Manchester United beat Bolton 2-0. (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

 
Manchester United's Paul Scholes celebrates after scoring against Bolton to make it 2-0 during a Premiership football clash at Old Trafford, Manchester. (Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

 
Lively Liverpool crush 10-man West Brom. (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

Chelsea has beaten Aston Villa 1-0 on a goal by Damien Duff, retaining its five-point lead in the Premier League.

Defending champions Arsenal, in second place, defeated Fulham 2-0. Third-place Everton edged Manchester City 2-1 and fourth-place Manchester United beat Bolton 2-0.

Duff cut inside a defender on the right side and scored on goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen to lead Chelsea, which recorded its 12th shutout and 14th win in 19 games. Halfway through the season, Chelsea has 46 points and Arsenal, 41.

Chelsea defender John Terry says they are enjoying it at the top and the lads are confident, the team spirit is fantastic.

English soccer is ignoring the European midwinter break favored by most prominent leagues, and this was the first of four rounds of games between now and Jan. 3.

In other results, it was: Birmingham 2, Middlesbrough 0; Liverpool 5, West Bromwich Albion 0; Blackburn 2, Newcastle 2; Portsmouth 1, Crystal Palace 0; Tottenham 2, Norwich 0; and Southampton 0; Charlton 0.

Editor: Wing