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Man Utd 3-0 Tottenham
Manchester United bounced back after a miserable March to win for the first time in five league outings.
Ryan Giggs' backheeled the first goal on 30 minutes after good work on the right by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Substitute Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed Spurs' 10th consecutive defeat at Old Trafford with a mazy run and shot.
Then Giggs set up the third - passing to David Bellion who shot home to see off Tottenham, whose best effort was a Stephen Carr drive.
The victory ended a desperate run for the defending Premiership champions.
March had seen Sir Alex Ferguson's team knocked out of the Champions League and humiliated 4-1 by neighbours Manchester City while Rio Ferdinand also lost his appeal against an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test.
The return to winning ways came after a rejig by Ferguson, with Roy Keane and Diego Forlan returning and Roy Carroll preferred in goal to Tim Howard.
Solskjaer, seen as the right-flank replacement for David Beckham at the time of the England captain's departure for Real Madrid, made his first start since suffering a serious knee injury in September.
And he wasted no time in showing why Ferguson had been happy to let Beckham leave, as his good work on the right was followed with a dangerous cross for Giggs to score with a cheeky finish.
KEY MOMENTS
30 mins: Giggs grabs the opener
44 mins: Carr comes close from long-range
89 mins: Ronaldo settles the contest
90 mins: Bellion hits the third
Spurs never really looked like causing a shock - having recorded one league win at Old Trafford in 26 years.
Van Nistelrooy and then Paul Scholes flashed efforts just over Keller's bar, before the Dutchman rounded Keller only to be denied by Gardner.
United were dealing with the strong wind better than Spurs - who had just one long-range Stephen Carr shot to show for their first-half efforts.
The gale whipping around Old Trafford was so strong that one Scholes free-kick literally blew away from Keller's goal and ended up almost where it started.
Spurs had switched from the 4-3-3 system adopted at Newcastle last week to a more defensive 4-4-2 - omitting Frederic Kanoute - but at half-time David Pleat threw on the enigmatic Stephane Dalmat and soon after gave Jamie Redknapp a run-out.
Galvanised, Spurs tested Carroll through a Michael Brown shot but it was United who had the wind at their backs in the second half and Giggs came close after another mazy dribble.
Pleat made his last throw of the dice as Kanoute replaced Defoe but one minute from the end of normal time Ronaldo burst through and hit a deflected goal.
Then on the stroke of full-time man-of-the-match Giggs well and truly settled the game by cutting inside and feeding Bellion, whose finish set United up perfectly for next week's massive clash against Arsenal.
Man Utd: Carroll, O'Shea, Silvestre, Brown, Phil Neville, Solskjaer, Scholes, Keane, Giggs, Van Nistelrooy, Forlan.
Subs: Butt, Ronaldo, Bellion, Howard, Fletcher.
Tottenham: Keller, Carr, Gardner, Doherty, Taricco, Marney, Brown, King, Ziege, Keane, Defoe.
Subs: Hirschfeld, Kanoute, Dalmat, Redknapp, Kelly.
Arsenal 2-1 Bolton
Arsenal saw off Bolton at Highbury to equal Leeds' record of going 29 games unbeaten from the start of a season.
The Gunners produced another stunning start and Robert Pires curled home a brilliant opener before Dennis Bergkamp volleyed in from Thierry Henry's cross.
But Bolton struck back and Ivan Campo headed in to halve the deficit before Stelios saw his effort hit the bar.
Kevin Davies missed a golden chance to level when he headed wide from six yards from Stelios' pinpoint cross.
The kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes due to safety reasons because of high winds at Highbury, and the Gunners made their usual bright and breezy start.
With just six minutes gone Patrick Vieira teed up Henry and the on-fire Frenchman made himself some room before lashing a 25-yard drive against the crossbar.
They did not have to wait too much longer to go ahead. Another neat passing interchange between Edu and Bergkamp teed up Pires and he curled a trademark right-footer into the top corner from 25 yards.
KEY MOMENTS
16 mins: Pires curls Arsenal into the lead
25 mins: Bergkamp doubles the advantage
40 mins: Campo pulls a goal back for Bolton
Bolton - like so many teams that had gone before - simply had no answer, and Simon Charlton headed an Henry effort off the line before Arsenal doubled their advantage.
Henry went on a run down the left and sent in a cross to the far post that Bergkamp met first time on the volley, using his superb technique to drill the ball past a bemused Jussi Jaaskelainen.
