Bobby Zamora struck an injury-time winner as Fulham stunned 10-man Arsenal 2-1 to derail the Gunners’ recent Premier League resurgence yesterday.
Zamora swept home the winning goal in the third minute of stoppage time at Craven Cottage after Steve Sidwell had struck an 85th-minute equaliser to cancel out Laurent Koscielny’s 21st minute opener.
Arsenal paid the price for failing to capitalise on a dominant first half when they carved out a series of clear chances only to be denied by Fulham keeper David Stockdale.
Fulham’s grandstand finish came after Johan Djourou was sent off for a second bookable offence 12 minutes from time, a red card which encouraged the Cottagers to swarm forward in pursuit of an equaliser.
The defeat was only Arsenal’s second reverse in 13 games and saw Arsene Wenger’s men drop down to fifth after Chelsea scored a dramatic 2-1 win at Wolves, Frank Lampard striking an 89th-minute winner.
A feisty encounter saw Chelsea take the lead through Ramires on 54 minutes.
However Wolves looked to have grabbed a share of the points when Stephen Ward struck six minutes from time only for Lampard to rescue Chelsea at the death.
“It’s a massive win. Everyone knows we are having a tough time but the determination shone through and I think we deserved it,” Lampard said.
“The character showed as we battled through to the end and that is what the players are all about.”
Villas-Boas meanwhile refused to single out Lampard for praise.
“The players were magnificent today, no matter who scores,” Villas-Boas said. “It’s a good solid team win.”
Blackburn lose
Elsewhere, Blackburn were brought down to earth following their away win over Manchester United at the weekend after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Stoke at Ewood Park, Peter Crouch scoring twice for the visitors.
Blackburn looked to have got off to a dream start only for Christopher Samba’s early effort to be ruled offside.
Stoke then went ahead with Crouch netting his 100th league goal from close range after Blackburn failed to deal with Dean Whitehead’s chip forward.
Crouch doubled Stoke’s lead with his second on 45 minutes.
David Goodwillie scrambled one back in the 69th minute to give Rovers hope but the home side were unable to find an equaliser.
Aston Villa’s feelgood factor from their win at Chelsea was also shattered, with newly promoted Swansea scoring a 2-0 win at Villa Park.
Swansea went ahead after only four minutes, Nathan Dyer punishing some slack defending from Stephen Warnock to dart forward and finish past Brad Guzan.
Former Villa old boy Wayne Routledge then doubled Swansea’s lead two minutes after the restartt.
QPR captain Joey Barton was hero and villain at Loftus Road as Rangers crashed to a 2-1 loss to Norwich, a defeat that edged Neil Warnock’s side ever closer to the relegation zone.
Barton shot Rangers ahead on 11 minutes, drilling in a low finish from Clint Hill’s cross.
But Barton’s joy turned to despair on 36 minutes, when the midfielder was sent off for an apparent head butt in a confontation with Bradley Johnson.
It got worse for Rangers moments later, Anthony Pilkington netting the equaliser for Norwich.
The knockout blow from Norwich came seven minutes from time, substitute Steve Morison grabbing the winner.
Results and standings
Premier League
Aston Villa 0
Swansea 2
Dyers 4; Routledge 47;
HT: 0-1. Att: 35,642.
Blackburn 1
Goodwillie 69;
Stoke City 2
Crouch 17, 45;
HT: 0-2. Att: 20,615.
Fulham 2
Sidwell 85; Zamora 90;
Arsenal 1
Koscielny 21;
HT: 0-1. Att: 25,700.
Red card: Djourou (A) 78.
QPR 1
Barton 11;
Norwich City 2
Pilkington 42; Morison 83;
HT: 1-1. Att: 18,033.
Red card: Barton (QPR) 35.
