Full Steam Ahead For Blues

THREE-NIL: Didier Drogba rifles a brilliant free-kick past Manuel Almunia at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, to set the seal on Chelsea's 3-0 victory. / Getty Images

SUPER STRIKE: Barcelona's Zlatan Ibrahimovic wheels away after scoring the winning goal against Real Madrid at the Camp Nou on Sunday. Barca went back to the top of La Liga with the victory. The game, the biggest in world club football, captured a global audience on Sunday. / Getty Images

It was men against boys at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as Chelsea restored their five-point advantage at the top of the Premier League, courtesy of a humbling 3-0 defeat of bitter rivals, Arsenal.

The Blues were outplayed for long stretches of this contest but provided the ammunition where it most matters, in front of goal. Didier Drogba got the leaders off on the right foot on 41 minutes when he arrived ahead of Thomas Vermaelen to redirect Ashley Colefs cross into the net off Manuel Almuniafs crossbar.

With the Gunners pushing forward for an equalizer they were caught again before the break when Vermaelen inadvertently diverted a left wing cross past his goalkeeper.

Arsenal took the game to their opponents after the restart but were guilty of trying to walk the ball into the net, rather than opting to shoot from presentable distance.

Andrey Arshavin had a goal correctly disallowed for handball by Cesc Fabergas and the Gunners' hundred per cent home record was well and truly gone when Drogba smashed home a wonderful 25 yard free-kick late on. For Arsenal their title hopes look just about over while Carlo Ancelotties Chelsea remain favorites to lift the trophy next May.

Liverpool claimed a smash and grab Merseyside derby victory to claim fifth place in the Premier League on a day of raw tension at Goodison Park.

But they will have sighed with relief after being pounded for almost all of this very local showdown, but somehow emerged with the points.

An own goal from Joseph Yobo, deflecting a Javier Mascherano effort past Tim Howard saw Liverpool ahead at the break despite being almost permanently on the back foot as Everton poured forward.

But their eighth win in their last 10 visits to Goodison Park was secured with 10 minutes to go when Dirk Kuyt scored from close range after another Yobo error.Everton were the dominant force, but could not turn their pressure into goals, with Liverpool now having lost just two of their last 20 league games against the old enemy.

It was Mascherano who was celebrating, having had a major part in Liverpool's 12th-minute lead.

Everton criminally allowed the midfielder to advance towards their box, where he lashed in a 20 yarder that deflected off Yobo and into the opposite corner than had been intended with Howard hopelessly wrongfooted.

But with 10 minutes left, all Everton's brave efforts came to nothing as Liverpool dealt them a sickening blow.

Reina's long clearance was headed down by Kuyt with Yobo slashing wildly at the ball. It fell to Gerrard who set up Riera for a shot that Howard pushed into the path of Kuyt, who stabbed home the second.

Ayegbeni Yakubu came off for Cahill, and Lucas Neill for a crestfallen Yobo. But it was all over for Everton, who will never know how they lost this one.

A Wayne Rooney hat-trick gave Manchester United a comfortable if not totally unexpected victory at Fratton Park on Saturday, the outcome piling the pressure on new Portsmouth Avram Grant within days of his appointment.

United went back within two points of Chelsea at the top of the table - the Blues were at Arsenal on Sunday - thanks to a virtuoso display from the England international in a 4-1 win on the south coast.

It was also a historic victory, United's 2,000th in the league, and Ryan Giggs netting his 100th goal for the Red Devils.

Rooney was on target in the 25th, 48th and 54th minutes, the first and the third from the spot.

The two second-half strikes in six minutes killed off Pompey who had deservedly headed into the interval level after Kevin-Prince Boateng had equalised with another spot-kick.

The coup de grace came from the evergreen Ryan Giggs who celebrated his 36th birthday a day early by curling a brilliant free kick past the goalkeeper from 25 yards.

Burnley endured another dose of the away-day blues as Owen Coyle's side were hammered 5-3 by West Ham at Upton Park.

The Hammers were 3-0 up at the break with goals from Jack Collison, Junior Stanislas and Carlton Cole, the latter with a penalty. Guillermo Franco and Luis Jiminez, with his first goal for the club in his loan move from Inter Milan and again from the spot, made it 5-0 after the hour.

West Ham then took their foot off the gas as Steven Fletcher netted twice in the space of seven minutes, and although Steven Caldwell saw red in injury time, Chris Eagles added a third.

Despite the return of Robinho after three months out with an ankle injury, Manchester City are still unable to find a way to end their astonishing run of draws.

It is now seven on the bounce for Mark Hughes' side who headed into the break against Hull with the lead with an injury-time goal from Shaun Wright-Phillips.

But eight minutes from time Jimmy Bullard made it two