It looked as though Arsenal would run riot but with their first attack of note Bolton halved the deficit. Bruno N'Gotty's shot from Stelios corner was blocked and Campo nodded in from close-range.
They nearly went into half-time level, but Stelios crashed a header off the bar with Jens Lehmann beaten.
Bolton came out after the break determined to get back on level terms, and Davies missed a golden chance when he headed weakly wide from six yards.
As the half progressed Arsenal improved, and Henry went close with a vicious volley that Jaaskelainen tipped away at full-stretch.
Arsene Wenger's side looked desperate to give themselves the cushion of a third and Pires drove over the bar before Bergkamp rifled a shot wide from 16 yards.
As the clock ticked down Arsenal remained the likelier to score, but they had to settle for 2-1 and keeping their nine-point lead at the top of the Premiership intact.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Silva, Edu, Vieira, Pires, Henry, Bergkamp.
Subs: Ljungberg, Reyes, Cygan, Kanu, Stack.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Thome, Charlton, Giannakopoulos, Nolan, Campo, Okocha, Pedersen, Davies.
Subs: Poole, Barness, Frandsen, Vaz Te, Pezzarossi.
Chelsea 2-1 Fulham
Damien Duff's first-half winner kept Chelsea in second place as they ground out a win over Fulham.
Duff reacted first to score after Edwin van der Sar saved Frank Lampard's powerful effort.
Eidur Gundjonhsen had earlier fired Chelsea ahead, curling his shot round Edwin van der Sar as Fulham stood off for his 12th goal of the season.
Fulham levelled when Mark Pembridge's free kick deflected off the wall and looped over keeper Marco Ambrosio.
Frank Lampard fired an early warning shot across Fulham's bows after neat interplay between Gudjohnsen and Hernan Crespo set up the England midfielder to drive his effort across goal.
Fulham failed to heed the warning as Gudjohnsen fired Chelsea ahead on six minutes, taking advantage as Ian Pearce stood off him to curl a shot around Van der Sar for his 12th goal of the season.
KEY MOMENTS
6 mins: Gudjohsen curler puts Chelsea ahead
18 mins: Pembridge levels for Fulham
30 mins: Duff reacts first to put Chelsea ahead
Gudjohnsen almost had a second when he flashed a volley over the bar but Fulham levelled on 18 minutes when Lampard fouled Steve Davis outside the box.
Pembridge's free-kick looped up off Gronkjaer in the defensive wall and over a stranded Marco Ambrosio.
Fulham had to endure some rough weather - and not just from the elements - as Chelsea looked to restore their lead, which they did on 30 minutes.
Lampard was denied from 20 yards by Van der Sar's fine save but Fulham's defenders were slow to react and Duff collected the loose ball to step inside Sylvain Legwinski and bury his shot confidently.
Gronkjaer was having one of his mercurial afternoons and on two occasions he teased, tormented and tested Moritz Volz with pacy, mazy runs.
Van der Sar had to react sharply again on 38 minutes when Geremi's intended cross caught on the wind and turned into a shot which the big Dutchman turned over the bar.
Chelsea replaced Gronkjaer with Scott Parker at half-time but Duff still gave Chelsea width and a slinky run unsettled the Fulham defence. When Geremi's cross came in Pearce slid in to deny Crespo.
Pembridge enjoyed good fortune with his equaliser
Fulham seemed out-of-sorts and Van der Sar gave Legwinski both barrels as he gave Duff space to pick out Lampard who fired inches over the bar.
But Chelsea's one-goal lead was never entirely comfortable and when Davis swung in a free-kick, Pearce climbed highest to head the ball across goal where Parker hacked clear.
Derek Hayles lacked support up front and with 18 minutes left, Fulham sent young Liberian striker Collins John on for his first Premiership appearance.
Chelsea needed the cushion of a third goal but Geremi shot weakly at Van der Sar after Gudjohnsen cleverly played him through.
John almost made Chelsea pay with a fierce shot from 25 yards that was always rising over the bar.
Chelsea: Ambrosio, Gallas, Desailly, Terry, Bridge, Gronkjaer, Geremi, Lampard, Duff, Crespo, Gudjohnsen. Subs: Sullivan, Mutu, Cole, Parker, Huth.
Fulham: Van der Sar, Volz, Knight, Pearce, Bocanegra, Malbranque, Legwinski, Pembridge, Sean Davis, Boa Morte, Hayles. Subs: Beasant, McBride, Djetou, Goma, John.
