Premier League Victories for Chelsea and Manchester United

Chelsea maintained their 100 per cent start to the English Premier League season with a 3-2 victory away at Stoke City and now top the table, with Manchester United moving in to second place after a 3-1 win at Tottenham.

Florent Malouda was the Chelsea hero as he struck four minutes in to injury time to secure victory for a Chelsea side that at one time trailed their hosts Stoke City by a goal to nil. Stoke captain Abdoulaye Faye had given his side the lead in the 32nd minute, only to see Didier Drogba snatch an equalizer for the visitors during stoppage time at the end of the first half. Then, with the game apparently set to finish all square, French winger Malouda claimed all three points for the West London side with a late goal, following what the Sun described as an "onslaught" on the home team's goal. Tony Pulis, manager of Stoke, praised the attitude and commitment of his players but acknowledged that they did not have the quality of Chelsea. Meanwhile his Chelsea counterpart Carlo Ancelotti said that his side deserved their win, admitting that their opponents had made it difficult for them with their physical approach. In North London Manchester United recovered after conceding a first minute goal, and losing Paul Scholes to a red card in the 59th minute, to record a 3-1 victory over hosts Tottenham. The home side, who had won all four of their opening league games, had Jermain Defoe to thank for their early lead. United's long-serving winger Ryan Giggs pulled his side level in the 25th minute, with Anderson then giving the Red Devils a 2-1 lead at half-time with a long range effort after 41 minutes. Despite the loss of former England star Paul Scholes 14 minutes after half-time for committing a second bookable offense the ten men of Manchester United wrapped up the points in the 78th minute when Wayne Rooney slotted the ball between the legs of the Tottenham keeper Carlo Cudicini. Tottenham drop to fourth in the table after their defeat. As happy as United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was to record a victory, after playing for half an hour with only ten men, the 67-year-old Scotsman was less enamored with the dismissal of his influential midfielder. According to the Mirror Ferguson said of the decision by referee Andre Marriner:

I thought it was a bad sending off. I have looked at the video twice and I don't see any sending off. I think he has been sent off because his name is Paul Scholes

Big spending Manchester City are now third in the Premier League after beating Arsenal 4-2 at home. City led 1-0 at the interval, thanks to Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia's header in to his own net. Robin Van Persie made it 1-1 in the 62nd minute of the game but City then swept in to a 4-1 lead thanks to goals from Craig Bellamy, former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Tomas Rosicky scored a late consolation goal for the Londoners as the Manchester side made it four wins out of four. Liverpool occupy fifth place in the league after an emphatic 4-0 win at Anfield over Burnley. Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun was the star of the show with a hat trick and an assist for the afternoon's other goal, scored by Dirk Kuyt. There were four other games in the Premier League on Saturday. Blackburn Rovers gained their first league victory of the 2009-10 football season with a 3-1 home defeat of Wolves. Darren Bent, signed by Sunderland from Tottenham during the summer, scored twice as the team from the Northeast entertained Hull City and beat them 4-1. West Ham United traveled to the DW Stadium to play Wigan Athletic and were beaten 1-0. Colombian forward Hugo Rodallega was the match-winner, scoring ten minutes after half-time. Portsmouth are firmly rooted to the bottom of the table without a point to their name, Bolton being the last side to defeat the 2008 FA Cup winners. Tamir Cohen made it 1-0 to Bolton in the 13th minute, a lead that lasted 12 minutes before Younes Kaboul brought the South Coast side level. Former Portsmouth star Matthew Taylor reclaimed the lead for Bolton with a penalty four minutes before half-time. However his old club were level again in the 63rd minute when Kevin-Prince Boateng scored on his debut. But with the game seemingly heading for a draw Bolton defender Gary Cahill headed the winner with just one minute remaining on the clock, plus any injury time. The win for Bolton gave the side managed by Gary Megson their first points of the season. Full details of the Premier League table are available at the BBC.