Reality checks and a measure of revenge were high on the Premier League agenda at the weekend.
Arsenal went into their match against Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on the crest of a wave after receiving deserved plaudits for a thrilling victory over Manchester United and their dismissal of Wigan in the Carling Cup with a team full of understudies.
But Arsene Wenger's leading men fluffed their lines badly against a vibrant Villa side who claimed a
deserved victory and could even afford to miss a first-half penalty, which was won and wasted by Ashley Young.Martin O'Neill's men are now only behind the Gunners on goal difference and are realistic contenders for a top-four finish, which is the best the Emirates outfit can hope for having suffered four defeats in their opening 13 games.
There was further cause for celebration in the Midlands later on Saturday with Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Curtis Davies joining England regular Gareth Barry in Fabio Capello's squad for the friendly against Germany.
It was a miserable weekend all round for the residents of North London as Harry Redknapp's sparkling start to life with Tottenham Hotspur finally came to an end with defeat against capital rivals Fulham.
It was inevitable that Spurs would eventually be beaten under their new manager, and perhaps even more so that blundering goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes would be the man behind their downfall.
The Brazilian's failure to deal with a routine effort from Simon Davies was just the latest in a long line of gaffes which causes grief for Tottenham's outfield players, often because they are as likely to be punched as the ball.
Fulham, meanwhile, have climbed to 10th on the back of a third win in four outings, but still only have a four-point cushion on the relegation places with the competitive nature of the top-flight confirmed by how congested it remains.
The only substantial gap anywhere in the table is at the summit, with Chelsea and Liverpool eight points clear after their respective victories over West Bromwich Albion and Bolton Wanderers.
Luiz Felipe Scolari's side showed they were suffering no hangover from their shock Carling Cup reverse at home to Burnley with Nicolas Anelka continuing his red-hot form in front of goal.
The enigmatic France international took his Premier League tally for the season to 12 and has now scored eight times in his last four games, while the rock-bottom Baggies have garnered just one point from a possible 18.
Superior
Liverpool had temporarily replaced the Blues courtesy of their Reebok Stadium triumph earlier in the day, but slipped back to second by close of play due to Chelsea's substantially superior goal difference.
Fernando Torres, who continues to be eased back into the action after his lay-off with a hamstring injury, demonstrated his ability with a delightful cross for Steven Gerrard's second before fluffing the kind of chance he normally dispatches with ease.
Cristiano Ronaldo had no such problems finding the target as he scored his 100th and 101st goals for Manchester United as the champions thrashed Stoke City 5-0.
The Potters arrived at Old Trafford having recently defeated Arsenal and with a draw at Anfield already under their belts, but departed a chastened side as Ronaldo grabbed the headlines with his brace of free-kicks, while youngster Danny Welbeck deserves an honourable mention after a superb strike on his Premier League debut.
Even the much-vaunted long throws of Rory Delap were negated with his run-up affected by the slope at the edge of the Old Trafford surface, although his effectiveness is always reduced away from the tight confines of the Britannia Stadium pitch.
Any suggestions that Newcastle's interim boss Joe Kinnear is planning to dig a trench around the St James' Park pitch for the Potters' next away trip on 6th December are utterly without foundation.
The Magpies, who have sneaked back out of the drop zone on goal difference, were unable to take advantage of a questionable refereeing decision from Andre Marriner as Titus Bramble enjoyed his return to the North East with Wigan.
Bramble, who received more than his fair share of stick during his five-year stay with the Magpies, headed home a last-gasp equaliser for the 10-man Latics after the home side had taken full advantage of Emmerson Boyce's dismissal with two goals of their own in the closing stages.
Marriner's decision to issue a second yellow card to Boyce for a challenge on Shola Ameobi when he appeared to take the ball left Steve Bruce fuming, while Kinnear should note that decisions do not always go against his side after his recent rant at the officials following their defeat at Fulham.
Sliding
Geovanni was another old boy to enjoy a meeting with his former club as Hull City and Manchester City snapped their three-game losing streaks with a 2-2 draw at the KC Stadium.
After two pieces of defending which would have drawn dismay in most primary school playgrounds, never mind in the Premier League, Stephen Ireland gave City the lead with a finish of the highest quality before Geovanni's deflected free-kick restored parity.
The Brazilian was given three further opportunities from one free-kick in the second half with the City wall refusing to stay 10 yards back and referee Phil Dowd determined to ensure they would, but could not beat substitute goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Sunday's other fixture saw former Middlesbrough striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni on target as Everton claimed a deserved share of the spoils at Goodison Park, where David Moyes' men still only have one win to show for their efforts this season.
The result extended the unbeaten runs of both teams to five games yet Gareth Southgate's men are still as close to the drop zone as they are to a Uefa Cup berth, with Everton just a point better off.
Former Manchester United team-mates Paul Ince and Roy Keane met for the second time in the space of four days at Ewood Park, with the Sunderland boss turning the tables on his Blackburn counterpart.
Rovers had knocked the Black Cats out of the Carling Cup with a 2-1 victory at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, but the North East side were the victors by the same scoreline in league action on Saturday.
Keane, who was forced to laugh off suggestions he had quit his post, saw his side climb out of the bottom three with Rovers now in the drop zone, mainly due to their dismal home form which has seen them win just once and score only four times.
West Ham are another club sliding dangerously towards the relegation places as they took only their second point from the last 21 available with a 0-0 home draw against Portsmouth.
The fact that Gianfranco Zola's side did not suffer their sixth defeat in seven was mainly due to some inspired goalkeeping from Rob Green, who denied Jermain Defoe on three occasions in front of watching England coach Capello.
But while Defoe retained his place in the international squad for the friendly with Germany on Wednesday, Green was again overlooked by the Italian.
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