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire)
Manchester United bounced back after a miserable March to win for the first time in five league outings.
Ryan Giggs' backheeled the first goal on 30 minutes after good work on the right by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Substitute Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed Spurs' 10th consecutive defeat at Old Trafford with a mazy run and shot.
Then Giggs set up the third - passing to David Bellion who shot home to see off Tottenham, whose best effort was a Stephen Carr drive.
The victory ended a desperate run for the defending Premiership champions.
March had seen Sir Alex Ferguson's team knocked out of the Champions League and humiliated 4-1 by neighbours Manchester City while Rio Ferdinand also lost his appeal against an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test.
The return to winning ways came after a rejig by Ferguson, with Roy Keane and Diego Forlan returning and Roy Carroll preferred in goal to Tim Howard.
Solskjaer, seen as the right-flank replacement for David Beckham at the time of the England captain's departure for Real Madrid, made his first start since suffering a serious knee injury in September.
And he wasted no time in showing why Ferguson had been happy to let Beckham leave, as his good work on the right was followed with a dangerous cross for Giggs to score with a cheeky finish.
KEY MOMENTS
30 mins: Giggs grabs the opener
44 mins: Carr comes close from long-range
89 mins: Ronaldo settles the contest
90 mins: Bellion hits the third
Spurs never really looked like causing a shock - having recorded one league win at Old Trafford in 26 years.
Van Nistelrooy and then Paul Scholes flashed efforts just over Keller's bar, before the Dutchman rounded Keller only to be denied by Gardner.
United were dealing with the strong wind better than Spurs - who had just one long-range Stephen Carr shot to show for their first-half efforts.
The gale whipping around Old Trafford was so strong that one Scholes free-kick literally blew away from Keller's goal and ended up almost where it started.
Spurs had switched from the 4-3-3 system adopted at Newcastle last week to a more defensive 4-4-2 - omitting Frederic Kanoute - but at half-time David Pleat threw on the enigmatic Stephane Dalmat and soon after gave Jamie Redknapp a run-out.
Galvanised, Spurs tested Carroll through a Michael Brown shot but it was United who had the wind at their backs in the second half and Giggs came close after another mazy dribble.
Pleat made his last throw of the dice as Kanoute replaced Defoe but one minute from the end of normal time Ronaldo burst through and hit a deflected goal.
Then on the stroke of full-time man-of-the-match Giggs well and truly settled the game by cutting inside and feeding Bellion, whose finish set United up perfectly for next week's massive clash against Arsenal.
Man Utd: Carroll, O'Shea, Silvestre, Brown, Phil Neville, Solskjaer, Scholes, Keane, Giggs, Van Nistelrooy, Forlan.
Subs: Butt, Ronaldo, Bellion, Howard, Fletcher.
Tottenham: Keller, Carr, Gardner, Doherty, Taricco, Marney, Brown, King, Ziege, Keane, Defoe.
Subs: Hirschfeld, Kanoute, Dalmat, Redknapp, Kelly.
Arsenal 2-1 Bolton
Arsenal saw off Bolton at Highbury to equal Leeds' record of going 29 games unbeaten from the start of a season.
The Gunners produced another stunning start and Robert Pires curled home a brilliant opener before Dennis Bergkamp volleyed in from Thierry Henry's cross.
But Bolton struck back and Ivan Campo headed in to halve the deficit before Stelios saw his effort hit the bar.
Kevin Davies missed a golden chance to level when he headed wide from six yards from Stelios' pinpoint cross.
The kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes due to safety reasons because of high winds at Highbury, and the Gunners made their usual bright and breezy start.
With just six minutes gone Patrick Vieira teed up Henry and the on-fire Frenchman made himself some room before lashing a 25-yard drive against the crossbar.
They did not have to wait too much longer to go ahead. Another neat passing interchange between Edu and Bergkamp teed up Pires and he curled a trademark right-footer into the top corner from 25 yards.
KEY MOMENTS
16 mins: Pires curls Arsenal into the lead
25 mins: Bergkamp doubles the advantage
40 mins: Campo pulls a goal back for Bolton
Bolton - like so many teams that had gone before - simply had no answer, and Simon Charlton headed an Henry effort off the line before Arsenal doubled their advantage.
Henry went on a run down the left and sent in a cross to the far post that Bergkamp met first time on the volley, using his superb technique to drill the ball past a bemused Jussi Jaaskelainen.
