William Gallas scored a second-half header to earn Arsenal victory in a scrappy match with Portsmouth.
In a drab first half, Portsmouth came close to opening the scoring when Peter Crouch saw his header hit the post.
Arsenal's best opening fell to Emmanuel Adebayor but Sylvain Distin's excellent tackle prevented a certain goal.
After the break, Adebayor and Samir Nasri missed chances before Gallas got in front of David James to nod home the winner from Denilson's cross.
The result lifts Arsenal to fourth place in the table, above Aston Villa, by virtue of having scored one more goal than Martin O'Neill's side, who next play on Tuesday.
But for a long time, it looked as though Arsenal would not get past a much-improved Pompey defence and that visiting boss Tony Adams would get something out of his return to the club he belonged to for 20 years.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Eboue (Vela 66), Denilson, Diaby (Ramsey 75), Nasri, Adebayor, Bendtner.
Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Toure, Van Persie, Wilshere, Gibbs.
Goals: Gallas 81.
Portsmouth: James, Wilson, Campbell, Distin, Belhadj, Nugent (Defoe 88), Diop (Pamarot 90), Davis, Hughes (Mvuemba 50), Kranjcar, Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Hreidarsson, Little, Kanu.
Booked: Hughes.
Att: 60,092
Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).
____________________________________________________________________
| Blackburn | 2-2
(HT 1-0) | Man City |
McCarthy 45+1
Roberts 84
|
| Sturridge 88
Robinho 90+4
|
Bookings:
Kerimoglu 33
Nelsen 90+1
|
| Bookings:
Ireland 54 |
Manchester City scored two late goals to snatch a point at Blackburn.
Benni McCarthy had put Rovers ahead with a crisp strike on the stroke of half-time and Jason Roberts headed a second after 84 minutes.
But City substitute Daniel Sturridge drilled home after pouncing on a poor defensive header from Andre Ooijer.
Robinho, who earlier missed a good headed chance, then slotted home deep in injury time after Sturridge picked him out with a great pass.
The result means that Blackburn extended their unbeaten run under Sam Allardyce to three games but it will nonetheless feel like two points dropped for the home team.
Results earlier on Sunday meant that Rovers had started the fixture bottom of the league - and victory would have seen them leapfrog both West Brom and Stoke.
Blackburn: Robinson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Emerton, Kerimoglu (Mokoena 73), Andrews, Pedersen, McCarthy (Derbyshire 85), Roberts.
Subs Not Used: Brown, Khizanishvili, Vogel, Treacy, Olsson.
Booked: Kerimoglu, Nelsen.
Goals: McCarthy 45, Roberts 84.
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Onuoha (Richards 64), Dunne, Ball, Ireland, Kompany, Elano (Vassell 71), Wright-Phillips, Caicedo (Sturridge 71), Robinho.
Subs Not Used:Schmeichel, Jo, Garrido, Fernandes.
Booked: Ireland.
Goals: Sturridge 88, Robinho 90.
Att: 25,200
Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
____________________________________________________________________
| Bolton | 0-1
(HT 0-1) | Wigan |
|
| Zaki (pen) 44
|
Bookings:
Nolan 6
Steinsson 28
|
| Bookings:
Taylor 19
Palacios 30
Cattermole 81 |
Wigan won for the fifth time in their last six Premier League fixtures and moved seventh in the table after shading a tight contest at Bolton.
Amr Zaki scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot after Andrew O'Brien had dragged down Henri Camara.
Wilson Palacios headed off the line for Wigan, while Mike Pollitt denied Johan Elmander and Kevin Davies hit the post with the follow-up.
Bolton's Danny Shittu also hit the bar with a looping injury-time header.
It was a frustrating afternoon for the hosts, who were looking for a positive response after a 3-0 defeat at Liverpool on Boxing Day.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Shittu, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel (Riga 65), Taylor, Nolan (Muamba 64), McCann, Gardner (Obadeyi 87), Elmander, Davies.
Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Smolarek, Fogut, Basham.
Booked: Nolan, Steinsson.
Wigan: Pollitt, Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble, Figueroa, Valencia, Cattermole, Palacios, Taylor (Kilbane 86), Heskey (Camara 33), Zaki (Brown 90).
