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Fernando Torres scores for Liverpool - Source: Reuters -
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Fernando Torres scored twice as Liverpool battled to a 3-2
Premier League win at West Ham United on Sunday after the Londoners
had twice pegged them back.
Belgian centre back Thomas Vermaelen was a less likely two-goal
hero as his double set up Arsenal for a 4-0 home thrashing of Wigan
Athletic - emphatically avoiding a hat-trick of defeats after
losses to Manchester United and City.
Aston Villa also gained ground on the leaders with a 2-0 home
victory over bottom side Portsmouth, who are still without a point
after six games.
Promoted Burnley's good start continued when they beat Sunderland
3-1 with two goals on his debut for on-loan striker David Nugent,
Birmingham City beat Hull City 1-0 away while Bolton Wanderers and
Stoke City drew 1-1.
Liverpool and Villa move on to 12 points - joining Manchester
United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur -- while Chelsea lead
the way with a maximum 15 points.
There are four games on Monday, including the Manchester derby and
Chelsea versus Spurs at Stamford Bridge.
Burst through
Liverpool went ahead after 20 minutes at Upton Park when Torres
burst through in the area to stab the ball home from a narrow
angle.
However, West Ham, with only one win over the visitors in nine
years, equalised with an Alessandro Diamanti penalty on his debut
after Zavon Hines, who hit a post early on, was brought down by
Jamie Carragher.
Dirk Kuyt restored Liverpol's lead after 41 minutes when he
diverted a Steven Gerrard header into the net only for Carlton Cole
to level again at the end of the half with a sharp glancing
header.
The visitors gradually exerted more pressure in the second half
and took the points when Torres nodded in Ryan Babel's cross after
75 minutes.
"He's scoring goals and he was on fire today with the two goals
for us," Gerrard told ESPN when asked about criticism of Spain
forward Torres's early season form.
"He's been playing okay to me. People are talking about it, but
those are the standards he's set."
Liverpool's third win in a row after a sticky start to the season
has lifted them back into the top four.
"We can enjoy tomorrow now," Gerrard said of Monday's two big
games. "It was important we got our three points in the bag today
as the sides above us are going to drop points."
Imperious best
Arsenal began the day nine points behind Chelsea having
lost their two Manchester awaydays but were back to their imperious
best on home soil.
Their early control was rewarded after 25 minutes when Vermaelen
headed in a corner.
The Belgian, already looking an astute summer signing after
joining from Ajax Amsterdam for a reported 10 million pounds,
doubled the lead with a superbly taken left footed curler four
minutes into the second half.
Emmanuel Eboue got the third on the hour when he diverted an
Eduardo Da Silva shot and Cesc Fabregas backheeled a late fourth to
take Arsenal's goal tally to 17 in five league games.
"We scored four today and we could have scored more. That shows we
have potential," manager Arsene Wenger told reporters.
"It is good for the confidence of the team that we didn't concede
and I think we will be more solid as we get used to the way we want
to play.
"I believe we have produced quality performances since the start
of the season but weren't rewarded twice," he added.
"Today we have shown attitude, quality, fluency and I'm very
optimistic there is something special in this team."