It looked as though Arsenal would run riot but with their first attack of note Bolton halved the deficit. Bruno N'Gotty's shot from Stelios corner was blocked and Campo nodded in from close-range.
They nearly went into half-time level, but Stelios crashed a header off the bar with Jens Lehmann beaten.
Bolton came out after the break determined to get back on level terms, and Davies missed a golden chance when he headed weakly wide from six yards.
As the half progressed Arsenal improved, and Henry went close with a vicious volley that Jaaskelainen tipped away at full-stretch.
Arsene Wenger's side looked desperate to give themselves the cushion of a third and Pires drove over the bar before Bergkamp rifled a shot wide from 16 yards.
As the clock ticked down Arsenal remained the likelier to score, but they had to settle for 2-1 and keeping their nine-point lead at the top of the Premiership intact.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Silva, Edu, Vieira, Pires, Henry, Bergkamp.
Subs: Ljungberg, Reyes, Cygan, Kanu, Stack.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Thome, Charlton, Giannakopoulos, Nolan, Campo, Okocha, Pedersen, Davies.
Subs: Poole, Barness, Frandsen, Vaz Te, Pezzarossi.
Chelsea 2-1 Fulham
Damien Duff's first-half winner kept Chelsea in second place as they ground out a win over Fulham.
Duff reacted first to score after Edwin van der Sar saved Frank Lampard's powerful effort.
Eidur Gundjonhsen had earlier fired Chelsea ahead, curling his shot round Edwin van der Sar as Fulham stood off for his 12th goal of the season.
Fulham levelled when Mark Pembridge's free kick deflected off the wall and looped over keeper Marco Ambrosio.
Frank Lampard fired an early warning shot across Fulham's bows after neat interplay between Gudjohnsen and Hernan Crespo set up the England midfielder to drive his effort across goal.
Fulham failed to heed the warning as Gudjohnsen fired Chelsea ahead on six minutes, taking advantage as Ian Pearce stood off him to curl a shot around Van der Sar for his 12th goal of the season.
KEY MOMENTS
6 mins: Gudjohsen curler puts Chelsea ahead
18 mins: Pembridge levels for Fulham
30 mins: Duff reacts first to put Chelsea ahead
Gudjohnsen almost had a second when he flashed a volley over the bar but Fulham levelled on 18 minutes when Lampard fouled Steve Davis outside the box.
Pembridge's free-kick looped up off Gronkjaer in the defensive wall and over a stranded Marco Ambrosio.
Fulham had to endure some rough weather - and not just from the elements - as Chelsea looked to restore their lead, which they did on 30 minutes.
Lampard was denied from 20 yards by Van der Sar's fine save but Fulham's defenders were slow to react and Duff collected the loose ball to step inside Sylvain Legwinski and bury his shot confidently.
Gronkjaer was having one of his mercurial afternoons and on two occasions he teased, tormented and tested Moritz Volz with pacy, mazy runs.
Van der Sar had to react sharply again on 38 minutes when Geremi's intended cross caught on the wind and turned into a shot which the big Dutchman turned over the bar.
Chelsea replaced Gronkjaer with Scott Parker at half-time but Duff still gave Chelsea width and a slinky run unsettled the Fulham defence. When Geremi's cross came in Pearce slid in to deny Crespo.
Pembridge enjoyed good fortune with his equaliser
Fulham seemed out-of-sorts and Van der Sar gave Legwinski both barrels as he gave Duff space to pick out Lampard who fired inches over the bar.
But Chelsea's one-goal lead was never entirely comfortable and when Davis swung in a free-kick, Pearce climbed highest to head the ball across goal where Parker hacked clear.
Derek Hayles lacked support up front and with 18 minutes left, Fulham sent young Liberian striker Collins John on for his first Premiership appearance.
Chelsea needed the cushion of a third goal but Geremi shot weakly at Van der Sar after Gudjohnsen cleverly played him through.
John almost made Chelsea pay with a fierce shot from 25 yards that was always rising over the bar.
Chelsea: Ambrosio, Gallas, Desailly, Terry, Bridge, Gronkjaer, Geremi, Lampard, Duff, Crespo, Gudjohnsen. Subs: Sullivan, Mutu, Cole, Parker, Huth.
Fulham: Van der Sar, Volz, Knight, Pearce, Bocanegra, Malbranque, Legwinski, Pembridge, Sean Davis, Boa Morte, Hayles. Subs: Beasant, McBride, Djetou, Goma, John.
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire)
Page:
:-D
Thanks for not posting the link.
