Goals from Sol Campbell and Robert Pires gave Arsenal a deserved 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Highbury today, ensuring the Gunners will spend Christmas at the top of the league for the first time since the Premiership was launched a decade ago. Centre-back Campbell headed home on the stroke of half-time and Frenchman Pires notched the second on the stroke of full time to give the champions a deserved 2-0 win over Middlesbrough at Highbury.
Middlesbrough were under intense pressure from the kick-off but they appeared to have weathered the storm when Campbell met Giovanni van Bronckhurst's free-kick with a superb diving header just before the interval. Boro were reduced to ten men midway through the second half when Luke Wilkshire picked up a second yellow card for a clumsy tackle on Pires, who celebrated his man-of-the-match award with a superbly taken late second.
Chelsea kept up the chase and moved up to second place after a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, playing in place of the dropped Gianfranco Zola, put the Blues ahead three minutes before the break and Frank Lampard secured the three points in the middle of the second half.
West Ham's lack of a cutting edge in front of goal cost them dear in a 1-1 draw with Bolton which means they will spend Christmas anchored to the bottom of the table - a position from which no side has ever avoided relegation. After centre-back Ian Pearce put them ahead in the 17th minute, the Hammers looked set to run out comfortable winners. But a first victory at home this season slipped through their grasp when Bolton scored with virtually their only meaningful attack of the match. A little bit of magic from Jay Jay Okocha made the difference, the Nigerian chesting the ball down before turning and releasing Michael Ricketts who finished perfectly.
Kevin Phillips rediscovered his goal touch to salvage a point for Sunderland with two second half goals at West Brom in the day's other relegation battle. Danny Dichio's 27th minute strike and a free-kick from Jason Koumas six minutes later put West Brom in the driving seat at half-time. But Phillips took advantage of a slack backpass for his first then levelled things up with a superb solo effort eight minutes later. Controlling the ball wide on the left, he cut inside and waltzed through a succession of challenges before unleashing a drive into the corner of the net.
Leeds and Southampton shared the points at Elland Road after Fabrice Fernandes' long-range free-kick a minute from time cancelled out Harry Kewell's 74th minute strike for Leeds.
Ten-man Birmingham snatched an unlikely point against Charlton. Danish midfielder Claus Jensen put Charlton ahead with his fourth goal of the season after 37 minutes. Birmingham's hopes of a fightback looked to have gone when Geoff Horsfield earned a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Charlton's Luke Young. But Scotland's Paul Devlin equalised from the penalty spot after Jensen pulled down Aliou Cisse in the box.
Newcastle could afford the luxury of a rare penalty miss by Alan Shearer as they ran out comfortable winners over Fulham, who had Pierre Wome sent off for a wild tackle on Andy Griffin. Nolberto Solano put the Geordies ahead after eight minutes and Craig Bellamy completed the victory with a late strike after Wome's departure.
Tomorrow, Manchester United can close the Gunners' lead to one point if they can beat Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. Meanwhile, Liverpool could have a difficult task to end their recent dismal run when they host their fifth-placed neighbours Everton in an eagerly anticipated Merseyside derby at Anfield.
Filed by James Boylan.
