Another scintillating round of Premier League matches saw Aston Villa beat Manchester United, Chelsea drop points at home to Everton in a six-goal thriller and the same scoreline ensued in the North West derby between Bolton and Manchester City.

It was a miserable afternoon for a number of the division’s top sides as Wolves stunned Tottenham by coming away from the capital with a 1-0 win, while Birmingham had Lee Bowyer to thank for a victory at home to West Ham.

Burnley and Fulham could not be separated at Turf Moor, Portsmouth grabbed a late leveller at Sunderland, while at the KC Stadium Hull City failed to break down Blackburn on home soil.

Saturday’s early kick-off saw Stoke City and Wigan play out a 2-2 draw that included a stunning goal from Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa.

(At the end if the day Chelsea remained on top with 37 points from 16 matches, Manchester United had 34 from 16 while Aston Villa jumped to third with 29 points from 16 matches while Arsenal with two games in hand had 28 points from 14 matches. Spurs were in fifth place with 27 points from 16 games followed by Manchester City with 26 from 15 and Liverpool who play Arsenal late Sunday with 24 points from 15 games.)  Editor’s Note.

Quality defending was in short supply at Stamford Bridge but there was plenty of excitement. Everton took a surprise lead when Leighton Baines’ free-kick flicked off Louis Saha, then John Terry, before striking the post and going in off the back of Petr Cech’s head.

If Everton’s opener was scruffy, Chelsea’s equaliser was class. Frank Lampard’s cute touch made space for Didier Drogba and his finish from the edge of the box was befitting of a striker at the peak of his powers.

Nicolas Anelka is in the form of his life too and his goal, after a scramble in the box, oozed quality as he toe-ended into the top corner.

Everton were far from finished though and were level at the break as Yakubu Aiyegbeni, just on as a substitute, tapped in after a defensive howler from Ricardo Carvalho.

Drogba exposed some more meek defending just shy of the hour mark to rifle home Branislav Ivanovic’s right wing cross for his 18th goal in all competitions. The Ivorian’s next contribution was less impressive though, as he attempted to clear Chelsea’s box only for his header to come back off Saha and loop over Cech.

In Saturday’s late kick-off Aston Villa moved up to third in the table after stunning Manchester United with a 1-0 success at Old Trafford.

Gabriel Agbonlahor’s fourth goal in four seasons against United was good enough for Martin O’Neill’s side, as he stooped to head home Ashley Young’s cross at the near post in the 21st minute.

United knocked at the door for a leveller and went close through a Wayne Rooney drive that hit the bar, Nemanja Vidic’s header that was cleared off the line and substitute Dimitar Berbatov’s stab for goal that was magnificently saved by Brad Friedel.

A pulsating derby ensued at The Reebok as Bolton and Man City shared six goals in a frenetic North West affair.

Ivan Klasnic stunned high-flying City in the 11th minute when he bundled home Lee Chung-Yong’s cross before another in-form striker, Carlos Tevez, got his side level with a deflected drive from the edge of the box.

Gary Cahill defied his status as a centre-half to turn and curl home a fine effort from the edge of the box but City drew level for a second time, as a marauding Micah Richards showed equal composure in finishing off a fine move from the away side before half-time.

Klasnic looks like the man who could pull Bolton to safety and it was his instinctive finish from close range that restored the home side’s lead in the 53rd minute. When Craig Bellamy saw red for a second yellow card for diving Bolton must have thought the game was there for the taking, only for Tevez’s second, after more questionable defending, to skid past Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Tottenham were stunned in just the third minute of their clash with Wolves as Kevin Doyle’s flick header from a lofted free-kick evaded Heurelho Gomes to give Mick McCarthy’s side a memorable win on their travels.

Spurs’ efforts to grab a leveller proved to be in vain as some heroic defending from Wolves’ backline kept the home side at bay.

Darren Bent’s fine season shows no sign of abating as his sharp finish after excellent wing play from first Jordan Henderson and then Andy Reid gave Sunderland a first-half lead at home to Portsmouth.

It looked to be enough for all three points until the final minute when Younes Kaboul scored the most invaluable of levellers, before he earned a second booking for taking off his shirt in celebration.

Bobby Zamora continues to defy his critics as he registered after a powerful run and composed finish to give Fulham a second-half lead at Burnley.

The Clarets’ home form is second to none though and they equalised courtesy of the deftest of Wade Elliott volleys.

Boyhood West Ham fan Lee Bowyer ensured his East End favourites travel back down south with another defeat as his sixth goal of the season gave Birmingham a welcome three-point haul.

Blues strikers Cameron Jerome and Christian Benitez combined to play in the midfielder, who showed customary composure to slot past Robert Green in the 52nd minute.

West Ham’s woes were exacerbated late on when midfielder Mark Noble saw red after accumulating a second yellow card.

The day’s drabbest game by some margin ensued at the KC Stadium as Hull City and Blackburn Rovers played out a forgettable 0-0 stalemate.

Stoke City’s entertaining 2-2 draw with Wigan was illuminated by a goal of the season contender from Figueroa and a last-gasp penalty stop by Thomas Sorensen.

Wigan’s Emmerson Boyce continued his hot streak in front of goal as he bravely headed in a first-half opener for his third league goal of the season.

Tuncay Sanli’s first goal in Stoke colours, a fine angled finish, had the Potters level by the break but it was Figueroa that stole the headlines after the interval as his perfectly weighted quick free-kick from inside his own half sailed over Sorensen and into the top corner.

It was a lead that lasted just two minutes as in the 74th of an absorbing contest Ryan Shawcross’ header exposed Chris Kirkland to restore parity. A contentious penalty awarded a minute from time gave Hugo Rodallega the chance to snatch all three points only for Sorensen – albeit after stepping from his line – to save with his

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