Arsenal took the sole lead of the Premier League on Saturday with a late win over Wigan after Manchester United fell to a surprise 1-0 loss at Bolton.
The Gunners left it late against a stubborn visiting Wigan, with captain William Gallas and Tomas Rosicky scoring in the final eight minutes for a 2-0 win. Nicolas Anelka scored as Man United lost at Bolton for the first time since 1978.
Everton thrashed Sunderland 7-1 at home with two goals each from Ayegbeni Yakubu and Tim Cahill, and Liverpool beat Newcastle 3-0 at St James' Park with Steven Gerrard scoring one goal and setting up the others. Chelsea beat Derby 2-0.
PHOTO: AP
Also it was: Manchester City 2, Reading 1; Birmingham 0, Portsmouth 2; and Middlesbrough 0, Aston Villa 3.
Bolton took advantage of a defensive error from Gerard Pique to score. When Pique tried to head clear a free kick from Ivan Campo, he missed completely, and Anelka collected the loose ball to score in the 11th minute.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was sent to the stands after a verbally clash with referee Mark Clattenburg in the tunnel at halftime.
It was the first win for Bolton manager Gary Megson, who joined the club on Oct. 25, and it dragged his side out of the relegation zone.
Arsenal, who had led the standings from United on goals scored before Saturday's games, were frustrated by Wigan's strong defense for most of the game.
Gallas scored with a header in the 83rd minute and Rosicky made it 2-0 in the 85th to extend Arsenal's unbeaten run to 28 matches, a streak dating back to last season.
New Wigan manager Steve Bruce, who takes up his post today, watched from the stands.
Everton equaled their best-ever Premier League score, having beaten Southampton 7-1 in 1996.
Aiyegbeni Yakubu scored from 12m in the 12th minute and Cahill scored his first in the 17th. Steven Pienaar made it 3-0 in the 43rd, before Sunderland pulled a goal back through Dwight Yorke in the 45th.
Everton goals kept coming in the second half. Cahill scored his second in the 62nd and Yakubu scored again in the 73rd.
Substitute Andy Johnson lifted the ball over Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon to score in the 78th and Leon Osman completed the rout in the 85th.
Chelsea took the lead with low shot from Salomon Kalou in the 18th minute. Shaun Wright-Phillips added the second in the 73rd after a shot from Frank Lampard shot hit the post.
Derby manager Billy Davies was furious at Chelsea's second goal because his forward Giles Barnes was lying injured on the ground.
Chelsea's Michael Essien was sent off during injury time for elbowing Kenny Miller in the face.
Aston Villa fielded goalkeeper Scott Carson, who was at fault for the first goal against Croatia.
Carson was jeered by Middlesbrough fans, but his long clearance fell to Gabriel Agbonlahor to score Villa's third goal in the 58th.
Swede Olof Mellberg and Norwegian John Carew also scored for the visitors.
"Scott was expecting a bit of stick and he certainly got it," Villa manager Martin O'Neill said. "But I think he coped brilliantly."
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