Arsenal lose again as Liverpool stretch lead
Champions Arsenal slumped to their third defeat in eight days when they were beaten 2-1 at home by Blackburn Rovers in the English premier league on Saturday.
Liverpool took full advantage as a late Michael Owen penalty secured a 2-1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur that took them four points clear at the top.
Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan scored his first league goal for Manchester United, a late equaliser in a 1-1 home draw with struggling Aston Villa, but United are now eight points behind the leaders.
Liverpool have 27 points to the 23 of Arsenal. Chelsea moved up to third on 19 after a comfortable 2-0 home win over West Bromwich Albion. Manchester United and Tottenham are also on 19. Middlesbrough, who drew 2-2 with Leeds United, have 18, along with Blackburn.
Newcastle United, 2-1 home winners over Charlton Athletic, are up to eighth on 16 points.
On the day's other game, Manchester City collected their first away win of the season, 2-0 at Birmingham City.
FORGETTABLE WEEK
After sweeping all before them in the previous seven months, Arsenal have had a week to forget.
A 2-1 defeat at Everton last Saturday was followed by a 2-1 home loss to Auxerre in the Champions League and now another surprise result against Blackburn.
Things started badly when Brazilian midfielder Edu, playing in place of the suspended Patrick Vieira, put Blackburn ahead with an own goal after just six minutes, looping the ball over the stranded David Seaman.
Edu scored a fortunate equaliser when his free kick evaded everyone and flew in just before the break, but Blackburn quickly restored their lead six minutes into the second half when striker Dwight Yorke cleverly finished a quick counter-attack.
Arsenal poured forward from then on but could not get past American goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who had a superb game despite aggravating a knee injury in the warm up.
"We are going through a bad patch and this was a bad day," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
"But I am very positive...I am confident we will become even stronger."
CATCH FIRE
The battle between first and third at Anfield did not catch fire until midfielder Danny Murphy put Liverpool ahead with a superb curling shot in the 72nd minute.
Centre back Dean Richards equalised for Spurs with a header eight minutes from the end but Owen secured the three points from the penalty spot four minutes later.
"I am pleased because we came up against a well balanced and very disciplined team today," said Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier.
Manchester United limped to a second successive disappointing 1-1 draw, this time at home.
Swedish international defender Olof Mellberg headed Villa's first away goal of the season after 35 minutes to put the Midlanders ahead.
United fought back strongly, David Beckham hitting the bar with a left-foot shot and Forlan heading just over.
Forlan finally broke his premier league duck in his 24th match when he nodded in the equaliser 13 minutes from time but it was a low-key display for Alex Ferguson's side who sorely missed the injured Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ryan Giggs.
"I thought we were very shoddy, lacked urgency. Aston Villa outbattled us and deserved to be in front," said United manager Alex Ferguson.
A Mark Viduka penalty put Leeds ahead at Middlesbrough before Joseph-Desire Job equalised.
Lee Bowyer restored the visitors' lead early in the second half and, after Leeds striker Alan Smith was sent off for his second booking 12 minutes from the end, defender Gareth Southgate earned Boro a point.
The game ended in a mass pushing match after Middlesbrough defender Franck Queudrue was shown the red card.
Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and defender Graeme Le Saux were Chelsea's marksmen at Stamford Bridge while a first goal in English football for Chinese international defender Sun Jihai and one for striker Nicolas Anelka earned Manchester City their points.
South African striker Shaun Bartlett's first goal since September 2001 put Charlton Athletic ahead at St James' Park but defender Andy Griffin, who scored the winner against Juventus in midweek, and French winger Laurent Robert sealed Newcastle's victory.
On Sunday, Southampton host Fulham and West Ham United are at home to Everton, while Sunderland visit Bolton Wanderers on Monday.