Man Utd 3-0 Tottenham
Manchester United bounced back after a miserable March to win for the first time in five league outings.
Ryan Giggs' backheeled the first goal on 30 minutes after good work on the right by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Substitute Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed Spurs' 10th consecutive defeat at Old Trafford with a mazy run and shot.
Then Giggs set up the third - passing to David Bellion who shot home to see off Tottenham, whose best effort was a Stephen Carr drive.
The victory ended a desperate run for the defending Premiership champions.
March had seen Sir Alex Ferguson's team knocked out of the Champions League and humiliated 4-1 by neighbours Manchester City while Rio Ferdinand also lost his appeal against an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test.
The return to winning ways came after a rejig by Ferguson, with Roy Keane and Diego Forlan returning and Roy Carroll preferred in goal to Tim Howard.
Solskjaer, seen as the right-flank replacement for David Beckham at the time of the England captain's departure for Real Madrid, made his first start since suffering a serious knee injury in September.
And he wasted no time in showing why Ferguson had been happy to let Beckham leave, as his good work on the right was followed with a dangerous cross for Giggs to score with a cheeky finish.
KEY MOMENTS
30 mins: Giggs grabs the opener
44 mins: Carr comes close from long-range
89 mins: Ronaldo settles the contest
90 mins: Bellion hits the third
Spurs never really looked like causing a shock - having recorded one league win at Old Trafford in 26 years.
Van Nistelrooy and then Paul Scholes flashed efforts just over Keller's bar, before the Dutchman rounded Keller only to be denied by Gardner.
United were dealing with the strong wind better than Spurs - who had just one long-range Stephen Carr shot to show for their first-half efforts.
The gale whipping around Old Trafford was so strong that one Scholes free-kick literally blew away from Keller's goal and ended up almost where it started.
Spurs had switched from the 4-3-3 system adopted at Newcastle last week to a more defensive 4-4-2 - omitting Frederic Kanoute - but at half-time David Pleat threw on the enigmatic Stephane Dalmat and soon after gave Jamie Redknapp a run-out.
Galvanised, Spurs tested Carroll through a Michael Brown shot but it was United who had the wind at their backs in the second half and Giggs came close after another mazy dribble.
Pleat made his last throw of the dice as Kanoute replaced Defoe but one minute from the end of normal time Ronaldo burst through and hit a deflected goal.
Then on the stroke of full-time man-of-the-match Giggs well and truly settled the game by cutting inside and feeding Bellion, whose finish set United up perfectly for next week's massive clash against Arsenal.
Man Utd: Carroll, O'Shea, Silvestre, Brown, Phil Neville, Solskjaer, Scholes, Keane, Giggs, Van Nistelrooy, Forlan.
Subs: Butt, Ronaldo, Bellion, Howard, Fletcher.
Tottenham: Keller, Carr, Gardner, Doherty, Taricco, Marney, Brown, King, Ziege, Keane, Defoe.
Subs: Hirschfeld, Kanoute, Dalmat, Redknapp, Kelly.
Arsenal 2-1 Bolton
Arsenal saw off Bolton at Highbury to equal Leeds' record of going 29 games unbeaten from the start of a season.
The Gunners produced another stunning start and Robert Pires curled home a brilliant opener before Dennis Bergkamp volleyed in from Thierry Henry's cross.
But Bolton struck back and Ivan Campo headed in to halve the deficit before Stelios saw his effort hit the bar.
Kevin Davies missed a golden chance to level when he headed wide from six yards from Stelios' pinpoint cross.
The kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes due to safety reasons because of high winds at Highbury, and the Gunners made their usual bright and breezy start.
With just six minutes gone Patrick Vieira teed up Henry and the on-fire Frenchman made himself some room before lashing a 25-yard drive against the crossbar.
They did not have to wait too much longer to go ahead. Another neat passing interchange between Edu and Bergkamp teed up Pires and he curled a trademark right-footer into the top corner from 25 yards.
KEY MOMENTS
16 mins: Pires curls Arsenal into the lead
25 mins: Bergkamp doubles the advantage
40 mins: Campo pulls a goal back for Bolton
Bolton - like so many teams that had gone before - simply had no answer, and Simon Charlton headed an Henry effort off the line before Arsenal doubled their advantage.
Henry went on a run down the left and sent in a cross to the far post that Bergkamp met first time on the volley, using his superb technique to drill the ball past a bemused Jussi Jaaskelainen.
