It's as you were at the Premier League summit as both Manchester clubs won maximum spoils but Chelsea had to settle for a draw again.
United and City continue to set the pace; Chelsea drop home points again
After a congested night of Premier League action that saw all but four of the top flight's sides in action, it is a case of as you were at the summit as both Manchester clubs took maximum spoils while Chelsea toiled again.
Manchester United were perfunctory rather than scintillating as they claimed a 1-0 defeat of West Ham, while the same could be said of neighbours City's 2-0 win on their travels to Wigan.
For Chelsea it gets no better for Rafael Benitez as the Stamford Bridge faithful were left less than enamoured with a goalless stalemate against Fulham, while Everton and Arsenal could not be separated in an altogether more engaging 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.
West Brom's dream start to the campaign came to a crashing halt at Swansea City, Liverpool's improved form of late fell short at Tottenham, while Southampton and Norwich had to share the points at St Mary's.
Newcastle continue to struggle as they took the lead at Stoke City but eventually fell to a late 2-1 defeat.
The quickest Premier League goal of the season was delivered at Old Trafford as
West Ham lasted just 33 seconds before Robin van Persie gave
Manchester United the lead. It would be cruel to say this was a contest that was exciting for 33 seconds but not untruthful.
James Collins' lunging effort to block the Dutchman's attempt to guide the ball towards goal had only the effect of sending it spinning over Jussi Jaakelainen.
United looked to be playing within themselves pretty much thereafter as they dominated possession but lacked the craft and vigour to further threaten the scoreline.
For their part, West Ham never lacked commitment but posed a threat only sporadically as a set-piece looked their only likely route to goal.
Manchester City continue to keep the pace at the business end of the table thanks to a three-point haul gleaned from the shortest of trips to Wigan.
For large spells of an all North West affair Wigan were a match for the champions but once Mario Balotelli, handed a rare start, broke their resistance with his first league goal of the season there was only ever to be one winner.
Ali Al Habsi will win the Latics more points than he loses them, but was badly at fault when he spilled Gareth Barry's pulled effort on 68 minutes to allow Balotelli to convert at the second attempt.
If City's first was scrappy their second was spectacular as James Milner, a second half replacement for Javi Garcia, unleashed a howitzer from range to give Al Habsi not a prayer.
Benitez's second game as
Chelsea manager proved to be even more turgid than his first, as the misfiring Blues were held at home by notoriously poor travellers
Fulham.
There were no repeats of the 'Benitez out' placards of the weekend but it was telling that half-time chants of 'bring him on' to greet Charlie Cooke's appearance were only semi tongue-in-cheek.
The Chelsea faithful had to settle for the introduction of Juan Mata, a surprise omission from Benitez's starting XI, but it was John Arne Riise who was guilty of squandering a gilt-edged opportunity midway through the half.
Fernando Torres was equally profligate as he failed to register late on but in truth had Chelsea taken anything more than a point from an instantly forgettable West London derby, it would have been more
