United and Arsenal romp to wins as Spurs claim late leveller
Premier League leaders Manchester United romped to a 5-0 victory over Birmingham City, as Arsenal had an equally easy afternoon against Wigan.
United made sure they would not be relinquishing top spot this weekend as they cruised past Birmingham, who barely showed anything at Old Trafford with Dimitar Berbatov claiming his third hat-trick of the season.
Arsenal's 3-0 win over Wigan was just as impressive with Ali Al Habsi keeping the score down and only a missed penalty preventing Robin van Persie from claiming four goals.
United made sure they would not be relinquishing top spot this weekend as they cruised past Birmingham, who barely showed anything at Old Trafford with Dimitar Berbatov claiming his third hat-trick of the season.
Arsenal's 3-0 win over Wigan was just as impressive with Ali Al Habsi keeping the score down and only a missed penalty preventing Robin van Persie from claiming four goals.
Manchester City can move back into second place when they travel to Aston Villa for the late kick-off.
Tottenham could have moved into the top four, but were only able to claim a 1-1 draw against Newcastle at St James' Park.
Sunderland have now moved level with Spurs after they claimed an excellent 2-1 win at Blackpool with Kieran Richardson scoring both in the first half.
But it is once again Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United who will be claiming the headlines this weekend as they romped to a 5-0 win over Birmingham.
Alex McLeish side's were woeful from the off and were 1-0 down within two minutes as Berbatov headed home from close range after John O'Shea flicked on Ryan Giggs' corner.
Berbatov made it 2-0 on the half-hour this time as he skipped inside the area before finishing clinically.
On the stroke of half-time it was 3-0 with Giggs firing into the roof of the net after a brilliant ball across the box by Wayne Rooney.
Just minutes into the second half Giggs was again involved in the fourth as he provided Berbatov with his third goal as he slid in at the near post.
The scoring was completed with Nani firing in with an archetypal finish from the edge of the box as he skipped inside past the full-back.
Arsenal produced an emphatic display at Emirates Stadium with Al Habsi preventing the scoreline from being a cricket score as Wigan lost 3-0.
Van Persie fired Arsenal ahead on 21 minutes when he lashed the ball home from 12 yards after a lovely through ball from Alex Song.
The second did not come until the hour when Van Persie volleyed home from close range after a great ball from Cesc Fabregas.
Wigan's day then got even worse with Gary Caldwell red carded for a foul on Fabregas, but van Persie missed the chance to claim his hat-trick.
But Van Perside made sure he got the match ball with five minutes left as Theo Walcott broke into the box and left the ball for the Dutchman to lash home.
Tottenham needed a last-minute equaliser from Aaron Lennon to salvage a 1-1 draw at Newcastle as they missed the chance to move back into the top four.
Spurs were hampered early on when star man Gareth Bale was forced off through injury.
Their day got much worse ten minutes into the second half when Fabricio Coloccini fired home a wonderful goal as he collected Danny Guthrie's cross-field pass on his chest before half-volleying it home from 12 yards.
Newcastle, though, could not hang on as deep into stoppage time Spurs broke and levelled. Peter Crouch won the flick-on, Jermain Defoe fed Lennon, and he cut inside onto his right foot and finished at the near post past Steve Harper.
Tottenham could have moved into the top four, but were only able to claim a 1-1 draw against Newcastle at St James' Park.
Sunderland have now moved level with Spurs after they claimed an excellent 2-1 win at Blackpool with Kieran Richardson scoring both in the first half.
But it is once again Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United who will be claiming the headlines this weekend as they romped to a 5-0 win over Birmingham.
Alex McLeish side's were woeful from the off and were 1-0 down within two minutes as Berbatov headed home from close range after John O'Shea flicked on Ryan Giggs' corner.
Berbatov made it 2-0 on the half-hour this time as he skipped inside the area before finishing clinically.
On the stroke of half-time it was 3-0 with Giggs firing into the roof of the net after a brilliant ball across the box by Wayne Rooney.
Just minutes into the second half Giggs was again involved in the fourth as he provided Berbatov with his third goal as he slid in at the near post.
The scoring was completed with Nani firing in with an archetypal finish from the edge of the box as he skipped inside past the full-back.
Arsenal produced an emphatic display at Emirates Stadium with Al Habsi preventing the scoreline from being a cricket score as Wigan lost 3-0.
Van Persie fired Arsenal ahead on 21 minutes when he lashed the ball home from 12 yards after a lovely through ball from Alex Song.
