United go clear as Gunners misfire

Manchester United are a point clear at the top of the Premier League after Arsenal and Chelsea dropped points on Boxing Day.

Arsenal, who began the day in first place, were held 0-0 in a late kickoff at Portsmouth while third-placed Chelsea were involved in an astonishing 4-4 battle with Aston Villa.

Champions United were a class above Sunderland, two goals from Louis Saha and one each by Wayne Rooney and the league's leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo allowing them to go above Arsenal with 45 points at the season's halfway stage.

But the holiday fireworks were at Stamford Bridge where Gareth Barry's last-gasp penalty gave ten-man Villa a deserved share of the spoils against a Chelsea side who had Ricardo Carvalho and Ashley Cole sent off.

Chelsea have 38 points, two more than Liverpool who went fourth after a late goal from captain Steven Gerrard earned a 2-1 victory at bottom club Derby County.

Meanwhile Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he was frustrated by Pompey's tactics after they were held at Fratton Park.

"I must say Portsmouth didn't play at all in the second half. They didn't come out at all, they just defended," said Wenger.

At the bottom Birmingham City gave themselves some breathing space with 3-0 victory over fellow strugglers Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic moved out of the drop zone with a 1-0 defeat of inconsistent Newcastle United.

Wigan move above Fulham who were thrashed 5-1 at Tottenham Hotspur, for whom Robbie Keane and Tom Huddlestone both scored twice. West Ham United drew 1-1 with Reading.

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