Premiership review:Wayne Rooney ended his goal drought emphatically by scoring a hat-trick to help Manchester United to a 4-0 win at Bolton.
Rooney controlled Michael Carrick's first-time curling pass before rifling home expertly with his left foot after 10 minutes to score his first goal since the opening day of the season.
He quickly doubled his tally with a well-executed bending shot from outside the area six minutes later.
Cristiano Ronaldo made it 3-0 after clever and unselfish play by Louis Saha but Rooney was gifted his third by Bolton as he took advantage of a sloppy pass to make it 4-0.
United remain level on points with Chelsea but ahead on goal difference at the top of the Premiership.
Frank Lampard sealed victory for the champions at Bramall Lane but only after Jose Mourinho's men needed third-choice goalkeeper Hilario to dig them out of a hole en route to a 2-0 win over Sheffield United.
The Portuguese stopper saved Danny Webber's 17th-minute spot-kick and the home side were made to pay as Lampard struck in the 43rd minute.
The England midfielder then set up Michael Ballack to head home Chelsea's second five minutes after the break.
Robin van Persie scored a timely free-kick to rescue Arsenal as they drew 1-1 at home against Everton.
Tim Cahill's habit of scoring vital goals continued as he was gifted the opener at the Emirates Stadium as the visitors led 1-0 after 11 minutes.
Toffees keeper Tim Howard was forced to produce several excellent saves but he should have done better for van Persie's equaliser, getting his hand to it well but failing to stop it go in.
Liverpool obliterated Aston Villa's unbeaten record as Dirk Kuyt, Peter Crouch and Luis Garcia helped them to a 3-1 win at Anfield.
Kuyt and Crouch produced accomplished first-half finishes before Garcia capitalised after being given space in the box before the break.
Gabriel Agbonlahor's well-worked goal gave Villa hope of pulling themselves back into the game before the hour mark.
Henri Camara gave Wigan a 1-0 win over Fulham with a little help from the Cottagers' generous defence.
After a dull first half at Craven Cottage the game erupted. Emile Heskey was denied a goal despite his header appearing to cross the line and later in the half the visitors were awarded a penalty for handball against Zat Knight. However, Denny Landzaat blasted against the bar to waste Wigan's chance to take the lead.
But a catalogue of errors in the Fulham ranks allowed Camara space and time to fire home the only goal of the game.
Portsmouth improved upon their recent slump in form with a 3-1 victory at home to Reading.
Brynjar Gunnarsson's own goal gave Pompey a welcome 1-0 lead at Fratton Park.
Veteran defender Sol Campbell floated the ball into the area before Kanu nodded home a second after 52 minutes and Pedro Mendes' shot evaded the entire Reading defence to nestle in the back of the net.
Kevin Doyle managed a consolation for Reading.
Ashley Young saw a late first-half goal ruled out unfairly for offside as Watford and Tottenham battled out an entertaining goalless draw at Vicarage Road.
Both sides wasted several clear chances as goalkeepers Ben Foster and Paul Robinson produced a string of excellent saves.
