Liverpool ended Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten home run in the Premier League on Sunday as they grabbed a hard-fought 1-0 victory to go top of the standings.
Xabi Alonso's deflected 10th-minute goal shattered a Chelsea sequence on home soil stretching back to February 2004 and lifted Liverpool three points clear of Chelsea and third-placed Hull City.
Arsenal continue to keep pace with the leaders, striking twice in the final 15 minutes for a 2-0 win at West Ham United.
Arsene Wenger's side have 19 points in fourth, separated from the top three by only one point.
At the other end of the standings, Tottenham Hotspur started the Harry Redknapp era with their first success of the season.
With Juande Ramos' replacement Redknapp spending most of the game in the dug-out, Spurs secured a welcome 2-0 win over Bolton.
Portsmouth started life without Redknapp, who left on Saturday to join Spurs, by being held to a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park by Fulham.
Manchester City moved back into the top half of the table as Robinho scored a hat-trick to help the side beat promoted Stoke City 3-0, while Aston Villa crushed struggling Wigan 4-0.
Chelsea enjoyed long periods of possession, but Liverpool neverflinched and could have doubled their victory margin had Alonso's second-half free-kick not hit an upright.
At Stamford Bridge, Rafael Benitez's side handed Luiz Felipe Scolari his first setback since taking over.
Benitez believes that the 1-0 win against Chelsea and Liverpool' s unbeaten record so far have served notice of his team's Premier League ambitions.
"To win here and stay top of the table unbeaten is a massive message for the other teams," he said.
"With the players showing the character they did, it was a big boost for the rest of the season."
Alonso scored the only goal of a tight game after 10 minutes when the Spanish midfielder's shot deflected off Jose Bosingwa and wrong-footed Petr Cech.
Chelsea enjoyed long periods of possession, but Liverpool never flinched and could have doubled their victory margin had Alonso's second-half free-kick not hit an upright.
Ashley Cole missed Chelsea's best chance after the break, hitting the ball wide from eight yards after 74 minutes.
Goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent awarded Spurs their first victory in nine league games. But they still stay at the bottom of the table, though is only one point behind 19th- placed Newcastle.
Spurs made the breakthrough on 17 minutes when David Bentley swung in a cross from the right and Pavlyuchenko headed in his first Premier League goal.
Bolton's prospects of getting back into the game were dealt a blow on 56 minutes when Gavin McCann was sent off for a second booking.
Bent sealed the victory from the penalty spot after being challenged by Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Source: Xinhua
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