Liverpool maintained a one-point lead atop the Premier League by defeating Blackburn 3-1 on Saturday as second-place Chelsea overcame
Bolton with a record 11th consecutive away victory in the top flight.
Nemanja Vidic scored in injury time to give Manchester United a 1-0 win over Sunderland and stay third above Arsenal, which edged Wigan by
the same score.
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso took until the 69th minute to penetrate a stubborn Blackburn defense and Yossi Benayoun added the decisive second 10 minutes later.
Slack defending enabled Roque Santa Cruz to pull one back for Blackburn in the 87th, but Steven Gerrard scored in stoppage time to confirm Blackburn manager Paul Ince’s fifth straight league loss.
”This kind of game when the other team is fighting to get out of the relegation zone, we know will be physical and difficult, but we were in control,” Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said. ”Clearly, it is
important to see the strikers scoring goals but if the midfielders can score goals like today, it is better for us. We are in a very good position and we want to stay there.”
Chelsea made lighter work of Bolton, with early goals from Nicolas Anelka and Deco sealing a 2-0 win.
Hull moved up to fifth place by rallying to beat Middlesbrough 2-1 with two late goals, Jimmy Bullard gave Fulham a 1-1 draw against Manchester City, and Michael Owen’s double for Newcastle helped to
re-establish his England credentials, though Stoke retrieved a 2-2 draw.
Liverpool has 37 points, one ahead of Chelsea and six in front of Manchester United. Arsenal has 29 points.
At Ewood Park, Liverpool returned to winning ways thanks to its attacking midfielders after being held to two frustrating 0-0 draws.
Despite top striker Fernando Torres being injured, Benitez’s biggest off-season signing, Robbie Keane, never came off the bench.
The deadlock was broken after Dirk Kuyt couldn’t control Gerrard’s cross but the ball fell to Alonso, who shot under Andrew Ooijer and beat goalkeeper Paul Robinson.
Superb solo work by Benayoun provided the second, with the Israeli skipping past left back Stephen Warnock before firing into the net from a tight angle.
Santa Cruz provided a late scare for the Reds by heading in at the far post after Ooijer had flicked on Keith Andrews’ free kick.
But in the closing moments, Robinson left himself stranded when he darted out to deny Nabil El Zhar, allowing Liverpool winger Albert Riera to pick up the loose ball and pass to Gerrard, who side-footed into the empty net.
Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka took just nine minutes to remind Bolton of the talent it lost in January, leaping to head home Jose Bosingwa’s cross.
Deco wrapped up the win in the 21st with his first goal since August, sending a sublime scissors kick past Jussi Jaaskelainen after Salomon Kalou had been denied by the Bolton goalkeeper.
The 11th consecutive away victory — with eight from this campaign — allowed Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side to surpass the record of 10 set by Bill Nicholson’s Tottenham side in 1960.
Assistant manager Ray Wilkins pointed to the result as evidence of unity at Chelsea, refuting reports to the contrary.
”You can’t perform like that if there is dissension about,” Wilkins said. ”They performed to a very high standard and the spirit and application was top class.”
Man United looked like having to settle with a point until Vidic struck a late winner against Sunderland, whose manager Roy Keane quit on Thursday with his side in the relegation zone.
With the clock ticking down, Michael Carrick’s shot was deflected against the post, but the ball fell into Vidic’s path and the Serbia defender tapped into an empty net.
Arsenal cruised into the lead when Wigan failed to clear a corner.
Captain Cesc Fabregas fed the ball back into the area, Alex Song nudged it on to Emmanuel Adebayor, who drove it past goalkeeper Chris Kirkland in the 16th.
Wigan striker Emile Heskey headed over the bar near the end as the anxious Gunners fans were yelled at manager Arsene Wenger to take off
Emmanuel Eboue, who had made several errors after coming on as a first-half substitute for the injured Samir Nasri. Eboue had been booed and his substitution was greeted with huge cheers.
”It was very unfair because he finished the game very tired and gave everything,” Wenger said. ”Not only was he tired but he lost his confidence, which was a danger for the team.” – Sapa-AP