn's Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz scored in the 15th minute but hosts Everton equalised 12 minutes from time in a keenly-fought contest.
Scotland striker James McFadden rescued a point with a well-taken right-foot volley from Mikel Arteta.
Everton are fifth in the table, while Blackburn are eighth.
- SAPA
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