Weekend review

Scholes: Put United back top with his 100th Premier League goal

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A scruffy victory helped Manchester United return to the top of the table while Arsenal maintained their own title hopes after making hard work of seeing off Burnley.

Elsewhere, Bolton Wanderers claimed an unlikely and impressive triumph against West Ham United at Upton Park while Everton spanked five past sorry Hull City to leave the Tigers in the drop zone.

Manchester United, without injured striker Wayne Rooney, had Paul Scholes to thank for helping them see off plucky Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. However, the final outcome could have been different had the home side not reverted to type regarding their wastefulness in front of goal. Indeed, Stephen Ward was guilty of spurning an incredible first-half chance as Wolves failed to add to their paltry 21 goals scored in 28 matches this top-flight season. The champions, almost inevitably, made Mick McCarthy's team pay in the 73rd minute when Scholes scored his 100th Premier League goal.

Thereafter, it was a tale of ifs and buts as the Red Devils failed to wrap up the success following further squandering from attacker Mame Biram Diouf. And Wolves should really have snatched a point when the ball fell kindly for Sam Vokes just a few yards out from goal. But the young Wales international skied his effort well over, much to the disdain of boss McCarthy. The outcome allowed United to climb two points above Chelsea, who were in FA Cup action on Sunday. Wolves sit outside of the bottom three on goal difference while they next face a trip to fellow strugglers Burnley.

Earlier on Saturday, Arsenal hosted infamously poor travellersBurnley. Theo Walcott emerged as the star of the show in the week that former England international Chris Waddle stated the 20-year-old "does not have a football brain". The jet-heeled winger posed umpteen problems for Burnley down the right flank. It was to no surprise when the Gunners went ahead in the 34th minute as Cesc Fabregas tapped in from a wonderful Samir Nasri assist. But striker Nicklas Bendtner appeared intent on ensuring that the Clarets remained within a goal of restoring parity, such was the Dane's staggering profligacy. And five minutes into the second half David Nugent lobbed home as the Arsenal defence went to sleep.

But on the hour mark Walcott cut in from the wing before curling in past Brian Jensen with his left foot to restore his side's advantage. That did not put a stop to the Gunners' seeming unwillingness to kill off the game, and late on Steven Thompson saw a close-range shot flash over the bar. Nonetheless, Andrey Arshavin finally wrapped up Arsenal's victory in injury-time in a game that was marred by Bendtner's finishing and a hamstring injury picked up by Fabregas ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Champions League meeting with Porto. The Gunners do now though lie level on points with Chelsea. For Burnley, their just one point accrued on their travels so far this season indicates relegation is a formality.

Also on Saturday, West Ham took on Bolton with all signs pointing to a victory in the Hammers' favour. Indeed, Gianfranco Zola's men headed into the clash having recorded clean sheets in each of their last four home games. Furthermore, Bolton had not scored in any of their last four league matches. But Owen Coyle's side were worthy winners in the capital as they started the game with an impressive tempo, taking a two-goal lead after just 16 minutes. First, Man of the Match Kevin Davies headed in before the forward helped to assist on-loan Arsenal teenager Jack Wilshere's first ever Premier League goal.

But Tamir Cohen's dismissal for a second bookable offence in the second period helped swing the game back in West Ham's favour and Alessandro Diamanti's fine strike ensured the final minutes were tense. In injury-time, substitute Junior Stanislas saw a vicious effort come back off the Bolton crossbar, but had it gone in it would have been undeserved. Even Hammers boss Zola stated he had "no complaints" with the outcome. A consecutive league win for Bolton sees them leapfrog West Ham into 13th ahead of Tuesday's trip to Sunderland. West Ham's next two games are away to Chelsea and Arsenal.

Sunday's only Premier League fixture saw Everton welcome Hull to Goodison Park. The match-up turned out to be an entertaining affair, largely thanks to the Tigers' ineptitude in defence. On 17 minutes, Mikel Arteta opened the scoring and shortly after referee Lee Mason adjudged that Kamil Zayatte upended Yakubu Aiyegbeni in the penalty area. Yakubu, usually so cool from the spot, saw his effort saved by keeper Boaz Myhill, who left his line well before the Nigerian struck. Then, Hull were handed an unlikely lifeline via a superb volley from Tom Cairney.

But that was to prove to be a false dawn for the Tigers with Arteta bagging his second of the game before the interval following a flowing move. Richard Garcia then put into his own net in the 51st minute to put the game beyond Hull, before Landon Donovan and Jack Rodwell helped make it 5-1. The Toffees rose to eighth with that success, although they trail seventh-placed Villa, who boast two games in hand, by four points. The result marked a third straight loss for Phil Brown's Hull, who next host high-flying Arsenal.