Didier Drogba scored a late goal off the bench to give Chelsea a 1-0 win over Newcastle in the English Premier League on Wednesday and cut Manchester United's lead to five points.
Drogba scored in the 74th minute at Stamford Bridge after coming on midway through the second half. Andriy Shevchenko, who also came on a substitute, crossed for Drogba to tap in the ball at close range for his ninth league goal this season and 15th overall.
Arsenal also needed a late goal for its 1-0 win at Wigan. Emmanuel Adebayor took a cross from substitute Cesc Fabregas to score under Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.
PHOTO: AP
The Gunners had held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Man United leads with 44 points, Chelsea is second with 39, while Arsenal moved into third with 29 points.
"We are the second team and, in this moment, Manchester United are top with five points because they deserve to be there," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "But there is a long way to go."
Wigan is 11th with 22 points, while Newcastle is 14th with 19 points. All have played 17 games.
Chelsea had several first-half chances, including opportunities by Salomon Kalou and Shaun Wright-Phillips, who started in place of Drogba and Shevchenko, while Newcastle's Antoine Sibierski hit the crossbar.
Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder, who was without 12 first-team players because of injury, also lost midfielder Charles N'Zogbia late in the first half.
He was carried off on a stretcher after a collision with Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and was replaced by Matty Pattison, who along with starting right back Paul Huntington, made his club debut.
"We had 12 injuries, that's not an excuse, it's a fact," Roeder said. "Now N'Zogbia has ligament damage. We don't know how long he will be out or how bad it is."
"I am proud because some of our defending was top quality. The boys did magnificently. I don't think Jose Mourinho wanted to bring on Drogba, Claude Makelele and Shevchenko. But he had to because of our performance," he added.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who was again without injured striker Thierry Henry, started Theo Walcott up front with Julio Baptista in midfield. It was Walcott's third start in the Premier League and Baptista's second.
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