LONDON (AP):

Chelsea came through their sternest test of the season to stay top of the English Premier League, beating Arsenal 2-1 yesterday to open up a three-point lead after Manchester United lost at home to Tottenham for the first time in 23 years.

Spurs' 3-2 win in a thrilling match at Old Trafford saw United drop to third place and level on points with defending champions Manchester City, who needed a late goal by Edin Dzeko to grab a 2-1 victory at Fulham.

Everton are the nearest challengers to Chelsea following their 3-1 come-from-behind win over Southampton and Liverpool completed a good day for Merseyside by earning their first league triumph of the season, Luis Suarez scoring a hat trick in a 5-2 thrashing of Norwich.

Unbeaten Chelsea's fifth win in six games was secured by goals from Fernando Torres and Juan Mata and a strong rearguard display from a defence featuring John Terry, two days after he received a four-match ban for on-pitch racial abuse.

"It was a big challenge to play against a quality side like Arsenal," Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo said of opponents who were unbeaten heading into the match at Emirates Stadium. "We were excellent. We didn't just come and sit back, we took the initiative."

On a day of 29 goals - the most in a single day in the English top flight since February - five came in the United-Spurs match, with United States forward Clint Dempsey scoring what proved to be the winner in the 52nd to pounce on a sloppy performance from United.

Jan Vertonghen and Gareth Bale made the most of United's sluggish start with goals in the opening 32 minutes, before Nani and Shinji Kagawa sandwiched Dempsey's strike in a crazy spell of three goals in less than three minutes.

Tottenham survived a number of good penalty shouts and late chances by United for a first win over Alex Ferguson's side in 11 years.

"It was quite a game," Ferguson said. "The first half we never started, didn't get into the game. From there we were just playing against the wind."

Results

Premier League: Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2, Everton 3 Southampton 1, Fulham 1 Manchester City 2, Norwich 2 Liverpool 5, Reading 2 Newcastle 2, Stoke 2 Swansea 0, Sunderland 1 Wigan 0, Manchester United 2 Tottenham 3.

League Championship: Barnsley 1 Ipswich 1, Bolton 0 Crystal Palace 1, Bristol City 2 Leeds 3, Burnley 2 Millwall 2, Cardiff 3 Blackpool 0, Charlton 1 Blackburn 1, Huddersfield 2 Watford 3, Hull 1 Peterborough 3, Middlesbrough 1 Leicester 2, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0, Brighton 0 Birmingham 1.

League One: Bournemouth 1 Walsall 2, Carlisle 0 Crawley 2, Colchester 3 Hartlepool 1, Leyton Orient 0 Doncaster 2, MK Dons 1 Crewe 0, Oldham 0 Coventry 1, Portsmouth 2 Scunthorpe 1, Preston 3 Yeovil 2, Sheffield United 1 Notts County 1, Shrewsbury 0 Swindon 1, Stevenage 2 Bury 2, Tranmere 1 Brentford 1.