It looked as though Arsenal would run riot but with their first attack of note Bolton halved the deficit. Bruno N'Gotty's shot from Stelios corner was blocked and Campo nodded in from close-range.
They nearly went into half-time level, but Stelios crashed a header off the bar with Jens Lehmann beaten.
Bolton came out after the break determined to get back on level terms, and Davies missed a golden chance when he headed weakly wide from six yards.
As the half progressed Arsenal improved, and Henry went close with a vicious volley that Jaaskelainen tipped away at full-stretch.
Arsene Wenger's side looked desperate to give themselves the cushion of a third and Pires drove over the bar before Bergkamp rifled a shot wide from 16 yards.
As the clock ticked down Arsenal remained the likelier to score, but they had to settle for 2-1 and keeping their nine-point lead at the top of the Premiership intact.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Silva, Edu, Vieira, Pires, Henry, Bergkamp.
Subs: Ljungberg, Reyes, Cygan, Kanu, Stack.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Thome, Charlton, Giannakopoulos, Nolan, Campo, Okocha, Pedersen, Davies.
Subs: Poole, Barness, Frandsen, Vaz Te, Pezzarossi.
Chelsea 2-1 Fulham
Damien Duff's first-half winner kept Chelsea in second place as they ground out a win over Fulham.
Duff reacted first to score after Edwin van der Sar saved Frank Lampard's powerful effort.
Eidur Gundjonhsen had earlier fired Chelsea ahead, curling his shot round Edwin van der Sar as Fulham stood off for his 12th goal of the season.
Fulham levelled when Mark Pembridge's free kick deflected off the wall and looped over keeper Marco Ambrosio.
Frank Lampard fired an early warning shot across Fulham's bows after neat interplay between Gudjohnsen and Hernan Crespo set up the England midfielder to drive his effort across goal.
Fulham failed to heed the warning as Gudjohnsen fired Chelsea ahead on six minutes, taking advantage as Ian Pearce stood off him to curl a shot around Van der Sar for his 12th goal of the season.
KEY MOMENTS
6 mins: Gudjohsen curler puts Chelsea ahead
18 mins: Pembridge levels for Fulham
30 mins: Duff reacts first to put Chelsea ahead
Gudjohnsen almost had a second when he flashed a volley over the bar but Fulham levelled on 18 minutes when Lampard fouled Steve Davis outside the box.
Pembridge's free-kick looped up off Gronkjaer in the defensive wall and over a stranded Marco Ambrosio.
Fulham had to endure some rough weather - and not just from the elements - as Chelsea looked to restore their lead, which they did on 30 minutes.
Lampard was denied from 20 yards by Van der Sar's fine save but Fulham's defenders were slow to react and Duff collected the loose ball to step inside Sylvain Legwinski and bury his shot confidently.
Gronkjaer was having one of his mercurial afternoons and on two occasions he teased, tormented and tested Moritz Volz with pacy, mazy runs.
Van der Sar had to react sharply again on 38 minutes when Geremi's intended cross caught on the wind and turned into a shot which the big Dutchman turned over the bar.
Chelsea replaced Gronkjaer with Scott Parker at half-time but Duff still gave Chelsea width and a slinky run unsettled the Fulham defence. When Geremi's cross came in Pearce slid in to deny Crespo.
Pembridge enjoyed good fortune with his equaliser
Fulham seemed out-of-sorts and Van der Sar gave Legwinski both barrels as he gave Duff space to pick out Lampard who fired inches over the bar.
But Chelsea's one-goal lead was never entirely comfortable and when Davis swung in a free-kick, Pearce climbed highest to head the ball across goal where Parker hacked clear.
Derek Hayles lacked support up front and with 18 minutes left, Fulham sent young Liberian striker Collins John on for his first Premiership appearance.
Chelsea needed the cushion of a third goal but Geremi shot weakly at Van der Sar after Gudjohnsen cleverly played him through.
John almost made Chelsea pay with a fierce shot from 25 yards that was always rising over the bar.
Chelsea: Ambrosio, Gallas, Desailly, Terry, Bridge, Gronkjaer, Geremi, Lampard, Duff, Crespo, Gudjohnsen. Subs: Sullivan, Mutu, Cole, Parker, Huth.
Fulham: Van der Sar, Volz, Knight, Pearce, Bocanegra, Malbranque, Legwinski, Pembridge, Sean Davis, Boa Morte, Hayles. Subs: Beasant, McBride, Djetou, Goma, John.
