Chelsea back on top of the table

Premiership review:  Arsenal ended Manchester City's perfect start to the season and in doing so sent Chelsea back to the familiar…

Premiership review: Arsenal ended Manchester City's perfect start to the season and in doing so sent Chelsea back to the familiar surroundings of the top of the table after Jose Mourinho's side etched out a 1-0 home win over Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge.

The Gunners were second best to City for much of the game and looked to have lost the chance to win after Robin Van Persie's penalty kick was saved by Kasper Schmeichel, who was going in search of a fourth consecutive clean sheet.

City could have taken the lead had Manuel Almunia not saved well at Emile Mpenza's feet just after the hour mark.

Van Persie then missed from the spot after Micah Richard's foul on Aleksandr Hleb, but Cesc Fabregas blasted home at the near post from Hleb's pass in the 80th minute to spare the Dutchman's blushes.

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Chelsea were not at their best but still went top thanks to Frank Lampard's strike on the half-hour.

Matt Taylor came close beforehand and Gary O'Neil shot narrowly wide for the visitors early in the second period as Pompey refused to give in.  They almost nicked a point at the death but Ashley Cole headed off the line from Hermann Hreidarsson.

The pressure eased on Bolton boss Sammy Lee as his men claimed a 3-0 win over Reading at the Reebok Stadium.

Gary Speed (32) headed them in front from El-Hadji Diouf's corner and Nicolas Anelka's tap-in (55) after more good work from the Senegalese made things comfortable for Wanderers. Daniel Braaten added a third in injury-time from Anelka's brilliant cross.

Shaun Maloney scored in injury-time to hand Aston Villa a thrilling 2-1 win over Fulham at Villa Park.

Fulham went ahead in the fifth minute when the ball ricocheted into the path of Clint Dempsey who clipped home clinically into the top corner, while John Carew and Diomansy Kamara both hit the woodwork.

Villa claimed a merited leveller when Ashley Young's cross was deflected into his own goal by Zat Knight (50) and Chris Baird was then sent off for two bookings.

Two late goals left honours even between West Ham and Wigan at Upton Park.

The Hammers seized the initiative and had a good penalty appeal turned down for a foul on Mark Noble while Craig Bellamy's 'goal' was ruled out for offside before half-time.

But Wigan scored when Paul Scharner's well-placed overhead kick found the corner of the net in the 79th minute before Lee Bowyer finished from a tight angle two minutes later to leave it 1-1.

Birmingham won the clash of the promoted sides at Pride Park with a 2-1 triumph over Derby.

The visitors went ahead after 32 seconds when Jerome shot across Stephen Bywater from a tight angle and Rahdi Jaidi later hit the crossbar for Blues with a powerful header.

Matt Oakley (51) buried Eddie Lewis' far-post cross to level but Jerome's fine half-volley (63) put Steve Bruce's men back in front.