Man. City go clear as Arsenal rout Rovers

Manchester City opened up a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Fulham yesterday as Arsenal returned to form with a 7-1 thrashing of Blackburn.

City, who suffered a surprise defeat at Everton in midweek, bounced back with a straightforward victory over the Cottagers at a blizzard-hit Eastlands.

Sergio Aguero set City on the road to three points with a first-half penalty before Roberto Mancini’s side eased into a 2-0 lead with a Chris Baird own goal. Edin Dzeko added a third on 72 minutes.

The win re-established City’s lead in the title race, although second-placed Manchester United can draw level with a victory at Chelsea today.

In other games, Robin van Persie scored a hat-trick as Arsenal silenced their critics with a seven-goal humiliation of Blackburn.

Disgruntled Arsenal fans had reportedly been planning protests at the Emirates after Arsene Wenger’s side had slid to three consecutive league defeats and a disappointing draw at Bolton in midweek.

But Wenger’s side responded to the disquiet among their supporters with a ruthless demolition of Rovers which saw them move up to fifth in the table.

Van Persie took his tally for the season to 28 after striking in the 2nd, 38th and 62nd minutes, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (2) and Mikel Arteta getting the other goals before substitute Thierry Henry completed the scoring.

Morten Gamst Pedersen was the lone scorer for Blackburn, who also had Gael Givet sent off for a wild challenge on Van Persie just before half-time.

The defeat left Blackburn firmly rooted in the relegation zone, two points adrift of safety in 19th place.

Wenger meanwhile praised the contribution of teenage winger Oxlade-Chamberlain.

“Alex was not ready earlier in the season but he has made a big step in the last months, he produces team play and is not only going forward but contributes to the build-up and defending,” Wenger said.

“He has improved very quickly and he is a fighter as well in his personality. He plays like a guy who had talent in September but is much more mature now.”

Elsewhere, Norwich moved up to ninth place with a 2-0 win over struggling Bolton, second-half goals from Andrew Surman and Anthony Pilkington sealing the points for the Canaries at Carrow Road.

Cisse red

Queens Park Rangers striker Djibril Cisse followed up his debut goal for the club in midweek with a controversial red card as the Londoners slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Wolves at Loftus Road.

QPR had got off to a dream start when new signing Bobby Zamora opened his account for the club with a 16th-minute opener.

But Cisse’s red card transformed the game as Wolves hit back to level through Matt Jarvis before Kevin Doyle fired Mick McCarthy’s men into the lead.

QPR launched a furious late onslaught but Wolves held firm to clinch their first win in 10 games and move out of the relegation zone.

Sunderland recorded their third consecutive league victory – and their fifth in six games with a 1-0 win at 10-man Stoke.

The Black Cats claimed all three points with a 60th-minute James McClean strike after Robert Huth was sent off for the home side at a snow-hit Britannia Stadium.

Newly-promoted Swansea moved into the top half of the table with a 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns.

West Brom took the lead through a Marc-Antoine Fortune volley on 54 minutes before Swansea hit back to take the lead through Gylfi Sigurdsson and Danny Graham as the Welsh club moved up to 10th.

Everton striker Victor Anichebe grabbed a late equaliser as the Toffees battled to a 1-1 draw at bottom club Wigan.

Wigan took the lead through a Phil Neville own goal on 76 minutes, Everton keeper Tim Howard being deceived by a spinning ball after Neville had diverted Jean Beausejour’s cross goalwards.

However, Everton levelled through Anichebe in the 83rd minute to give the Toffees a share of the points.

Results and standings

Premier League

Arsenal 7
Van Persie 2, 38, 62; Chamberlain 40, 54; Arteta 51; Henry 90;
Blackburn 1
Pedersen 31;

HT: 3-1. Att: 59,643.
Red card: Givet (B) 43.

Man. City 3
Aguero 10 pen; Baird 30 og; Dzeko 72;
Fulham 0

HT: 2-0. Att: 46,963.

Norwich 2
Surman 70; Pilkington 85;
Bolton 0

HT: 0-0. Att: 26,358.

