Golden chance for Arsenal

Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC played out a scoreless draw after Manchester City FC won 2-1 at Manchester United FC to complete a Premier League double over their city rivals.

Few chances
In a tight game at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool had the best opportunities with Peter Crouch passing up a trio of first-half chances. Chelsea, who could have gone to within a point of second-placed Manchester United after the latter's loss earlier in the day, could not find a way through the disciplined away defence and did not have an effort on target during the first period.

Ballack effort
Chelsea stepped up a gear in the second period and nearly won the game ten minutes from the end as Michael Ballack's volley drifted just wide. However, the draw leaves the London side five points behind league leaders Arsenal FC while Liverpool rise from seventh to fifth.

Home setback
There was a minute's silence before the Manchester derby in memory for the victims of the Munich air disaster, which happened fifty years ago this week. Once the game got under way, first-half goals from Darius Vassell and debutant Benjani Mwaruwari inflicted United's first home league reverse of the season, putting a serious dent in their title ambitions. An added-time goal from Michael Carrick was scant consolation for United, who have now lost four league games this term, two of which have come against their near neighbours.

Benjani glee
The visitors took the lead midway through the opening period when Vassell slotted in the loose ball after Edwin van der Sar had first denied Stephen Ireland and then Vassell himself. United threatened the Manchester City rearguard on a number of occasions but Sven-Göran Eriksson's team held firm and added a second moments before the interval when Benjani's glancing header from a Martin Petrov cross found the bottom corner.


Phil Jagielka's header was enough to give fourth-placed Everton FC a 1-0 win against Reading FC and open up a three-point gap to Aston Villa FC, who won 4-1 at home to Newcastle United FC with John Carew scoring a hat-trick.

Reading slump
Everton went into their game against Steve Coppell's strugglers unbeaten in five league games and looking to surge four points clear of their Merseyside rivals Liverpool FC ahead of their game at Chelsea FC tomorrow. Jagielka's header on 62 minutes proved decisive and saw Reading slip into the bottom three after suffering a seventh straight league defeat.

Carew treble
Aston Villa got off to the worst possible start when Michael Owen (4) headed in for Newcastle but Wilfred Bouma's equaliser after 48 minutes kick-started a string of goals for the home side. Carew headed in Ashley Young's left-wing corner then added another to confirm the points 18 minutes from time before converting a late penalty to complete his hat-trick.

Diarra stars
Lassana Diarra's 81st-minute strike was the difference between Portsmouth FC and hosts Bolton Wanderers FC and saw Harry Redknapp's team move into seventh spot while second-half goals from Robbie Keane, Younes Kaboul and a Dimitar Berbatov penalty gave Tottenham Hotspur FC a 3-0 win at basement side Derby County FC. The remaining three games all had implications at the bottom end of the table.

Relegation struggle
Middlesbrough FC moved above north-east rivals Newcastle as Jérémie Aliadière gave them a 1-0 win against Fulham FC. Dickson Etuhu and Daryl Murphy were on target as Sunderland AFC leapfrogged opponents Wigan Athletic FC and pulled five points clear of the drop zone while Birmingham City FC jumped out of the bottom three as James McFadden's penalty earned them a 1-1 draw at West Ham United FC. The other game tomorrow sees Manchester United FC entertain Manchester City FC.