体坛英语新闻：Liverpool remain top after win, Chelsea set record

LONDON, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Liverpool remained top of the English Premier League after a 3-1 win at Blackburn Rovers while Chelsea beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0 for a record 11th consecutive away win in the top flight.

    Xabi Alonso, Yossi Benayoun and Steve Gerrard scored in the final 22 minutes to keep Liverpool one point clear of Chelsea.

    Nicolas Anelka headed home after nine minutes and Deco wrapped up the points with a superb scissors-kick, enabling Chelsea to surpass the record of 10 straight victories on the road set by Tottenham in 1960.

    The top four sides all won as Arsenal edged Wigan Athletic 1-0 at home thanks to Emmanuel Adebayor's first-half strike and Nemanja Vidic scored in injury time to hand Manchester United a 1-0 home victory against manager less Sunderland.

    United are third on 31 points, six behind Liverpool. Arsenal stay fourth with two points further back.

    Hull City move into fifth after a 2-1 win over Middlesbrough, in which all three goals came in the last 11 minutes.

    Newcastle United had to settle for a 2-2 stalemate against Stoke City after surrendering a two-goal lead while Fulham played out a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at Craven Cottage.

    Liverpool were frustrated for long periods before Alonso sidefooted past Paul Robinson to open the scoring on 69 minutes and Benayoun soon doubled the lead with a low shot.

    Roque Santa Cruz's header gave Rovers hope four minutes from time but Gerrard found an empty net in injury time as a result of poor defending from the hosts.

    Blackburn manager Paul Ince is likely to come under increased pressure as his side slumped to their fifth successive league defeat and now sit second from bottom.

    Sunderland, whose coach Roy Keane resigned on Thursday, traveled to Old Trafford under caretaker manager Ricky Sbragia but looked determined to earn a stunning point.

    They held for 90 minutes, with a resolute defensive effort and keeper Marton Fulop in inspired form, although United dominated throughout.

    But Vidic tapped in a stoppage-time winner after Michael Carrick's deflected shot had hit the post.