Chelsea 3 Everton 1
Chelsea showed there really might be no place like home tonight as they finally ended their Everton hoodoo to maintain their 100% record at Stamford Bridge this season.
The Blues' recent results against Everton on their own ground might have been reason enough for them to want to move to a new stadium, but they swept to their first victory over their bogey side since the 2009 FA Cup final.
Everton had also not lost on their previous five league visits to Stamford Bridge, although they had not had to contend with Juan Mata, who was Chelsea's inspiration.
The Spain winger started the move that broke the deadlock - Daniel Sturridge nodding home his fourth goal of the season - and laid on the third for Ramires after John Terry scored on his 350th Premier League appearance.
There was to be no clean sheet for the Chelsea captain, with Apostolos Vellios grabbing a late consolation with his first touch after coming off the bench.
The win nevertheless saw Andre Villas-Boas' men capitalise on Manchester United's draw at Liverpool and put them back within three points of new leaders Manchester City.
Today was Chelsea's first match since they announced their bid to buy back the freehold of Stamford Bridge, which they sold to a supporter-led group - Chelsea Pitch Owners - in the 1990s.
Opponents of their proposal, which has been seen as a precursor to a move to a new stadium, distributed leaflets before the game in the hope of rallying support.
Liverpool 1 Manchester United 1
It may not have lived up to Sir Alex Ferguson's billing as the greatest match-up in English football but Liverpool's draw at home to Manchester United was typically not without incident.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was denied a dream return to the starting line-up when his free-kick midway through the second half was cancelled out by substitute Javier Hernandez's late header.
The England international put seven months of rehabilitation behind him after a groin operation in March by capping an assured performance in midfield with the goal which looked like extending his side's home dominance over their arch-rivals.
However, Hernandez prevented a fourth successive United defeat at Anfield - which has not happened since 1979 - to maintain his team's unbeaten record this season.
It also denied Liverpool a happier anniversary than the one they were enjoying after marking the 12 months to the day since they were bought by Americans Fenway Sports Group.
Wayne Rooney's demotion to the bench summed up his miserable week after his England sending-off and subsequent three-match ban for Euro 2012, which was the talking point before kick-off.
Once the match kicked off there were plenty of others - mainly in the second half - with Rio Ferdinand's disputed foul on Charlie Adam which could have resulted in the defender seeing red and United goalkeeper David de Gea's impressive performance just two.
Man City 4 Aston Villa 1
Mario Balotelli did his best to prove to manager Roberto Mancini that he is his number one striker as his stunning goal helped Manchester City on their way to a crushing win over Aston Villa that handed them the outright leadership of the Barclays Premier League.
Given the chance to lead the line for a second straight game, the 21-year-old, a £24million signing from Inter Milan last summer, thrived on the responsibility and his sumptuous first-half overhead kick brought his side to life after a sterile opening.
With Villa's resistance broken, Adam Johnson, Vincent Kompany and James Milner added second-half goals and Owen Hargreaves came on for his Premier League debut on a near-perfect afternoon for City, who pulled two points clear of cross-city rivals United ahead of next weekend's Manchester derby. Stephen Warnock netted a consolation for Villa.
Balotelli's goal was complemented by an industrious performance all over the pitch, reminiscent of his showing in the 4-0 win over Blackburn before the international break, with the Italian finally starting to look a more mature performer.
QPR 1 Blackburn 1
Christopher Samba's towering header helped beleaguered Blackburn secure a point at QPR - but results elsewhere saw Steve Kean's side end the day bottom of the Barclays Premier League.
Rangers came into the match on the back of a 6-0 defeat at near neighbours Fulham but responded well, dominating the majority of the first period.
QPR's early momentum paid dividends as they took the lead in the 16th minute through Heidar Helguson's deft cross-shot.
The striker's goal was the west Londoners' first at Loftus Road this season, but their joy was short-lived as Samba latched on to Jason Lowe's corner to put Kean's side level.
Both sides wasted chances to win the match in the second half, with results elsewhere putting Blackburn bottom of the league despite ending a two-match losing streak.
Jamie Mackie was named in the QPR starting line-up for the first time since suffering a double leg break against the same opponents. The 26-year-old was injured in a collision with Gael Givet in an FA Cup tie in January.
Wigan 1 Bolton 3
An injury-time strike from Chris Eagles put the seal on a priceless second Barclays Premier League victory of the season for Bolton at the DW Stadium.
Boss Owen Coyle knew nothing more than a win would ease the pressure swirling around his side after a miserable run of 11 losses in 12 league games stretching back to last season.
Nigel Reo-Coker gave the visitors the start they so badly needed when he prodded home in the fourth minute, then David Ngog netted shortly after Mohamed Diame's superb 40th-minute equaliser.
And after Bolton had failed to wrap it up when Ali Al Habsi saved Kevin Davies' 70th- minute penalty, Eagles made sure by firing home after a mistake by Antolin Alcaraz.
Having started the game bottom of the table, Bolton's win suddenly turned the pressure on Roberto Martinez's Wigan, who have now lost five league games in a row.
Norwich 3 Swansea 1
Anthony Pilkington scored twice as Norwich continued their impressive start to the season by easing past fellow top-flight newcomers Swansea at Carrow Road.
Pilkington, a £2million summer signing from Huddersfield, opened the scoring after just 50 seconds before Russell Martin doubled the Canaries' lead soon after with a 12-yard header.
Danny Graham drilled home to pull one back for Swansea, but the Welshmen never looked like equalising and Pilkington sealed the win for the home side just after the hour when he swivelled neatly in the box before firing home from close range.
Paul Lambert's side were installed as favourites for the drop after their promotion, but they now sit ninth in the league after picking up 11 points from their opening eight games.
Swansea displayed little of the fight that saw them beat Stoke two weeks ago and are still in search of their first top-flight win in 19 years.
Stoke 2 Fulham 0
Late goals from Jon Walters and Rory Delap secured victory for Stoke over Fulham at the Britannia Stadium this afternoon.
The Potters hit the post through Delap and saw their own crossbar rattled by John Arne Riise before Walters broke the deadlock in the 80th minute, diverting Matthew Etherington's effort home.
Delap then doubled their advantage seven minutes later, nodding in an Etherington free-kick.
Stoke's deserved win continued their solid start to the campaign, Tony Pulis' side having now taken 12 points from their opening eight Barclays Premier League fixtures to consolidate their position in the top half of the table.
Pulis made two changes from the defeat at Swansea last time out, with Etherington, having been given a sugar injection for a back complaint, returning to the Potters team along with defender Matthew Upson.
Striker Kenwyne Jones, who had been sidelined for three matches by a hamstring injury, was among the substitutes, while the visitors' first XI showed one adjustment from their 6-0 thumping of QPR, Aaron Hughes coming in for Zdenek Grygera after recovering from a groin problem.