Subs Not Used: Kingson, Koumas, Boyce, De Ridder.
Booked: Taylor, Palacios, Cattermole.
Goals: Zaki 44 pen.
Att: 23,726
Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).
____________________________________________________________________
| Everton | 3-0
(HT 2-0) | Sunderland |
Arteta 10
Arteta 27
Gosling 83
|
|
|
Bookings:
Jagielka 67
|
| Bookings:
Malbranque 26
Bardsley 54
Tainio 72
Whitehead 73 |
Everton's impressive recent resurgence continued as they made it a losing start for Sunderland's new full-time manager Ricky Sbragia.
The inspirational Mikel Arteta gave Everton the lead with a free-kick after 10 minutes and quickly added a second with a deflected 20-yard shot.
Sunderland improved after the break but barely threatened Everton's defence.
And 18-year-old substitute Dan Gosling slid in his first goal for the club with seven minutes remaining.
It crowned an outstanding display by Everton, who have made light of losing a series of recognised strikers to step up their assault on a European place by recording only their second win at Goodison Park this season.
Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Arteta, Osman (Gosling 69), Neville, Fellaini (Anichebe 77), Pienaar, Cahill (Jutkiewicz 86).
Subs Not Used: Nash, Van der Meyde, Rodwell, Kissock.
Booked: Jagielka.
Goals: Arteta 10, 27, Gosling 83.
Sunderland: Fulop, Whitehead, Nosworthy, Collins, Bardsley, Malbranque (Edwards 46), Tainio (Yorke 75), Richardson, Murphy, Cisse (Healy 75), Jones.
Subs Not Used: Colgan, Colback, Henderson, Prica.
Booked: Malbranque, Bardsley, Tainio, Whitehead.
Att: 39,146
Ref: Rob Styles (Hampshire).
____________________________________________________________________
| Fulham | 2-2
(HT 1-0) | Chelsea |
Dempsey 10
Dempsey 89
|
| Lampard 50
Lampard 72
|
Bookings:
Dempsey 90+1
|
| Bookings:
Drogba 82
Bosingwa 90+3 |
Clint Dempsey grabbed a last-minute equaliser as Fulham denied Chelsea victory in a pulsating London derby.
Dempsey rose high to powerfully head past Petr Cech after it looked as though Frank Lampard's brace would be enough to earn Chelsea three points.
The American had flicked Fulham into an early lead before Lampard levelled with a cool finish following a mix-up.
Lampard's 30-yard free-kick put Chelsea ahead but Dempsey levelled to leave the Blues three points behind Liverpool.
After a shaky start at Craven Cottage it seemed as though Chelsea were destined to win thanks to a Lampard-inspired second-half display, but Fulham battled hard throughout and will feel they deserved their late reward
Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Davies, Etuhu (Andreasen 78), Murphy (Baird 90), Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora (Nevland 78).
Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Gray, Stoor, Kallio.
Goals: Dempsey 10, 89.
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Alex (Carvalho 37), Ashley Cole, Deco, Mikel, Lampard, Joe Cole (Kalou 72), Drogba, Malouda (Anelka 30).
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Ballack, Ferreira, Belletti.
Booked: Drogba, Bosingwa.
Goals: Lampard 50, 72.
Att: 25,462.
Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
____________________________________________________________________
| Newcastle | 1-5
(HT 1-2) | Liverpool |
Edgar 45+2
|
| Gerrard 31
Hyypia 36
Babel 50
Gerrard 66
Alonso (pen) 77
|
Bookings:
Taylor 75
Given 90
|
| Bookings:
Mascherano 59 |
Liverpool cemented their place at the Premier League summit with a ruthless demolition of Newcastle United.
Newcastle keeper Shay Given denied Liverpool before Steven Gerrard stroked home from 12 yards after 31 minutes.
Sami Hyypia headed a second five minutes later, but David Edgar pulled one back on the stroke of half-time.
Ryan Babel scrambled home Liverpool's third five minutes after the break. Gerrard raced clear for a fourth and Xabi Alonso made it five from the spot.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez surprisingly left Robbie Keane, a two-goal hero in the Boxing Day win against Bolton, on the bench - and how the Republic of Ireland striker must have wished he had been on the pitch in an encounter that was embarrassingly one-sided from start to finish.
