Arsenal moved within a point of first place on Monday, capitalising on Robert Pires’s 35th-minute goal for a 1-0 victory at Southampton.
Arsenal dominated the first half and the entire match, but the difference was Pires’s goal off a perfect pass from fellow Frenchman Thierry Henry.
After defending well against Arsenal in the early 20 minutes, the Saints seemed to be ready to get into the match when Arsenal struck. Thierry fed Pires with a through-ball into the box and the winger side-footed it home behind Finnish ‘keeper Antti Niemi.
Arsenal remain the only undefeated team in the Premier League, improving to 45 points in 19 games. Man United, who defeated Middlesbrough on Sunday 1-0, have 46 points. Chelsea hold third with 42 with Charlton in fourth with 30.
Southampton remain in eighth place with 26 points. It was the Saints’ fourth home loss this season in the Premier League.
Arsenal should have sewn up the match by halftime, but several key saves by Niemi kept the Saints in the game before a sell-out crowd of 32 151.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger started Dennis Bergkamp and Henry up front with Pires, Ray Parlour, Patrick Vieira and Freddie Ljungberg across midfield.
Results: Aston Villa 3, Fulham 0; Bolton 2, Leicester 2; Chelsea 3, Portsmouth 0; Everton 1, Birmingham 0; Manchester City 2, Liverpool 2; Middlesbrough 0, Manchester United 1; Newcastle 0, Blackburn 1; Tottenham 0, Charlton 1; Wolverhampton 3, Leeds 1. — Sapa-AP