Sport - Football

Chelsea stays on top

LONDON: Chelsea stayed at the top of the standings after two goals from Nicolas Anelka helped the side beat West Bromwich Albion 3-0 for an English Premier league-record 10th consecutive away win on Saturday.

At Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo’s 100th and 101st goals for Manchester United were the highlights of a 5-0 romp for the defending champion against Stoke City.

Chelsea now leads Liverpool on goal difference with both clubs on 32 points after 13 matches. Newly promoted West Brom remained last in the 20-team standings on 11 points.

West Brom had the first chance in the 16th when Borja Valero broke through the middle and set up Ishmael Miller with a clear shot at goal from 12 metres but he scuffed his effort across the goal-face.

Chelsea immediately hit back when Frank Lampard created a shooting opportunity for right-back Jose Bosingwa, who blazed his strike over the bar from 15 metres.

West Brom goalkeeper Scott Carson then saved attempts from Lampard in the 22nd and Florent Malouda moments later.

But the former England goalkeeper was at fault for the opening goal in the 34th after Portugal defender Jose Bosingwa attacked down the right flank, cut inside and unleashed a left-footed shot from 20 metres that found the top corner. It appeared to surprise Carson, who could not make the stop despite being rooted to his line.

Anelka doubled Chelsea’s lead four minutes later when he ran on to Malouda’s header down the left wing and finished with a deft chip over Carson from close range.

The contest was as good as over seconds before halftime when Anelka slotted home his league-leading 12th goal of the season. After a neat exchange of passes, Salomon Kalou broke through the middle and supplied Anelka on the left and his side-footed, first-time shot beat Carson at his near post.

Despite the two goals, it was a trying afternoon for Ronaldo, who looked frustrated at times and allowed a torrent of verbal abuse from the visiting supporters to get under his skin. Ultimately, however, Ronaldo had the perfect response for those Stoke fans, not only scoring the opening goal but also setting up the pivotal second goal for Michael Carrick on the stroke of half-time.

For good measure, he curled in the final Manchester United goal in the 89th minute with one of his trademark, unerring free-kicks into the bottom right-hand corner from 20 yards.

Dimitar Berbatov and substitute Danny Welbeck were the other scorers.Arsenal’s title challenge suffered a hammer blow as a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Aston Villa left it nine points adrift of leader Liverpool, which beat Bolton.

The results: On Sunday: Everton 1 (Yakubu 65) drew with Middlesbrough 1 (O’Neil 8).

On Saturday: West Bromwich 0 lost to Chelsea 3 (Bosingwa 33, Anelka 37, 45); Arsenal 0 lost to Aston Villa 2 (Gael Clichy 70-og, Gabriel Agbonlahor 80); Blackburn Rovers 1 (Christopher Samba 47) lost to Sunderland 2 (Kenwyne Jones 49, Djibril Cisse 72); Fulham 2 (Simon Davies 33, Andy Johnson 70) bt Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Fraizer Campbell 81); Manchester United 5 (Cristiano Ronaldo 4, 89, Michael Carrick 46, Dimitar Berbatov 49, Danny Welbeck 84) bt Stoke City 0; Newcastle United 2 (Michael Owen 80, Obafemi Martins 87) drew with Wigan Athletic 2 (Ryan Taylor 3, Titus Bramble 89); West Ham United 0 drew with Portsmouth 0. — Agencies

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