Arsenal stayed top of the Premiership today after recording a 3-0 victory at Birmingham City but failed to open up a bigger lead over their title rivals.
Chelsea ground out a 1-0 victory at Southampton while champions Manchester United, who had briefly gone top, beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at Old Trafford in the early kickoff.
The victories kept Arsenal top of the leading trio with 33 points, Chelsea on 32 and United just one point further back on 31 as they all limbered up for Champions League duty next week.
Elsewhere, skipper Alan Shearer scored twice as Newcastle United trounced Manchester City 3-0, Liverpool drew 0-0 at Middlesbrough and caretaker boss Eddie Gray made a losing start as bottom club Leeds United slumped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Bolton Wanderers.