Premier League round-up

Wins for Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, and three draws elsewhere

Last updated: 18th October 2008

Premier League round-up

Kuyt: At the double

Click below for individual match reports and stats
Middlesbrough 0 Chelsea 5
Arsenal 3 Everton 1
Aston Villa 0 Portsmouth 0
Bolton 0 Blackburn 0
Fulham 0 Sunderland 0
Liverpool 3 Wigan 2
Manchester United 4 West Brom 0

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Liverpool snatched a thrilling late win at home to Wigan Athletic, Chelsea crushed Middlesbrough and Arsenal came from behind to beat Everton.

Reigning champions Manchester United moved into the top four in the table after a 4-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

European rivals Aston Villa and Portsmouth drew a blank in their meeting, and it was the same story in the North West derby at the Reebok Stadium.

Sunderland were ruing a contentious refereeing decision after being forced to settle for a point from their trip to Fulham.

The Red Devils ruined Tony Mowbray's second anniversary as West Brom boss as the promoted side suffered their heaviest defeat of the season.

West Brom put up stubborn resistance in the first half, although the in-form Wayne Rooney did have a goal disallowed for a foul.

Rooney was the man to break the deadlock on 56 minutes as he cut back inside the box and rifled a low shot beyond Scott Carson.

He turned provider on 69 minutes to send Cristiano Ronaldo through on goal for the second before Dimitar Berbatov notched his first Premier League goal for United two minutes later.

The scoring was rounded off in the final minute by substitute Nani, who tapped in at the far post from Rooney's low cross.

Chelsea maintained their position atop the Premier League with a crushing 5-0 victory over Middlesbrough at the Riverside.

Salomon Kalou's 14th minute goal was all the leaders had to show for their first-half dominance, but it was a different story after the break.

Juliano Belletti, in the team due to a glut of injuries, unleashed an unstoppable drive into the top corner from 30 yards to give Chelsea a 2-0 lead on 51 minutes.

Just two minutes later and Kalou grabbed his second of the game when his shot deflected off David Wheater and beyond the helpless Ross Turnbull.

Frank Lampard got in on the act on 63 minutes when he headed past Turnbull following a sweeping move by an impressive Blues side.

And the rout was complete on 67 minutes when Florent Malouda turned home the loose ball after Turnbull had made a hash of Nicolas Anelka's shot.

Dirk Kuyt proved to be Liverpool's hero yet again as Rafa Benitez's side twice came from a goal down to beat Wigan Athletic 3-2 at Anfield.

Liverpool gifted Wigan the opening goal on 29 minutes when Daniel Agger's loose touch was seized upon by Amr Zaki, who robbed the Dane of possession and slotted his shot past Jose Reina.

Agger made up for his error on 37 minutes when he brought the ball out of defence, played a one-two with Andrea Dossena and set up Kuyt for a low finish at the near post.

Yet Wigan were in front for a second time at the end of the first half when Zaki produced a wonderfully acrobatic finish from Antonio Valencia's cross from the right.

The Latics were down to 10 men on 75 minutes when Valencia was sent off for the second time in a week. The winger, who was dismissed for Ecuador last weekend, picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Xabi Alonso moments after being booked for encroachment at a free-kick.

Liverpool took advantage to equalise 10 minutes from time when Albert Riera fired home low from the edge of the area after Steven Gerrard dummied substitute Nabil El Zhar's pull back.

With five minutes left, Kuyt's good run of form continued when he grabbed the winner in a 3-2 victory for the second match in a row.

Jermaine Pennant crossed from the right and, trying to emulate Zaki's earlier goal, Kuyt scuffed his acrobatic attempt, but it had enough pace to go beyond Chris Kirkland and in via the aid of the bar and post.

Arsenal survived a scare at home to Everton before producing a powerful second-half display to win 3-1 at Emirates Stadium.

Everton took the lead on nine minutes when Leon Osman played the ball out wide to Steven Pienaar and raced into the box to guide the return pass inside the post.

The Gunners were quick out of the blocks in the second half and levelled within three minutes of the restart through Samir Nasri's low shot from 20 yards after Everton failed to adequately clear a corner.

Arsenal's comeback was completed 20 minutes from time when Robin van Persie headed home from close range after Cesc Fabregas' shot had been parried.

Substitute Theo Walcott added a late third goal for the Gunners with a low finish after the winger exchanged passes with Abou Diaby.

Aston Villa were unable to make a late breakthrough against 10-man Portsmouth in a tight 0-0 draw at Villa Park.

Portsmouth were reduced to 10 men in the 81st minute when Sean Davis received his second yellow card following a foul on Stilian Petrov.

There was also late controversy when assistant referee Phil Sharp required treatment on the touchline after appearing to be struck by something thrown from the crowd.

Fulham drew 0-0 at home to Sunderland, but visiting manager Roy Keane was livid with referee Keith Stroud for disallowing a seemingly valid goal.

Sunderland thought they had taken the lead early in the second half when Kieran Richardson curled home a free-kick, but the goal was disallowed for some jostling in the wall.

The visitors again came close to going ahead when Djibril Cisse's volley from just outside the box bounced back off the crossbar.

The North West derby at the Reebok Stadium finished 0-0 as neither Bolton Wanderers nor Blackburn Rovers could find a way through.

In a fiercely-contested encounter, both teams had chances before having to settle for a share of the bragging rights.