Chelsea remained on top of the English Premier League after a rampant 5-0 win at Middlesbrough while Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United all won to fill up the top four slots on Saturday.
Liverpool scored twice in the last 10 minutes for a thrilling 3-2 home win over Wigan Athletic, levelling with the leaders on 20points.
Third-placed Arsenal also kept the pace as a 3-1 comeback victory at home to Everton left them four points behind, while champions Manchester United moved up to fourth after crushing WestBromwich 4-0 at Old Trafford.
Aston Villa tied with the United on 14 points after clinching only one point from a tight 0-0 draw at Villa Park against 10-man Portsmouth.
Fulham also drew 0-0 at home with Sunderland but visiting manager Roy Keane was livid with referee Keith Stroud for disallowing a seemingly valid goal. The North West derby at the Reebok Stadium produced a third goalless result of the day as neither Bolton Wanderers nor Blackburn Rovers could find a way through.
Chelsea travelled to Middlesbrough with Petr Cech, Ashley Cole,Michael Ballack and Joe Cole among those sidelined by injury.
But Salomon Kalou and Juliano Belletti, two of the replacements brought on by manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, contributed the first two goals as Kalou opened the scoring after 14 minutes and the latter made it 2-0 with a stunning 30-yard shot six minutes after the restart.
In the following 16 minutes action, Kalou added his second whenhis low strike deflected off David Wheater before a Frank Lampard diving header and Florent Malouda's tap-in secured their best awayleague win for five years.
"Congratulations to the players because they have won one important game," said Scolari.
"After 10 days away with their national teams we changed many players but those that were on the pitch played better than those that were not on the field.
"They played with style and I do not want to change that. I want the players to play with the ball and to be changing their positions," added he.
Dirk Kuyt's scissor-kick five minutes from time gave an important three points against Wigan for Liverpool to keep pressure on Chelsea.
Amr Zaki gave the visitors the lead after a mistake from DanielAgger, but Kuyt fired Liverpool level.
On the stroke of half-time Zaki scored a spectacular overhead-kick to restore Wigan's lead, before Antonio Valencia wassent off for two bookable offences.
Liverpool took advantage to equalize 10 minutes from time through Albert Riera and there was still time for Kuyt to grab thewinner.
He met Jermaine Pennant's pin-point cross with a flying volley that hit the ground before flying over the despairing dive of Chris Kirkland.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article