BPL : Anelka takes Chelsea top

Blackburn 0 - 2 Chelsea

Chelsea gave Luiz Felipe Scolari the perfect birthday present as the Blues returned to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win against Blackburn on Sunday. Less than 24 hours after being knocked out of first place by Liverpool, Scolari's side were back in pole position thanks to Nicolas Anelka's double-strike at rain-lashed Ewood Park.

Chelsea, who lead Liverpool on goal difference, went ahead when Jose Bosingwa's long-range strike hit Anelka on the leg and trickled into the net past wrong-footed Rovers keeper Paul Robinson. Anelka added a second in the 68th minute when he flicked his shot over Robinson from Frank Lampard's pass.

That was enough to ensure Scolari's 60th birthday celebrations went with a swing as Chelsea equalled a Premier League and club record of nine successive away wins.

Manchester City 1 - 2 Tottenham

Tottenham climbed out of the relegation zone after Darren Bent's two-goal blast earned a 2-1 win against nine-man Manchester City. The north London club's remarkable resurgence under new manager Harry Redknapp contined at Eastlands even though they fell behind to Robinho's close-range finish after 16 minutes.

The momentum swung Tottenham's way when City were reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute. Gelson Fernandes, who had already been booked, was the player dismissed after a lunge on David Bentley. Redknapp's side took full advantage as Bent pounced on Richard Dunne's mistake to level three minutes later. Bent won it in the 64th minute when he buried a pass from Jermaine Jenas to take his goal tally to five in his last six games. City's dismal day was complete when Dunne was dismissed in the 83rd minute for professional foul.

Tottenham left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto was also sent off in stoppage time but even that couldn't prevent Mark Hughes' side slumping to their third successive defeat. FIFA

Full results;

Arsenal 2 - 1 Manchester United
Wigan Athletic 0 - 0 Stoke C.
Hull City 0 - 1 Bolton
Sunderland 1 - 2 Portsmouth
West Ham 1 - 3 Everton
Liverpool 3 - 0 West Bromwich

Blackburn 0 - 2 Chelsea
Aston Villa 1 - 2 Middlesbrough
Manchester City 1 - 2 Tottenham
Fulham 2 - 1 Newcastle