The second did not come until the hour when Van Persie volleyed home from close range after a great ball from Cesc Fabregas.
Wigan's day then got even worse with Gary Caldwell red carded for a foul on Fabregas, but van Persie missed the chance to claim his hat-trick.
But Van Perside made sure he got the match ball with five minutes left as Theo Walcott broke into the box and left the ball for the Dutchman to lash home.
Tottenham needed a last-minute equaliser from Aaron Lennon to salvage a 1-1 draw at Newcastle as they missed the chance to move back into the top four.
Spurs were hampered early on when star man Gareth Bale was forced off through injury.
Their day got much worse ten minutes into the second half when Fabricio Coloccini fired home a wonderful goal as he collected Danny Guthrie's cross-field pass on his chest before half-volleying it home from 12 yards.
Newcastle, though, could not hang on as deep into stoppage time Spurs broke and levelled. Peter Crouch won the flick-on, Jermain Defoe fed Lennon, and he cut inside onto his right foot and finished at the near post past Steve Harper.
Sunderland are now within a point of Spurs, after they shrugged off the loss of Darren Bent to grab a 2-1 win at Blackpool.
The Black Cats dominated the first half and were deservedly leading 2-0 at the break.
The first was a great sweeping move with Asamoah Gyan sliding through a wonderful ball for Richardson to fire home across Richard Kingson.
The England international made it 2-0 with a similarly good finish, this time after some great work from Steed Malbranque down the left.
The Black Cats dominated the first half and were deservedly leading 2-0 at the break.
The first was a great sweeping move with Asamoah Gyan sliding through a wonderful ball for Richardson to fire home across Richard Kingson.
The England international made it 2-0 with a similarly good finish, this time after some great work from Steed Malbranque down the left.
Blackpool, who had to replace goalkeeper Kingson with a head injury, fought back in the second half and were awarded a penalty when Nedum Onuoha clipped David Vaughan.
Want-away captain Charlie Adam slotted home the penalty but Blackpool could not find an equaliser.
West Ham missed the chance to climb off the bottom of the table after a 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park.
Want-away captain Charlie Adam slotted home the penalty but Blackpool could not find an equaliser.
West Ham missed the chance to climb off the bottom of the table after a 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park.
West Ham went ahead just before the half-hour with a classic counter-attack goal with Luis Boa Morte breaking with pace before pulling the ball back for Jonathan Spector to slot home.
Everton levelled with just 17 minutes remaining with Diniyar Bilyaletdinov firing home after a great knock-down from Marouane Fellaini.
But West Ham looked to have clinched a win when Frederic Piquionne rose to brilliantly head home Wayne Bridge's cross.
However, the Frenchman then picked up a second yellow card for his celebrations which left the Hammers with ten men for the closing minutes.
And Avram Grant's men could not hang on as Fellaini was on hand to fire home from close range after Jack Rodwell knocked down Leon Osman's cross.
Wolves stayed second from bottom as they succumbed 3-0 to Liverpool in the early game with a Fernando Torres brace sandwiching a wonderful 25-yard volley from Raul Meireles.
Finally, Fulham moved four points clear of the drop zone as they clinched a 2-0 win over Stoke City with Clint Demspey grabbing both goals.
The American was on hand to open the scoring on the half-hour when he slid in from close range after great work from Andy Johnson.
Dempsey then won a penalty with Ryan Shawcross seeing red for bringing him down in the box. The American got up to slot home the spot-kick and clinch the win.
Everton levelled with just 17 minutes remaining with Diniyar Bilyaletdinov firing home after a great knock-down from Marouane Fellaini.
But West Ham looked to have clinched a win when Frederic Piquionne rose to brilliantly head home Wayne Bridge's cross.
However, the Frenchman then picked up a second yellow card for his celebrations which left the Hammers with ten men for the closing minutes.
And Avram Grant's men could not hang on as Fellaini was on hand to fire home from close range after Jack Rodwell knocked down Leon Osman's cross.
Wolves stayed second from bottom as they succumbed 3-0 to Liverpool in the early game with a Fernando Torres brace sandwiching a wonderful 25-yard volley from Raul Meireles.
Finally, Fulham moved four points clear of the drop zone as they clinched a 2-0 win over Stoke City with Clint Demspey grabbing both goals.
The American was on hand to open the scoring on the half-hour when he slid in from close range after great work from Andy Johnson.
Dempsey then won a penalty with Ryan Shawcross seeing red for bringing him down in the box. The American got up to slot home the spot-kick and clinch the win.
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