Manchester United, Arsenal register emphatic victories to stay on the back of EPL leaders Chelsea
Manchester United closed the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to two points with a 5-0 rout of Wigan, while Arsenal are also firmly in the title race after thrashing Portsmouth 4-1 yesterday.
In the last Premier League games of the decade, it was fitting that United and Arsenal who have enjoyed more success than most over the last 10 years u2014 should produce resounding victories.
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Wayne Rooney is overjoyed after scoring during Manchester Utd's 5-0 win over Wigan Athletic. |
Reigning champions United, second in the table, were far too strong for Wigan and bolstered their goal difference in emphatic fashion.
Rooney scoresWayne Rooney opened the scoring in the 28th minute when he converted Rafael da Silva's cross for his seventh goal in seven games.
A typically incisive United move in the 32nd minute shattered Wigan's morale as Michael Carrick turned in Antonio Valencia's cross.
Brazilian defender Rafael added United's third goal on the stroke of half-time when he punished poor defending to fire home.
Mr cool Berbatov
Dimitar Berbatov produced a cool finish in the 50th minute before former Wigan winger Valencia capped a magnificent United display with the fifth goal in the 75th minute.
Third placed Arsenal remain hot on the heels of the top two after cruising past crisis club Portsmouth for their fifth win in six league games.
Arsene Wenger's side were 11 points behind Chelsea last month but they have closed that gap to four points, with a game in hand, thanks to goals from Eduardo, Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song at Fratton Park.
The Gunners, without injured captain Cesc Fabregas, completely out-classed Portsmouth, who remain bottom of the table and four points from safety heading into the New Year.
The news that HM Revenue and Customs have issued a winding-up order that could leave Portsmouth facing bankruptcy was hardly the best pre-match preparation and it wasn't long before the day got even worse for boss Avram Grant. In the 28th minute, Eduardo's free-kick took a wicked deflection off Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul and flashed past wrong-footed goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and team-mate Hermann Hreidarsson on the line.
Nasri put Arsenal in complete control in the 42nd minute when the France midfielder took Ramsey's pass and drilled a low shot past Begovic for his first league goal since March.
