The Hindu : Sport : Chelsea on top

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Saturday, Dec 27, 2008
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Chelsea on top

LONDON: Chelsea went top of the Premier League after beating basement club West Bromwich Albion 2-0 in an early kick-off match at Stamford Bridge here on Friday.

First-half goals from Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard saw Chelsea go two points in front of Liverpool.

Meanwhile reigning champion Manchester United, in its first domestic match since winning the Club World Cup in Japan, moved to within six points of top spot, with a game in hand, after winning 1-0 away to Stoke City.

But it was only after Stoke right-back Andy Wilkinson was sent off for a second bookable offence that Carlos Tevez scored for United seven minutes from time at the Britannia Stadium. West Ham came from a goal behind to win 4-1 away to Portsmouth as it put distance between itself and its fellow struggler.

Pompey took the lead through Nadir Belhadj before Jack Collison equalised. Before half-time Pompey missed a penalty when former West Ham forward Jermain Defoe shot wide and, after the break, the Hammers pulled away thanks to a goal from Carlton Cole and two from Craig Bellamy.

Elsewhere London rivals Tottenham and Fulham played out a goalless draw at White Hart Lane.

The results: Premier League: Chelsea 2 bt West Bromwich Albion 0; Portsmouth 1 lost to West Ham 4; Tottenham 0 drew with Fulham 0; Stoke 0 lost to Manchester United 1. — AP

Corrections and Clarifications

A report "Chelsea on top" ("Sport", December 27, 2008) said that reigning champion Manchester United, in its first domestic match since winning the Club World Cup in Japan, moved to within six points of top spot, with a game in hand, after winning 1-0 away to Stoke City. It should have been "two games".

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