Premier League round-up

Top two draw, wins for Chelsea, Pompey, Villa, Fulham and Everton

By Mark Buckingham   Last updated: 3rd November 2007   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Premier League round-up

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Arsenal and Manchester United drew 2-2 in the top-of-the-table showdown, Chelsea won at Wigan Athletic and Juande Ramos drew his first Premier League game.

Everton left it very late to beat Birmingham City at home, Fulham secured a welcome win, Portsmouth thrashed Newcastle United and Aston Villa beat Derby County.

The day started with the meeting of the top two at Emirates Stadium and Arsenal required an injury-time equaliser to earn a point against defending champions Manchester United.

In a match which failed to live up to the hype in the first half, United took the lead on 45 minutes when Wayne Rooney's near-post shot deflected in off William Gallas.

But Arsenal were level in the opening minutes of the second half when Cesc Fabregas kept his composure to finish coolly.

United regained the advantage inside the final 10 minutes when Louis Saha played in Patrice Evra and his low cross was converted by Cristiano Ronaldo.

Arsenal were not to be denied, though, as Gallas steered home an equaliser in stoppage-time despite Edwin van der Sar's best efforts to prevent the ball crossing the line.

Wigan's woeful record against the big four shows no sign of abating as Chris Hutchings' side were beaten 2-0 at home by Chelsea.

Frank Lampard carried on where he left off in midweek by giving Chelsea the lead on 11 minutes with a clinical finish from Shaun Wright-Phillips' cross.

There was a whiff of controversy about the second on 18 minutes when Wright-Phillips appeared out of play when returning a pass to Belletti. The Brazilian then strode forward from his own half and fired a 25-yard shot past Chris Kirkland.

Juande Ramos' first Premier League game ended in stalemate as Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 at Middlesbrough.

Spurs took the lead on 35 minutes when Darren Bent cut inside from Steed Malbranque's pass and smashed a low shot inside Mark Schwarzer's near post.

But Bent's former Charlton team-mate, and ex-Spurs full-back, Luke Young earned Boro a point with a stunning shot from 25 yards which rocketed into the top corner.

Noe Pamarot scored an equally emphatic goal as Portsmouth blitzed Newcastle 4-1 at St James' Park.

The Pompey defender let fly with a 30-yard drive into the top corner after just eight minutes as Pompey capitalised on a woeful defensive performance from The Magpies.

The visitors were two-up a minute later when Benjani easily outmuscled Claudio Cacapa and curled a fine shot inside the far post.

Cacapa was culpable for Pompey's third goal on 11 minutes as he was shrugged off the ball by John Utaka, who rounded Steve Harper and slotted in to an empty net.

Newcastle pulled a goal back on 16 minutes when David James parried Charles N'Zogbia's shot, and though he blocked Michael Owen's attempt from the rebound, the ball ricocheted in off Sol Campbell.

Cacapa had already been replaced by that point, but Pompey notched a fourth goal on 71 minutes when Niko Kranjcar scored from a free-kick wide on the left as Steven Taylor failed to cut out the cross.

Lawrie Sanchez saw his Fulham side record an overdue win after a 3-1 home success over Reading.

Fulham took the lead on 18 minutes courtesy of Simon Davies' crisp volley from the edge of the area.

But Reading drew level on 54 minutes when Nicky Shorey's corner was headed home at the far post by Kevin Doyle.

The Cottagers reclaimed the lead on 72 minutes when Clint Dempsey pounced from close range and David Healy grabbed the third in the last minute following a break from Davies.

The win was soured in the final minute, though, as young defender Elliot Omozusi was sent off for a rash challenge on James Harper.

After a dour first half, Aston Villa scored twice in the space of four second-half minutes to beat bottom club Derby County 2-0 at home.

The deadlock was broken on 57 minutes when Gareth Barry headed a deep free-kick back across goal, allowing the unmarked Martin Laursen to score.

And four minutes later it was 2-0 as Ashley Young converted at the far post from Nigel Reo-Coker's pass after Gabriel Agbonlahor's shot had been saved.

Everton scored twice in injury-time to clinch a 3-1 home win over Birmingham City.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni had the simple task of putting Everton ahead on 10 minutes when he nudged home when unmarked in the centre of goal.

Birmingham appeared to have stolen a point when Olivier Kapo's header deflected in off Phil Neville 10 minutes from time.

But Lee Carsley's thumping drive from the edge of the area, followed by a low finish from James Vaughan, earned Everton the win.

In the evening kick-off Blackburn and Liverpool cancelled each other out in a disappointing goalless draw at Ewood Park.

Blackburn were the better side in a drab first half with David Bentley and David Dunn both hitting the woodwork in the opening 45 minutes.

Liverpool improved in the second half and looked the more likely to win it in the closing stages, but they could not find a way past Brad Friedel.

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