Game Week 29- Review

Manchester United moved ominously back to the top of the Premier League table after Arsenal failed to pick up maximum points for the fourth consecutive game.Sir Alex Ferguson's Red Devils made hard work of seeing off Derby 1-0 at Pride Park, and needed a late strike from Portuguese goal-machine Cristiano Ronaldo to ensure that they sat top of the table on Saturday night.The strike took the winger's tally for the season to 31 in all competitions and keeps him ahead of the chasing pack in the race for a well-deserved golden boot this season.

Arsenal, who had started the weekend in top spot, dropped back into second after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Middlesbrough.The Gunners have seen a five-point lead at the summit ebb away in recent weeks and look a completely different side to the one which started the season so brightly and has progressed so magnificently through to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.Jeremie Aliadiere, who departed Emirates Stadium in the summer, took full advantage of some uncharacteristically slack Arsenal defending to fire Boro in front and silence the home crowd.Arsene Wenger's men then toiled away to no avail for the best part of an hour before Kolo Toure finally found a breakthrough with a powerful header four minutes from time.

Chelsea ensured that they remain very much in the title reckoning with a third straight victory, and Liverpool cemented their position in the UEFA Champions League places with hard-fought win at home to Reading.Inspirational club captain John Terry ended a 19-month wait for a top-flight goal when he grabbed the winner after just 10 minutes and helped move the Blues to within three points of the leaders.

Champions League glory represents Liverpool's only chance of claiming some silverware this season, but with fourth place in the league still up for grabs they ground out a much-needed 2-1 win at home to Reading.A Marek Matejovsky thunderbolt shook Anfield and gave the visitors an early lead, but a rare strike from Javier Mascherano and a 20th top-flight goal of the season from the irrepressible Fernando Torres saw the Reds fight back and take the points.

The Upton Park conveyor belt of talent produced another young star on Saturday, when 18-year old Freddie Sears followed in the footsteps of the likes of Jermain Defoe, Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand by becoming an instant West Ham hero.The forward stepped off the bench to snatch an 81st-minute winner in a 2-1 win for the Hammers over Blackburn, after Dean Ashton had earlier cancelled out a Roque Santa Cruz opener.

With only a fifth place finish or an FA Cup triumph now good enough to guarantee European football for next season, Portsmouth gave their hopes of snatching the final spot away from Everton a huge boost with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Fratton Park.Jermain Defoe lobbed home the first, in front of the watching Fabio Capello, before a Nigel Reo-Coker own goal ended the game as a contest seven minutes before the break.

Despite the late drama, Pompey are now just six points off a Uefa Cup spot after David Moyes' Toffees crashed to a surprise 1-0 defeat away at lowly Fulham on Sunday.Brian McBride notched his first goal since returning from a long-term injury and proved just how much the Cottagers have missed his physical presence in his absence this season.Everton appeared to be suffering a hangover from their heroic, but ultimately unsuccessful, European tie with Fiorentina in midweek and struggled to break down a stubborn Fulham side.

Another struggling side who were able to ease their relegation fears this weekend were Wigan after they secured the bragging rights in a feisty Lancashire derby against Bolton.Latics playmaker Jason Koumas saw red just five minutes into the contest for a rash challenge on Gary Cahill, but Steve Bruce's side dug deep and got their reward on 34 minutes when England front man Emile Heskey crashed home the only goal of the game.The win moves Wigan up into the relative safety of mid-table, while the Trotters remain marooned in the bottom three, one point adrift of safety.

The final game of the weekend saw Manchester City record their first league win at the City of Manchester Stadium in 2008 as they came from behind to see off Tottenham 2-1.Robbie Keane broke the deadlock just after the half hour mark, but Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha, with his first goal for the club, gave City the points.Sven Goran-Eriksson's men would appear to be too far adrift of the top five to make a realistic bid for a European place, while Spurs seem destined to finish in mid-table and will already have half an eye on next season.