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire)
Manchester United bounced back after a miserable March to win for the first time in five league outings.
Ryan Giggs' backheeled the first goal on 30 minutes after good work on the right by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Substitute Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed Spurs' 10th consecutive defeat at Old Trafford with a mazy run and shot.
Then Giggs set up the third - passing to David Bellion who shot home to see off Tottenham, whose best effort was a Stephen Carr drive.
The victory ended a desperate run for the defending Premiership champions.
March had seen Sir Alex Ferguson's team knocked out of the Champions League and humiliated 4-1 by neighbours Manchester City while Rio Ferdinand also lost his appeal against an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test.
The return to winning ways came after a rejig by Ferguson, with Roy Keane and Diego Forlan returning and Roy Carroll preferred in goal to Tim Howard.
Solskjaer, seen as the right-flank replacement for David Beckham at the time of the England captain's departure for Real Madrid, made his first start since suffering a serious knee injury in September.
And he wasted no time in showing why Ferguson had been happy to let Beckham leave, as his good work on the right was followed with a dangerous cross for Giggs to score with a cheeky finish.
KEY MOMENTS
30 mins: Giggs grabs the opener
44 mins: Carr comes close from long-range
89 mins: Ronaldo settles the contest
90 mins: Bellion hits the third
Spurs never really looked like causing a shock - having recorded one league win at Old Trafford in 26 years.
Van Nistelrooy and then Paul Scholes flashed efforts just over Keller's bar, before the Dutchman rounded Keller only to be denied by Gardner.
United were dealing with the strong wind better than Spurs - who had just one long-range Stephen Carr shot to show for their first-half efforts.
The gale whipping around Old Trafford was so strong that one Scholes free-kick literally blew away from Keller's goal and ended up almost where it started.
Spurs had switched from the 4-3-3 system adopted at Newcastle last week to a more defensive 4-4-2 - omitting Frederic Kanoute - but at half-time David Pleat threw on the enigmatic Stephane Dalmat and soon after gave Jamie Redknapp a run-out.
Galvanised, Spurs tested Carroll through a Michael Brown shot but it was United who had the wind at their backs in the second half and Giggs came close after another mazy dribble.
Pleat made his last throw of the dice as Kanoute replaced Defoe but one minute from the end of normal time Ronaldo burst through and hit a deflected goal.
Then on the stroke of full-time man-of-the-match Giggs well and truly settled the game by cutting inside and feeding Bellion, whose finish set United up perfectly for next week's massive clash against Arsenal.
Man Utd: Carroll, O'Shea, Silvestre, Brown, Phil Neville, Solskjaer, Scholes, Keane, Giggs, Van Nistelrooy, Forlan.
Subs: Butt, Ronaldo, Bellion, Howard, Fletcher.
Tottenham: Keller, Carr, Gardner, Doherty, Taricco, Marney, Brown, King, Ziege, Keane, Defoe.
Subs: Hirschfeld, Kanoute, Dalmat, Redknapp, Kelly.
Arsenal 2-1 Bolton
Arsenal saw off Bolton at Highbury to equal Leeds' record of going 29 games unbeaten from the start of a season.
The Gunners produced another stunning start and Robert Pires curled home a brilliant opener before Dennis Bergkamp volleyed in from Thierry Henry's cross.
But Bolton struck back and Ivan Campo headed in to halve the deficit before Stelios saw his effort hit the bar.
Kevin Davies missed a golden chance to level when he headed wide from six yards from Stelios' pinpoint cross.
The kick-off was delayed for 15 minutes due to safety reasons because of high winds at Highbury, and the Gunners made their usual bright and breezy start.
With just six minutes gone Patrick Vieira teed up Henry and the on-fire Frenchman made himself some room before lashing a 25-yard drive against the crossbar.
They did not have to wait too much longer to go ahead. Another neat passing interchange between Edu and Bergkamp teed up Pires and he curled a trademark right-footer into the top corner from 25 yards.
KEY MOMENTS
16 mins: Pires curls Arsenal into the lead
25 mins: Bergkamp doubles the advantage
40 mins: Campo pulls a goal back for Bolton
Bolton - like so many teams that had gone before - simply had no answer, and Simon Charlton headed an Henry effort off the line before Arsenal doubled their advantage.
Henry went on a run down the left and sent in a cross to the far post that Bergkamp met first time on the volley, using his superb technique to drill the ball past a bemused Jussi Jaaskelainen.
