Blues chase away Wolves

Chelsea charged to the top of the Premier League with a 5-0 win at last place Wolves on Saturday.

The big-spending Blues, who have bought 15 players during the off season thanks to the millions injected into the club by Russian oil tycoon Roman Abramovich, went above Arsenal on goal difference after two strikes by Hernan Crespo and more from Frank Lampard, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Damien Duff.

Chelsea's stay at the top may be short, however. Arsenal goes to Manchester United on Sunday with either side having the chance to go above the Blues.

Southampton moved up to fourth with a 3-1 win at Tottenham while Manchester City slipped to fifth after a 2-2 tie with lowly Fulham. City is tied on 11 with Liverpool, which edged Leicester 2-1, and Birmingham, which won 2-0 at Leeds.

"They played very very well, the touch and movement of the ball and I am very pleased today, Blues manager Claudio Ranieri said.

"I was very curious to watch my players after the first match in the Champions League [on Tuesday]. They played very well, everyone focused on the match."

Ranieri was happy that Crespo netted his first goals for the club.

"He's a striker. When I bought him, as like [Adrian] Mutu, he's a big striker. But also like [Eidur] Gudjohnsen and Jimmy. And then I have four great strikers," said the Italian, whose job has been the subject of media speculation with reports that the club might lure Sven-Goran Eriksson to Stamford Bridge.

"This is all rubbish," he said. "Yes I spoke with [the owners]. Maybe there was before Roman Abramovich met me. Since then it's finished, everything. I am used to work and think only of my work."

Wolves manager Dave Jones, whose team has just one point from six games after being promoted for the first time in 19 years, said his players were guilty of giving Chelsea too much room go play.

"We allowed them too much space," Jones said. "You can't allow players of good ability too much space and we allowed them to pick passes.

Crespo replaced Hasselbaink in the 65th minute and made it four with his first touch, firing home a cross from Duff. The fifth came in injury time when Chelsea walked the ball through a dispirited Wolves defense and Crespo arrived unmarked to fire his second past Oakes.

Michael Owen netted his sixth of the season and Emile Heskey scored against his former club in Liverpool's victory over Leicester at Anfield.

England striker James Beattie scored two of Southampton's goals at Tottenham to leave Spurs and under fire manager Glenn Hoddle struggling at third from last.

"I know how [the fans] feel because I love this club so much that I also feel frustrated and hurt," the former England coach said.

Second from Newcastle didn't improve its position by failing to score at Bolton which is expected to be a relegation candidate.

"It will turn, we need a bit of luck," said veteran Magpies manager Bobby Robson. ``The players are disappointed because we've dropped two points, and we know that.

Manchester City needed an equalizer three minutes into injury time from Paulo Wanchope to salvage a point at Fulham after Kevin Keegan's men had squandered the lead. Nicolas Anelka gave City the lead but French stars Steed Malbranque and Louis Saha netted for Fulham.

Aston Villa started with Juan Pablo Angel and Marcus Allback in attack against Charlton but it was defenders Ozalan Alpay and JLloyd Samuel who scored. A twice taken penalty by Robbie Savage put Birmingham on the road to victory at Leeds with Mikael Forssell, on loan from Chelsea, adding the second.