Newcastle: Given, Edgar, Taylor, Coloccini, Jose Enrique (Ameobi 46), Gutierrez, Guthrie, Butt (Geremi 56), N'Zogbia, Duff, Owen (LuaLua 79).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Xisco, Kadar, Carroll.
Booked: Taylor, Given.
Goals: Edgar 45.
Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Hyypia, Agger, Insua, Benayoun (Alonso 60), Mascherano, Leiva Lucas, Babel, Gerrard (Ngog 70), Kuyt (Skrtel 79).
Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Keane, Riera, El Zhar.
Booked: Mascherano.
Goals: Gerrard 31, Hyypia 36, Babel 50, Gerrard 66, Alonso 77 pen.
Att: 52,114
Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
____________________________________________________________________
| West Brom | 2-0
(HT 0-0) | Tottenham |
Bednar 83
Beattie 90+4
|
|
|
Bookings:
Morrison 28
Brunt 45
Zuiverloon 59
|
| Bookings:
Dawson 14
Jenas 88
|
|
| Sent off:
Assou-Ekotto 35 |
West Brom boosted their Premier League survival prospects with a valuable home win over 10-man Tottenham.
Roman Bednar's header put the home side in front on 83 minutes when he latched on to Marek Cech's long ball to beat Heurelho Gomes from 10 yards.
And substitute Craig Beattie clinched the points with an injury-time second.
Spurs had been reduced to 10 men when left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto was sent off for a dangerous stamp on Gianni Zuiverloon after 34 minutes.
The victory was West Brom's second in a row at home, six points which could prove crucial as the Baggies attempt to stave off the threat of relegation.
West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon (Hoefkens 72), Olsson, Barnett, Cech, Morrison, Greening, Brunt (Dorrans 65), Borja Valero (Beattie 80), Bednar, Moore.
Subs Not Used: Kiely, Kim, MacDonald, Donk.
Booked: Morrison, Brunt, Zuiverloon.
Goals: Bednar 83, Beattie 90.
Tottenham: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, Woodgate, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Zokora (Campbell 86), Jenas, Bentley (O'Hara 69), Modric (Bale 75), Bent.
Subs Not Used: Cesar, Gunter, Taarabt, Obika.
Sent Off: Assou-Ekotto (35).
Booked: Dawson, Jenas.
Att: 26,344
Ref: Steve Tanner (Somerset).
____________________________________________________________________
| West Ham | 2-1
(HT 0-1) | Stoke |
Cole 51
Tristan 88
|
| Ab Faye 4
|
Bookings:
Cole 23
Boa Morte 32
Di Michele 36
|
| Bookings:
Olofinjana 45+2
Higginbotham 65
Ab Faye 73
|
|
| Sent off:
Fuller 54 |
West Ham snatched a late win over a Stoke side that was reduced to 10 men after striker Ricardo Fuller was sent off for fighting with a team-mate.
Abdoulaye Faye's free header which put Stoke ahead was the highlight of a scrappy first half.
Carlton Cole turned Andy Griffin to level for West Ham and some fiery Stoke recriminations saw Fuller dismissed.
Stoke looked to be heading for a draw until Cole's shot was deflected off Diego Tristan into the net late on.
The first half was a disjointed affair, characterised by Stoke defending in numbers, West Ham piling forward to little clear purpose and over-officious refereeing.
West Ham: Green, Faubert, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker (Mullins 77), Collison (Tristan 77), Boa Morte, Di Michele (Spector 89), Cole.
Subs Not Used: Lastuvka, Bowyer, Sears, Ngala.
Booked: Cole, Boa Morte, Di Michele.
Goals: Cole 51, Tristan 88.
Stoke: Sorensen, Griffin (Davies 58), Abdoulaye Faye, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Delap, Olofinjana, Whelan, Pugh (Pericard 53), Cresswell, Fuller.
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Lawrence, Soares, Tonge, Sonko.
Sent Off: Fuller (54).
Booked: Olofinjana, Higginbotham, Abdoulaye Faye.
Goals: Abdoulaye Faye 4.
Att: 34,477
Ref: M Jones (Mansfield).