QPR 1
Zamora 16;
Wolves 2
Jarvis 46; Doyle 71;

HT: 1-0. Att: 17,351.
Red card: Cisse (QPR) 34.

Stoke 0
Sunderland 1
McClean 60;

HT: 0-0. Att: 27,717.
Red card: Huth (St) 45.

West Brom 1
Fortune 54;
Swansea 2
Sigurdsson 55; Graham 59;

HT: 0-0. Att: 24,274.

Wigan 1
Neville 76 og;
Everton 1
Anichebe 83;

HT: 0-0. Att: 18,340.

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Man. City	24	18	3	3	63	19	57
Man. United	23	17	3	3	56	21	54
Tottenham	23	15	4	4	44	25	49
Chelsea	23	12	6	5	41	26	42
Arsenal	24	12	4	8	46	34	40
Newcastle	23	11	6	6	34	30	39
Liverpool	23	10	8	5	28	21	38
Sunderland	24	9	6	9	33	24	33
Norwich	24	8	8	8	34	39	32
Swansea	24	7	9	8	26	29	30
Everton	24	8	6	10	24	27	30
Stoke	24	8	6	10	23	36	30
Aston Villa	23	6	10	7	28	31	28
Fulham	24	6	9	9	29	35	27
West Brom	24	7	5	12	24	34	26
QPR	24	5	6	13	25	41	21
Wolves	24	5	6	13	27	44	21
Bolton	24	6	2	16	28	49	20
Blackburn	24	4	6	14	34	54	18
Wigan	24	3	7	14	21	49	16

Playing today
Chelsea vs Man. United - 17:00
Newcastle vs Aston Villa - 14:30

Tomorrow
Liverpool vs Tottenham - 21:00

Leading scorers
22 goals: Van Persie (Arsenal).
15 goals: Aguero (Man. City), Ba (Newcastle).
13 goals: Rooney (Man. United).
12 goals: Yakubu (Blackburn), Dzeko (Man. City).

Next fixtures
Tuesday: FA Cup fourth round replays 20.45 Sheffield Wed. vs Blackpool; Southampton vs Millwall.
Wednesday: FA Cup fourth round replay – 20.45 Middlesbrough vs Sunderland.
Saturday: Premier League – 13.45 Manchester United vs Liverpool. 16.00 Blackburn vs QPR; Bolton vs Wigan; Everton vs Chelsea; Fulham vs Stoke; Sunderland vs Arsenal; Swansea vs Norwich. 18.30 Tottenham vs Newcastle.
Sunday: 14.30 Wolves vs West Brom. 17.00 Aston Villa vs Manchester City.

The Championship
Birmingham 0 - Southampton 0
Brighton 1 - Leicester 0
Bristol City 0 - Leeds 3
Burnley 1 - Peterborough 1
Cardiff 1 - Blackpool 3
Coventry 2 - Ipswich 3
Doncaster p - Reading p
Mbrough 0 - Crystal Palace 0
Portsmouth p - Hull p
Watford 2 - Barnsley 1
West Ham 2 - Millwall 1

Playing today
Derby vs Nottm Forest - 13:15

Standings: West Ham 56; Southampton 52; Cardiff 50; Blackpool 48; Birmingham, Middlesbrough 47; Hull 46; Reading , Leeds, Brighton 45; Burnley 44; Derby 41; Leicester, C. Palace, Barnsley 39; Watford 36; Portsmouth, Peterborough, Ipswich 34; Bristol City 30; Millwall 29; Doncaster, N. Forest 24; Coventry 22.

League One
Carlisle 2 - Chesterfield 1
Huddersfield 1 - MK Dons 1
Sheff. Wed 2 - Yeovil 1
Wycombe 2 - Tranmere 1

Standings: Charlton 64; Sheff. Wed. 57; Huddersfield 55; Sheff. Utd 53; MK Dons 49; Stevenage, Carlisle 45; Brentford, Bournemouth 40; Bury 38; Notts County, Hartlepool 37; Colchester, Preston 36; L. Orient 35; Oldham, Tranmere 32; Yeovil, Exeter 27; Wycombe 26; Walsall, Scunthorpe 25; Rochdale 24; Chesterfield 23.

League Two: Plymouth vs Southend 2-2