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Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United win
Chelsea defeated Liverpool 1-0 on Saturday, getting a goal from substitute Joe Cole with 10 minutes left to maintain its five-point lead in the Premier League. Second-place Arsenal and third-place Manchester United also won on the road.
Arsenal defeated Charlton 3-1 behind two goals by Freddie Ljungberg and one by Robin van Persie. Manchester United beat Middlesbrough 2-0 on goals by Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs. United got a boost when Everton was routed 5-2 by Tottenham.
Chelsea, bidding for its second league title and first in 50 years, leads with 52 points, followed by Arsenal (47), Manchester United (43), Everton (40) and Middlesbrough (35).
"At the right moments, we had a bit of luck that normally champions need to have in crucial moments," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said.
Chelsea's lone goal came after Arjen Robben's corner kick was headed down by Cardoso Tiago to Cole. Cole then sent a powerful volley from the edge of the box past Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek.
"They've made it hard for us today," said Cole, who also scored the winner when Chelsea, playing at home, beat Liverpool earlier this season. "We knew that coming here and starting off the new year well, this could be significant in the title race."
Liverpool felt it deserved a penalty kick when Tiago appeared to handle the ball late in the first half. Replays showed Tiago leaping in the Chelsea box and the ball hitting his raised arm to knock away a cross, but the referee dismissed calls for a hand ball.
Liverpool, already without injured strikers Milan Baros and Harry Kewell, lost Xabi Alonso midway through the first half with a broken right ankle.
Late in the first half, Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech made a save from in close to deny Alonso's replacement, Antonio Nunez. He also kept out attempts by Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Luis Garcia in the final minutes.
In other results, it was: Fulham 3, Crystal Palace 1; Aston Villa 1, Blackburn 0; Bolton 1, West Bromwich Albion 1; Manchester City 2, Southampton 1; Newcastle 2, Birmingham 1; and Portsmouth 1, Norwich 1.
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