Two great goals by Didier Drogba sealed the Gunners’ fate at the Emirates on Sunday.
Rafa heaved a sigh of relief at Goodison Park, Rooney bagged three at Fratton Park, Wigan stun the Black Cats at the DW Stadium while The Hammers and Burney stage an 8 goal thriller at Upton Park.

Some fine work from Paul Robinson managed to gain Blackburn a point against Stoke City at Ewood Park on Saturday, despite losing David Dunn midway through the 1st half, with an injury. I didn’t think that the Rovers had enough to beat the Potters on current form but Big Sam will be happy that they didn’t lose again in his absence. He is doing well after surgery. Final Score: Blackburn Rovers 0 – 0 Stoke City

Bolton gave Fulham a bit of a shock with a goal from Klasnic with 10 minutes to go to the break, and it took until the 75th minute for Damien Duff to find the equaliser to deny Wanderers victory. The Trotters went to Craven Cottage without a win in 5 matches so were on hiding to nothing and can be grateful for the point, even though they stay in the relegation zone. Final score: Fulham 1 – 1 Bolton Wanderers.

As I said on Friday I wouldn’t put money on Manchester City against the Tigers and I was right. It was Wright-Phillips who made the break-through just before the break, after Hull had looked like scoring on a couple of occasions. City just cannot click, no matter which combination of millionaires Mark Hughes picks and the 81st minute penalty awarded by referee Lee Probert – for what I am still not quite sure – which allowed Jimmy Bullard to get the equaliser, must have left the prematurely grey manager even greyer! Final score Manchester City 1 – 1 Hull City

Avram Grant looked a little dejected as he watched Pompey concede no less than two penalties to Wayne Rooney’s boot as Portsmouth crashed to a very predictable 4 -1 drubbing by Manchester United at Fratton Park. The Red Devils stalwart Ryan Giggs scored his 100th goal for the club with a brilliant curling free kick which sealed the victory after Rooney’s hat-trick.

The one I did get spot on was Wigan’s defeat of Sunderland at the DW stadium. On paper, with Wigan having been thrashed 9-1 by Spurs last weekend and Sunderland having stunned the Gunners 1-0, Sunderland should have annihilated Wigan by halftime, but the “home and away bogey” sticks to the Black Cats like chewing gum to your shoe. Worst of all for Steve Bruce was to be beaten by his former club and by a player that he signed for them. That defeat was Sunderland’s 16th of their away campaign. Final score: Wigan 1 – 0 Sunderland

I picked Martin O’Neil’s Villa to take maximum points against Spurs at Villa Park but as it turned out, Harry’s Hotshots should have walked away with the points but for the fine work from goalkeeper Brad Friedel, whose great saves managed to keep Spurs at bay. Gabriel Agbonlahor gave Villa the lead after just 10 minutes, but Villa managed to keep a clean sheet up to half time.

In the 2nd half a rejuvenated Spurs peppered the Villa goal and when it looked as if the points were safe, Michael Dawson gave Friedel no chance with a bullet from the edge of the area to deservedly level the scores. Final score Aston Villa 1 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur.

Saturday’s match of the day was the unlikely clash at Upton Park between West Ham United and Burnley. On current form this looked like a nothing match, but who have expected the Hammers to fire 5 past Burnley without reply until the 68th minute. The Irons were hot off the mark with an early goal from Collison after some sloppy defending. Junior Stanislas increased the lead 15 minutes later before Carlton Cole slotted one from the spot just before halftime.

In the 2nd half The Clarets were hard pressed until Franco made it 4 with a header. Luis Jimenez came on as a substitute and was handed the ball after referee Chris Foy pointed to the spot after Jensen brought down Jimenez in the area. He made no mistake and unbelievably West Ham had 5 on the board. The Clarets never gave up and it was Steven Fletcher who pulled back a brace to give the Burnley fans a glimmer of hope, which was short lived. Burnley went a man down when Caldwell was shown the Red Card for bringing down Hines outside the area. The 10 men applied pressure to the end and Eagles scored a third for Burnley in stoppage time. That win lifted West Ham out the Zone and will give them a real boost ahead of next week’s clash with Man United. Final score West Ham United 5 – 3 Burnley.

The early match on Sunday saw Wolves take on Birmingham City at Molineux and an early Lee Bowyer cracker sealed that one for the visitors, much to the delight of Alex McLeish. Final score Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 – 1 Birmingham City.

The first of the big derby matches saw Liverpool travel to Goodison Park to take on David Moyes’ hapless Toffees. Everton made all of the early play and were unlucky not to score first but it was an unlucky Yobo who stuck out a leg and saw the ball ricochet into his own net to give Liverpool an early lead. The Reds never looked like scoring, as Everton missed chance after chance, with some ill disciplined “Off side” play that cost them 2 goals. Dutchman Dirk Kuyt sealed it for the visitors with a goal in the 80th minute, which gave Rafa something to smile about for a change. Final score: Everton 0 – 2 Liverpool.

The showpiece of the day was the North London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates. Chelsea have the tightest defence in the league and a couple of the best goal scorers, while Arsenal boast 36 goals this season. A great ball from Ashley Cole was converted in flamboyant style by Didier Drogba to give Chelsea the lead after 41 minutes, then an unfortunate own goal by the Belgian Thomas Vermaelen, saw the Blues 2 up at the break.

Arsenal threw everything at them in the 2nd half but the Blue Wall held firm, with Petr Cech hardly called on to make a save. Then Lampard gave Didier Drogba first crack at a free kick in the 86th minute and the Ivory Coast striker nailed it past Almunia from 22 metres. The match showed just what a class act Chelsea have become under Carlo Ancelotti and they look unbeatable at present.

One has to wonder just how badly the African Cup of Nations is going to affect the top teams early next year when quite a number of African stars are called up for international duty.