Bolton ended Arsenal's 100 percent record in the Premier League on Saturday with a late Henrik Pedersen strike earning a 2-2 draw.
Arsenal twice led -- through Thierry Henry and Robert Pires -- but Bolton leveled each time, through Radhi Jaidi and an 85th-minute strike from substitute Pedersen.
The draw meant Arsenal failed to equal its best start to a season. Arsenal won its first six games of the 1947-1948 season, ironically with a 2-0 win over Bolton.
"Arsenal had a lot of possession but they didn't do much until they got the first goal, but we came back and we always fight to the end," Pedersen said. "We showed that fighting spirit today."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was disappointed the two goals were conceded from set pieces.
"We didn't find our usual technical level today," Wenger said. "From the start our passing was either too long or too short and when you start off like that it is difficult from then on.
Manchester City's 3-2 win over Crystal Palace -- only its second of the season -- ensured the survival of manager Kevin Keegan, who was in charge of his 150th match for the club. Nicolas Anelka scored both -- in the 55th and a penalty in the 64th. Andrew Johnson pulled a goal back for Palace in the 77th through a penalty.
In Birmingham, Charlton took the lead after 49 minutes through Luke Young. Eight minutes later, Birmingham's Damien Johnson was sent off for a second yellow card. Despite the man disadvantage, Dwight Yorke equalized after 68 minutes.
Three men were sent off at Craven Cottage. Fulham had Papa Bouba Diop sent off in the 61st minute for violent conduct but the home side scored through Andy Cole 10 minutes later. Cole and West Brom's Neil Clement were sent off in the 83rd, three minutes before Nwanko Kanu scored the leveler for West Brom.
Scottish League
Aberdeen took a stronger hold of second place in the Scottish Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock.
Meanwhile, Motherwell used a second-half flurry to down Dundee United 4-2 and keep its third place in the league. In the league's other game Saturday, Dundee and Livingston played to a scoreless draw.
Aberdeen received help from Kilmarnock defender James Fowler who knocked in the game's only goal in the 54th minute off a kick from Steve Tosh.
Motherwell, though, needed no help in their match. Trailing 1-0 out of the break, the Well got goals from Scott McDonald and David Clarkson in the span of four minutes. McDonald hit another one in later and substitute Alex Burns wrapped up the scoring in the match's waning minutes.
Spanish League
Argentine forward Maxi Rodriguez scored the lone goal Saturday as Espanyol moved into first place in the Spanish league by beating a much-changed and disjointed Real Madrid 1-0.
Rodriguez's fourth goal of the season ended Madrid's 100 percent league record and added to the difficulties of coach Jose Antonio Camacho four days after the heavy loss to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
Madrid, already without injured Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo, dropped David Beckham and Raul Gonzalez from the starting lineup and then had defender Walter Samuel ejected in the 75th minute. Madrid right back Michel Salgado was expelled in injury time.
Brazilian ace Ronaldo missed a second-half penalty, while Espanyol striker Raul Tamudo also failed with a twice-taken spot kick in an eventful third-round match.



