Dimitar Berbatov and Robin van Persie both scored hat-tricks on Saturday as Manchester United beat Birmingham City 5-0 and Arsenal kept up the pressure with a 3-0 win over Wigan Athletic.
Darren Bent struck on his debut as Aston Villa beat Manchester City 1-0, a result that left United two points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table, with City a point further back in third.
The 24-million pound (38.4 million dollars) man pounced after Joe Hart had palmed out Ashley Young's 18th-minute shot.
Nigel De Jong had an effort deflected onto a post late on, but that was as close as City came, as Villa moved three points clear of the relegation zone.
At Old Trafford, Ryan Giggs scored a superb goal and Nani added a late fifth, but it was Berbatov who took the headlines with his third hat-trick of the season.
"It was a marvellous performance from Dimitar," said manager Sir Alex Ferguson."He could have scored more. We were a bit wasteful with our finishing at times but you can't complain at the performance."
He insisted he was not worried about Wayne Rooney's continued barren run. "We hope the goals are going to come for Wayne," he said. "He is working his socks off."
Van Persie got all the goals and missed a penalty in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Wigan Athletic; only the brilliance of Omani goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi keeping the score down.
"We feel stronger and stronger in every single game," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. "It is interesting the chance we have in front of us because for me the way we play is fantastic to watch. Let's just keep going."
Aaron Lennon scored a last-gasp equalizer as Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, who had taken the lead through Fabricio Coloccini.
Liverpool won their first game since Kenny Dalglish replaced Roy Hodgson as manager, Fernando Torres scoring twice and Raul Meireles looping in a brilliant volley as they ended a run of five straight away defeats with a 3-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
"It is the best since I've come in, the way he worked," Dalglish said of Torres's performance. "It was not just his goals it was the work-rate he put in."
Sunderland's first game since the departure of Bent produced a 2-1 win at Blackpool.
Kieran Richardson hadn't scored in 42 games but got two goals in the first half at Bloomfield Road, capitalising on fine passes from Asamoah Gyan and Steed Malbranque.
Charlie Adam pulled one back with a late penalty, but Sunderland held on to win successive away games in the league for the first time in almost three years.
West Ham United remain bottom after a 2-2 draw at Everton in which they twice took the lead, the second time with four minutes remaining.
The scorer of that second goal, Frederic Piquionne, was then sent off as his celebration earned him a second yellow card and Marouane Fellaini levelled in injury time.
"The red card was a joke," said manager Avram Grant. "He scored a goal and went to celebrate with the supporters.
"I know it is the law but it is a stupid law and we need to change it."
Fulham eased their relegation fears with a 2-0 win over Stoke City, Clint Dempsey getting both goals, the second from the penalty spot after he had been brought down by Ryan Shawcross, who was sent off.
Darren Bent struck on his debut as Aston Villa beat Manchester City 1-0, a result that left United two points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table, with City a point further back in third.
The 24-million pound (38.4 million dollars) man pounced after Joe Hart had palmed out Ashley Young's 18th-minute shot.
Nigel De Jong had an effort deflected onto a post late on, but that was as close as City came, as Villa moved three points clear of the relegation zone.
At Old Trafford, Ryan Giggs scored a superb goal and Nani added a late fifth, but it was Berbatov who took the headlines with his third hat-trick of the season.
"It was a marvellous performance from Dimitar," said manager Sir Alex Ferguson."He could have scored more. We were a bit wasteful with our finishing at times but you can't complain at the performance."
He insisted he was not worried about Wayne Rooney's continued barren run. "We hope the goals are going to come for Wayne," he said. "He is working his socks off."
Van Persie got all the goals and missed a penalty in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Wigan Athletic; only the brilliance of Omani goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi keeping the score down.
"We feel stronger and stronger in every single game," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. "It is interesting the chance we have in front of us because for me the way we play is fantastic to watch. Let's just keep going."
Aaron Lennon scored a last-gasp equalizer as Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, who had taken the lead through Fabricio Coloccini.
Liverpool won their first game since Kenny Dalglish replaced Roy Hodgson as manager, Fernando Torres scoring twice and Raul Meireles looping in a brilliant volley as they ended a run of five straight away defeats with a 3-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
"It is the best since I've come in, the way he worked," Dalglish said of Torres's performance. "It was not just his goals it was the work-rate he put in."
Sunderland's first game since the departure of Bent produced a 2-1 win at Blackpool.
Kieran Richardson hadn't scored in 42 games but got two goals in the first half at Bloomfield Road, capitalising on fine passes from Asamoah Gyan and Steed Malbranque.
Charlie Adam pulled one back with a late penalty, but Sunderland held on to win successive away games in the league for the first time in almost three years.
West Ham United remain bottom after a 2-2 draw at Everton in which they twice took the lead, the second time with four minutes remaining.
The scorer of that second goal, Frederic Piquionne, was then sent off as his celebration earned him a second yellow card and Marouane Fellaini levelled in injury time.
"The red card was a joke," said manager Avram Grant. "He scored a goal and went to celebrate with the supporters.
"I know it is the law but it is a stupid law and we need to change it."
Fulham eased their relegation fears with a 2-0 win over Stoke City, Clint Dempsey getting both goals, the second from the penalty spot after he had been brought down by Ryan Shawcross, who was sent off.
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