LONDON (AP) _ Benjani Mwaruwari scored a hat trick on Saturday to
lead Portsmouth to a 7-4 win over Reading in the highest scoring
match in the Premier League's 15-year history.
Arsenal won 1-0 at West Ham to keep the lead of the standings
from defending champion Manchester United, which won 1-0 at
Birmingham.
At Fratton Park, Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann made a
string of saves but was still beaten seven times.
Mwaruwari scored twice to put Portsmouth 2-0 up before Andy Hunt
and Dave Kitson brought Reading level at 2-2.
Hermann Hreidarsson and Mwaruwari made it 4-2 before Shane Long
got a goal for Reading, but Niko Kranjcar, Sean Davis and Sulley
Muntari, with a penalty, all scored in the last 15 minutes.
Reading's Nicky Shorey completed the record tally with an
injury-time deflected shot. There could have been a 12th goal, but
Portsmouth goalkeeper David James saved a penalty.
``I have never been involved in a game like that before,''
Reading manager Steve Coppell said. ``It's hard to remember anything
like that either as a player or a manager.
``There were 11 goals in the game and there could have been more.
There was no indication at halftime that it was going to explode
into life like that.''
There have been several nine-goal matches in the Premier League,
most notably Manchester United's 9-0 win over Ipswich in 1995.
While Portsmouth moved up to fifth place, Arsenal continued its
unbeaten start with Robin Van Persie's fourth goal of the season
keeping the Gunners ahead of Manchester United, Manchester City and
Liverpool.
Arsenal has 19 points, two more than defending champion
Manchester United. Manchester City was a point further back after
beating Newcastle 3-1, while Liverpool has 15 after a 1-0 win at
Wigan.
Chelsea slipped seven points behind Arsenal after a 0-0 draw
against visiting Fulham that extended its winless streak to four
league matches. Captain John Terry left the field with a broken
cheekbone and striker Didier Drogba was sent off to complete a
terrible day for the Blues.
West Ham beat Arsenal twice last season to help it narrowly avoid
relegation, but Arsenal was comfortable at Upton Park on Saturday
and secured an eighth straight win in all competitions.
``We had a bit of apprehension because we lost here last season
and this was a big test,'' Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Emmanuel Adebayor shot just wide in the second minute from Abou
Diaby's cross and, although West Ham's Dean Ashton shot just over
the bar from 20 yards, the Gunners ahead in the 13th.
Adebayor passed wide to Aleksandr Hleb, who crossed to the far
post for Netherlands striker Van Persie to head the ball past
goalkeeper Robert Green.
``There's room for improvement but I am very proud of what the
team is achieving at the moment,'' Wenger said. ``I believe we can
challenge. We are very young, but we have to show we can eke out
results.''
United has yet to replicate its free scoring form of last season
and Cristiano Ronaldo's 51st-minute goal at Birmingham means it has
hit just seven goals in eight games.
Its defence, meanwhile, enjoyed another good day and has now
allowed just two goals.
Ronaldo won the match for United when he collected a long pass by
Nemanja Vidic and rounded goalkeeper Maik Taylor before knocking the
ball into the net.
While Liverpool got its faltering title challenge back on track
with a narrow win, Manchester City rallied against Newcastle to
maintain its perfect home record in this season's Premier League.
City trailed in the 29th when Obafemi Martins ran between two
defenders, controlled a long pass by Geremi with his left foot and
immediately shot past goalkeeper Joe Hart with his right.
Hart then almost kicked the ball into his own net but City drew
level in the 38th. Playmaker Elano lifted the ball over the defence
for Stephen Ireland, who crossed to Martin Petrov to score with a
low shot at the far post.
Emile Mpenza put City ahead two minutes after halftime when he
headed the ball across Given and into the net after a run and cross
by Petrov, while man-of-the-match Elano rounded off the scoring in
the 87th with a free kick into the top corner from about 20 yards.
It was the first time City scored three goals in a home league
game since November last year.
Liverpool started Fernando Torres after the Spain striker scored
a hat trick in a midweek League Cup match, but needed substitute
Yossi Benayoun to avoid a third straight scoreless draw in the
Premier League.
Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland had saved from Dirk Kuyt and
Torres before the home side had a goal by Marcus Bent ruled out for
offside. Benayoun then hit a low shot past Kirkland to earn victory.
Chelsea has not won in the Premier League since firing manager
Jose Mourinho and almost lost to Fulham. With Terry missing after
getting substituted at halftime because of injury, Chelsea needed
goalkeeper Petr Cech to save from Paul Konchesky before Diomansy
Kamara shot wide for Fulham.
Drogba was sent off in the second half after getting two yellow
cards, while Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko was jeered for a poor
performance and substituted for the second straight match.
It's the first time in nine years that Chelsea has failed to
score in four straight Premier League matches.
In the League Championship, the top three clubs all had to settle
for draws. Watford kept the lead of the second-tier competition
after drawing 1-1 with visiting Blackpool, Charlton drew 1-1 at
Coventry, and Bristol City stayed unbeaten with a 0-0 at Preston.
