Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has warned Manchester United that his side are primed to step up the pressure on the Premiership leaders.
United remain three points ahead of second-placed Chelsea after both teams won on Wednesday.
But Mourinho believes his side's 1-0 win at Bolton has given them the momentum as they chase United, who defeated Everton 3-0 at Old Trafford.
PHOTO: AFP
Chelsea, who drew with Sir Alex Ferguson's side on Sunday, have emerged unscathed from a testing two-match away trip and Mourinho senses the reigning champions are ready to make a move for pole position.
Michael Ballack's header in first-half injury time was enough to beat Bolton and Mourinho said: "It was a good period for us. To come here and to Manchester and go home with the same distance is very positive."
"I don't think we will take a lot of time to be top of the league. If you tell me when we play at home it is three points difference, I would not be very sad because it would be all in our hands," he said.
PHOTO: AP
"Now is our time to turn things round. I like to be first but I am very happy with this situation," Mourinho said.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he breathed a sigh of relief after his decision to ring the changes paid off against Everton.
Ferguson made five changes to the team that was held by Chelsea on Sunday with Louis Saha, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nemanja Vidic and Gabriel Heinze all left out.
PHOTO: AFP
"We had to make some changes, so it's a good result. With the game against Benfica next week and one on Saturday as well we couldn't afford any injuries," he said. "We haven't changed the team for five or six games but this was the time to do it. These players will be invaluable to us."
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 39th minute, Patrice Evra added a second midway through the second half and John O'Shea completed the rout in the 89th minute.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger blamed an over-crowded fixture list for his side's failure to mount a challenge for the Premiership title.
Wenger's team are now 16 points behind leaders Manchester United after slumping to a 2-1 defeat at Fulham on Wednesday.
The French coach is adamant that the excessive demands placed on his players by the scheduling of Arsenal's matches has left them with no chance of challenging United and Chelsea.
Arsenal face Tottenham on Saturday and then travel to Porto for a crucial Champions League match next week.
That forced Wenger to make six changes against Fulham and it backfired as Brian McBride and Tomasz Radzinski put the home ahead.
Robin van Persie pulled one back but Philippe Senderos was sent off for two bookings and Arsenal were unable to find an equalizer.
Wenger said: "My team gave everything but it is difficult to be 2-0 down after playing so many games."
"It is not difficult to motivate the players but we cannot work a lot because we play every three days until January," he said.
"The fixtures are a farce. The way they are organized is ridiculous. We have to play on Saturday and then in the Champions League in midweek. It is too much but it would be fair if everyone played on the same night," Wenger said.
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez accused Portsmouth of spoiling tactics as they ground out a goalless draw at Anfield.
Benitez was angry with the way Harry Redknapp's team, who move into third place, continually broke up a tetchy match with niggling fouls.
"We tried from the beginning until the end to win the game but it was difficult because they played so deep and broke up the game," said Benitez. "If the referee allows the other team to do this you cannot play good football."
Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce saluted his side's determination after they recorded their first away win this season with a 3-1 victory at Aston Villa.
Darius Vassell opened the scoring against his former club and Joey Barton added a second before Gavin McCann pulled one back for Villa. But Sylvain Distin struck late on to hand Villa a first home defeat of the season.
"We really deserved to win. We showed a hard-nosed professionalism and were stout defensively," Pearce said. "Villa are a team going in the right direction, but man for man we were sensational."
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