UK Soccer: Premier League round-up

A round-up of all this weekends premiership action, including a five-goal thriller a Old Trafford, and 2-0 win sending Chelsea back to the top of the table.

Chelsea climbed back to the top of the table yesterday after a 2-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge; amidst all the controversy over their captain this week, Chelsea put in an outstanding performance with two first half goals from Didier Drogba sealing the win. The first of the Ivory Coast strikers goals came after Terry's glancing header lead it into the path of the Drogba. He then got his second goal of the game, putting the match beyond Arsenal in the 22nd minute after Frank Lampard was left to run 30 yards of the pitch before allowing Drogba to fire a left-footed shot beyond Almunia. In the other Sunday kick off, Birmingham took the three points from the Midlands Derby against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Kevin Phillips came off the bench in the second half to score two excellent goals to take the game beyond Wolves. Wolves striker Kevin Doyle opened the scoring in the first half, but in the second half sub Phillips scored with ten minutes to go levelling the scores leaving for a tense close to the game, but in the 85th minute Phillips but an impressive volley past Wolves keeper Hanneman to seal the game for the blues. Manchester United fired five past Portsmouth at Old Trafford leaving Portsmouth still in trouble after the club went into administration during the transfer window. Rooney opened the scoring in the 40th minute sending a Darren Fletcher cross past goalkeeper David James; United added their second before half time with Nani's effort taking two deflections before ending up in the Portsmouth net. United's third came again from a deflected Michael Carrick shot that found its way past James in Pompeys goal. Manchester United made it 4-0 on the hour with a Berbatov shot finding the back of the net after some excellent skill and Portsmouth failing to close him down. United were handed their fifth when Wilson turned in a Patrice Evra cross in the 69h minute. Hull defeated Manchester City to climb out of the relegation zone at the KC Stadium. City found themselves 2-0 down by the ninth minute after the break with goals from Boateng and Vennegoor of Hesselink. And although Adebayor pulled on back they rarely threatened to equalise giving the tigers three points. Liverpool took the Mersey side derby 1 0 at Anfield with Dirk Kuyts 50th goal for the club, but the game was overshadowed by two sending offs, Liverpool played 55 minutes of the game with ten men after Sotirios Kyrgiakos was sent off for a two footed tackle, Everton midfielder Pienaar was given a second yellow card in injury time. Stoke beat Blackburn 3 0 at the Britannia Stadium with goals from Danny Higginbotham and Sidibe, Etherington added a third for Stoke after Blackburn had gone down to ten men. But the game has been overshadowed by the death of a football fan during the contest. Other results included Burnley beating West Ham and draw between Wigan and Sunderland and Bolton and Fulham.