• Premier League round-up

Spurs stun United, Chelsea sink Arsenal

ESPN staff
September 29, 2012
Tottenham broke their Old Trafford hoodoo with a 3-2 win over Manchester United © Getty Images
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Manchester United lost ground on Chelsea after Tottenham claimed their first victory at Old Trafford since 1989, while the Blues passed the first major test of their Premier League title aspirations as they beat Arsenal.

Manchester City and Everton remain in hot pursuit of the leaders after they both came from behind to beat Fulham and Southampton respectively, while Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as Liverpool hammered Norwich.

Tottenham broke their Old Trafford hoodoo as they held off Manchester United for a 3-2 victory.

Jan Vertonghen gave the visitors an early lead before Gareth Bale doubled Spurs' advantage after the half-hour mark. Wayne Rooney came off the bench to set up Nani, but in a frantic second-half spell it was immediately cancelled out by Clint Dempsey, only for Shinji Kagawa to keep United's hopes alive after a third goal inside two minutes.

Rooney hit the post with a free-kick and former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie wasted a chance to equalise after firing wide. Patrice Evra then saw his header saved by Brad Friedel as Tottenham hung on for a memorable victory.

Juan Mata's goal ended Arsenal's unbeaten start to the season © Getty Images
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Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-1 in the lunchtime kick-off to cement their advantage at the top of the Premier League table.

Juan Mata's free-kick just eight minutes into the second half proved the difference for Roberto Di Matteo's side, as the Spaniard's flighted, inswinging delivery from 35 yards out caught out Gunners goalkeeper Vito Mannone - brushing Laurent Koscielny's outstretched leg before slipping inside the far post.

Prior to that Fernando Torres had opened the scoring for the Blues, turning in another Mata dead ball from a similar position as his marker Koscielny found himself muscled out of position, before Gervinho turned home from inside the box just before half-time to briefly restore parity.

Both sides then had numerous opportunities to score in the second half, with Santi Cazorla and substitute Olivier Giroud both guilty of wasting decent chances to gain a share of the spoils for the home side.

Edin Dzeko grabbed all three points for Manchester City as they kept pace with leaders Chelsea after his late winner sank Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

Sergio Aguero scored his first goal of the season to equalise for the champions from close range after Mladen Petric's penalty, before substitute Dzeko rescued City with his 87th-minute striker.

With former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov unavailable for Fulham through injury, Petric proved a worthy replacement as he scored from the spot in the 10th minute after Pablo Zabaleta brought down John Arne Riise.

The Croat had the chance to double Fulham's lead after Hugo Rodallega broke down the left, but Petric scuffed his effort over the bar. Aguero was guilty of an equally poor effort after he could only find the side-netting but atoned for his miss to equalise for City shortly before the break.

City looked set to leave London with just a point, but Dzeko pounced with three minutes remaining to smash home from close range after Mario Balotelli's header was blocked.

Hat-trick hero Suarez crowned an impressive Liverpool performance as they climbed out of the bottom three after hammering Norwich 5-2 at Carrow Road.

Suarez, who also scored three at Carrow Road last season, got the visitors off to a flying start, firing a low strike past John Ruddy from the edge of the area inside two minutes. He continued to terrorise the defence, and after being denied a penalty claim and firing a shot wide, he added his second after dispossessing Michael Turner.

Nuri Sahin made it three with a neat finish right at the start of the second half before Suarez completed his hat-trick with a curling shot from the left of the area. Steven Gerrard also got on the scoresheet as Steve Morison and Grant Holt netted consolation goals for Norwich.

Nikica Jelavic scored twice as Everton's sparkling start to the season continued with a 3-1 win over Premier League newboys Southampton.

Gaston Ramirez nodded in Adam Lallana's corner to give the visitors a shock early lead, but Leon Osman smashed home the equaliser in the 25th minute. Jelavic put the home side ahead after a neat pass by Kevin Mirallas before sealing a fourth win in six league games with a header from Seamus Coleman's cross.

Nikica Jelavic sealed another three points for Everton © PA Photos
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Newcastle manager Alan Pardew had Demba Ba to thank as the striker rescued a 2-2 draw against Pardew's former club Reading. However, it was not without controversy as the ball appeared to strike Ba's arm before sailing past Alex McCarthy.

After a goalless first half, a frantic five minutes saw Reading twice take the lead - Ba cancelling out Jimmy Kebe's opener with a sensational volley from the edge of the box before Noel Hunt nodded in Jobi McAnuff's cross shortly after the hour mark.

Peter Crouch scored both goals for Stoke as they claimed their first win in 12 Premier League matches with a 2-0 win over Swansea.

Steven Fletcher scored his fifth goal of the season as Sunderland beat ten-man Wigan 1-0 at the Stadium of Light. After Simon Mignolet had produced a string of world-class saves to keep the Black Cats in the first-half, Jordi Gomez's sending off proved pivotal.

Wigan were reduced to ten men after Gomez was shown straight red for his challenge on Danny Rose shortly after the break, and Sunderland capitalised immediately, Fletcher meeting James McClean's ball to fire home.

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