It looked as though Arsenal would run riot but with their first attack of note Bolton halved the deficit. Bruno N'Gotty's shot from Stelios corner was blocked and Campo nodded in from close-range.
They nearly went into half-time level, but Stelios crashed a header off the bar with Jens Lehmann beaten.
Bolton came out after the break determined to get back on level terms, and Davies missed a golden chance when he headed weakly wide from six yards.
As the half progressed Arsenal improved, and Henry went close with a vicious volley that Jaaskelainen tipped away at full-stretch.
Arsene Wenger's side looked desperate to give themselves the cushion of a third and Pires drove over the bar before Bergkamp rifled a shot wide from 16 yards.
As the clock ticked down Arsenal remained the likelier to score, but they had to settle for 2-1 and keeping their nine-point lead at the top of the Premiership intact.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Silva, Edu, Vieira, Pires, Henry, Bergkamp.
Subs: Ljungberg, Reyes, Cygan, Kanu, Stack.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, N'Gotty, Thome, Charlton, Giannakopoulos, Nolan, Campo, Okocha, Pedersen, Davies.
Subs: Poole, Barness, Frandsen, Vaz Te, Pezzarossi.
Chelsea 2-1 Fulham
Damien Duff's first-half winner kept Chelsea in second place as they ground out a win over Fulham.
Duff reacted first to score after Edwin van der Sar saved Frank Lampard's powerful effort.
Eidur Gundjonhsen had earlier fired Chelsea ahead, curling his shot round Edwin van der Sar as Fulham stood off for his 12th goal of the season.
Fulham levelled when Mark Pembridge's free kick deflected off the wall and looped over keeper Marco Ambrosio.
Frank Lampard fired an early warning shot across Fulham's bows after neat interplay between Gudjohnsen and Hernan Crespo set up the England midfielder to drive his effort across goal.
Fulham failed to heed the warning as Gudjohnsen fired Chelsea ahead on six minutes, taking advantage as Ian Pearce stood off him to curl a shot around Van der Sar for his 12th goal of the season.
KEY MOMENTS
6 mins: Gudjohsen curler puts Chelsea ahead
18 mins: Pembridge levels for Fulham
30 mins: Duff reacts first to put Chelsea ahead
Gudjohnsen almost had a second when he flashed a volley over the bar but Fulham levelled on 18 minutes when Lampard fouled Steve Davis outside the box.
Pembridge's free-kick looped up off Gronkjaer in the defensive wall and over a stranded Marco Ambrosio.
Fulham had to endure some rough weather - and not just from the elements - as Chelsea looked to restore their lead, which they did on 30 minutes.
Lampard was denied from 20 yards by Van der Sar's fine save but Fulham's defenders were slow to react and Duff collected the loose ball to step inside Sylvain Legwinski and bury his shot confidently.
Gronkjaer was having one of his mercurial afternoons and on two occasions he teased, tormented and tested Moritz Volz with pacy, mazy runs.
Van der Sar had to react sharply again on 38 minutes when Geremi's intended cross caught on the wind and turned into a shot which the big Dutchman turned over the bar.
Chelsea replaced Gronkjaer with Scott Parker at half-time but Duff still gave Chelsea width and a slinky run unsettled the Fulham defence. When Geremi's cross came in Pearce slid in to deny Crespo.
Pembridge enjoyed good fortune with his equaliser
Fulham seemed out-of-sorts and Van der Sar gave Legwinski both barrels as he gave Duff space to pick out Lampard who fired inches over the bar.
But Chelsea's one-goal lead was never entirely comfortable and when Davis swung in a free-kick, Pearce climbed highest to head the ball across goal where Parker hacked clear.
Derek Hayles lacked support up front and with 18 minutes left, Fulham sent young Liberian striker Collins John on for his first Premiership appearance.
Chelsea needed the cushion of a third goal but Geremi shot weakly at Van der Sar after Gudjohnsen cleverly played him through.
John almost made Chelsea pay with a fierce shot from 25 yards that was always rising over the bar.
Chelsea: Ambrosio, Gallas, Desailly, Terry, Bridge, Gronkjaer, Geremi, Lampard, Duff, Crespo, Gudjohnsen. Subs: Sullivan, Mutu, Cole, Parker, Huth.
Fulham: Van der Sar, Volz, Knight, Pearce, Bocanegra, Malbranque, Legwinski, Pembridge, Sean Davis, Boa Morte, Hayles. Subs: Beasant, McBride, Djetou, Goma, John.
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire)
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