Brief reports of English Premier League matches on Saturday:
    ASTON VILLA 1 ARSENAL 2
    Craig Gardner scored with a neat half volley to put the home
side in front in the 14th minute but Villa's joy was
short-lived. Nine minutes later Mathieu Flamini drilled home a
low left-foot shot from 20 metres.
    A typically swift passing move and cross by full back Bacary
Sagna ended with Emmanuel Adebayor rising to head home Arsenal's
second in the 36th minute. John Carew's header hit the bar in
the 62nd minute for Villa, who dominated the second half but
failed to break through.
    - - - -
    BLACKBURN ROVERS 3 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
    Blackburn went behind to an Obafemi Martins goal shortly
after halftime but a David Bentley double, in the 54th and 67th
minutes, put Mark Hughes's battling side in front and Tugay
compounded United's misery with a goal in injury time. Blackburn
rise to eighth in the table while Newcastle stay 11th.
    - - - -
    CHELSEA 1 WEST HAM UNITED 0
    Former West Ham midfielder Joe Cole scored in the 76th
minute after being put through by Ivory Coast forward Salomon
Kalou to break the deadlock in a bad-tempered match during which
referee Howard Webb issued eight yellow cards. The win propelled
Chelsea into second place above Manchester United who are not
playing until Monday.
    - - - -
    PORTSMOUTH 0 EVERTON 0
    Portsmouth had more chances but Everton, who named the same
side that thrashed Sunderland 7-1 last week, kept them out in a
rain-hit game. Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard saved two free kick
chances from Sulley Muntari while Leon Osman had Everton's best
opportunity in the second half but failed to control the ball
with only keeper David James to beat.
    - - - -
    READING 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 1
    Turkey striker Tuncay Sanli scored a late equaliser for
Middlesbrough, heading home a cross from Luke Young but Gareth
Southgate's side still dropped into the relegation zone. Dave
Kitson had put Reading in front after 54 minutes with a lob over
goalkeeper Ross Turnbull early in the second half.
    - - - -
    SUNDERLAND 1 DERBY COUNTY 0
    Heartbreak for bottom club Derby and their new coach Paul
Jewell after Sunderland substitute Anthony Stokes scored in
stoppage time on the rebound from his own header saved by
goalkeeper Stephen Bywater. Derby remain on six points three
adrift of Wigan Athletic while Sunderland climb to 14th.
    - - - -
    WIGAN ATHLETIC 1 MANCHESTER CITY 1
    New manager Steve Bruce's Wigan pulled off a fine result
after a string of defeats with a draw against high-flying City
who dropped one place to fourth. Geovanni put City ahead in the
first minute after a Titus Bramble blunder but Wigan equalised
with a Paul Scharner header in the 25th minute. Wigan captain
Mario Melchiot was dismissed for a two-footed tackle on Stephen
Ireland two minutes from time.