Wolves 1
Ward 84;
Chelsea 2
Ramires 54; Lampard 87;
HT: 0-0. Att: 27,289.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Man. City | 19 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 53 | 16 | 45 |
| Man. United | 19 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 49 | 17 | 45 |
| Tottenham | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 35 | 20 | 39 |
| Chelsea | 20 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 39 | 25 | 37 |
| Arsenal | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 36 | 28 | 36 |
| Liverpool | 19 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 24 | 15 | 34 |
| Newcastle | 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 26 | 25 | 30 |
| Stoke City | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 22 | 31 | 29 |
| Norwich | 20 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 30 | 35 | 25 |
| Everton | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 20 | 24 |
| Swansea | 20 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 20 | 23 | 23 |
| Aston Villa | 20 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 26 | 23 |
| Fulham | 20 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 26 | 23 |
| West Brom | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 19 | 27 | 22 |
| Sunderland | 19 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 22 | 21 |
| Wolves | 20 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 22 | 36 | 17 |
| QPR | 20 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 19 | 35 | 17 |
| Wigan | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 37 | 15 |
| Blackburn | 20 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 29 | 43 | 14 |
| Bolton | 19 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 23 | 42 | 13 |
Playing today
Man. City vs Liverpool - 21.00
Tottenham vs West Brom - 20.45
Wigan vs Sunderland - 20.45
Tomorrow
Everton vs Bolton - 21.00
Newcastle vs Man. United - 21.00
Leading scorers
17 goals: Van Persie (Arsenal).
14 goals: Ba (Newcastle).
13 goals: Aguero (Man. City), Rooney (Man. Utd).
12 goals: Yakubu (Blackburn).
The Championship
Blackpool 3 - M’Boro 0
Brighton 3 - Southampton 0
Cardiff 3 - Reading 1
C. Palace 1 - Leicester 2
Doncaster 2 - Barnsley 0
Hull 0 - Derby 1
Ipswich 1 - N. Forest 3
Leeds 2 - Burnley 1
Peterborough 1 - Birmingham 1
Portsmouth 2 - Watford 0
West Ham 1 - Coventry 0
Standings: Southampton, West Ham 47; Cardiff, M’boro 45; Reading, Hull 39; Blackpool, Leeds 38; Derby 37; Burnley, C. Palace 36; Leicester, Brighton 35; Birmingham 34; Peterborough, Barnsley 33; Portsmouth 31; Watford 30; Ipswich 27; Millwall 26; Bristol City, N. Forest 24; Doncaster 22; Coventry City 19.
League One
Bournemouth 2 - Wycombe 0
Bury 2 - Walsall 1
Carlisle 3 - Sheffield Utd 2
Charlton 2 - Brentford 0
Chesterfield 1 - Oldham 1
Exeter 1 - Yeovil 1
Hartlepool 1 - Scunthorpe 2
MK Dons 1 - Colchester 0
Notts County 2 - Huddersfield 2
Rochdale 1 - Preston 1
Sheff. Wed 2 - Tranmere 1
Stevenage 0 - Leyton Orient 1
Standings: Charlton Athletic 54; Sheffield Wed. 49; Sheffield United 47; MK Dons 46; Huddersfield 44; Steve-nage, Carlisle 38; Brentford 35; Bury 34; Bournemouth 33; Notts County, Colchester, Preston 32; Oldham, Leyton Orient 31; Tranmere, Hartlepool 29; Scunthorpe 23; Walsall, Exeter 22; Yeovil 21; Wycombe, Rochdale 20; Chesterfield 16.
League Two
Accrington 4 - Macclesfield 0
Barnet 2 - Bristol Rovers 0
Burton 0 - Hereford 2
Crewe 0 - Morecambe 1
Gillingham 1 - Aldershot 0
Oxford 1 - Crawley 1
Plymouth 1 - Torquay 2
Port Vale 1 - Cheltenham 2
Rotherham 3 - Bradford 0
Shrewsbury 1 - Northampton 1
Southend 1 - Dagenham 1
Swindon 2 - Wimbledon 0
Standings: Crawley Town 50; Cheltenham 49; Southend 46; Swindon 43; Shrewsbury 42; Gillingham 41; Burton 40; Oxford, Torquay 38; Rotherham 37; Accrington Stanley 36; Morecambe, Port Vale 35; Macclesfield, Crewe 30; Aldershot 27; Wimbledon 26; Bradford 25; Bristol Rovers, Barnet 23; Hereford 22; Dagenham 21; Northampton, Plymouth 18.