Four-star United close on Chelsea December 06, 2009
Reigning champions Manchester United kept the pressure on English Premier League leaders Chelsea with a 4-0 victory away to West Ham on Saturday.
United went ahead on the stroke of half-time at Upton Park when veteran midfielder Paul Scholes unleashed a ferocious 20-yard shot that England goalkeeper Robert Green could only palm into the net.
Midfielder Darron Gibson, who scored both United's goals in their mid-week League Cup quarter-final win over Tottenham, added a second with a right-footed shot into the top corner just after the hour mark.
Antonio Valencia put the result beyond doubt in the 71st minute with United's third before England striker Wayne Rooney added a fourth goal.
"It's always a difficult game and we had six defenders missing before the game," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports.
"Then Gary Neville and Wes Brown had to come off (on Saturday)."
Ferguson, reflecting on Scholes's opener, added: "It was a great goal to get at an important time."
Victory saw second-placed United move to within two points of Chelsea, but the Blues will have the chance to restore their five-point advantage when they face Manchester City in Saturday's late kick-off match.
At the other end of the table, basement club Portsmouth won in the league for only the third time this season with a 2-0 victory at home to Burnley.
Victory came just days after Pompey had delayed paying their players' wages for the second time this season but Iceland defender Hermann Hreidarsson, who scored their opener on Saturday, said: "All the players have stuck together, we haven't been moaning about it (the financial situation).
"So I think in a way it has got everyone together and made sure we got the points," he added.
Arsenal leapfrogged North London rivals Tottenham, who play Everton on Sunday, into third place with a 2-0 win over Stoke.
Liverpool were held to a frustrating goalless draw away to Blackburn while Aston Villa maintained their push for a top four spot with a 3-0 victory at home to Hull.
Birmingham came from behind to beat Wigan 3-2 while Wolves defeated fellow relegation candidates Bolton 2-1.
Arsenal could have gone in front in the 20th minute after Rory Delap fouled Andrey Arshavin but Cesc Fabregas's penalty was saved by Thomas Sorensen.
However, six minutes later Arsenal were ahead when Russia international Arshavin scored after exchanging passes with Fabregas.
Substitute Aaron Ramsey settled the Gunners' nerves with a second goal in the 79th minute.
Richard Dunne, up for a corner, put Villa in front with a 13th minute shot.
Hull then lost midfielder Jimmy Bullard to injury at Villa Park before the hosts went 2-0 up thanks to a quick-thinking finish which ended with James Milner lobbing back-pedalling Hull keeper Matt Duke from some 20 yards.
John Carew's 88th minute penalty made it 3-0.
Wigan, who lost keeper Chris Kirkland to a back injury, took a 33rd minute lead though Charles N'Zogbia's curling shot.
But Birmingham hit back with two goals in five minutes.
Sebastian Larsson equalised with a free-kick just after the hour mark before Christian Benitez made it 2-1.
Larsson scored his second goal, another free-kick, but 3-1 to Birmingham became 3-2 when Jordi Gomez scored for Wigan a minute from full-time.
At Fratton Park, second-half goals from Hreidarsson and Ivory Coast striker Aruna Dindane, who had earlier missed a penalty, saw Portsmouth, who remain bottom, to their first win under new boss Avram Grant.
Victory meant Pompey closed to within two points of second-bottom Bolton and three of Wolves.
The south coast side's relegation rivals faced one another at Molineux where defender Jody Craddock's powerful strike gave Wolves a third-minute lead.
And Wolves made it 2-0 when Nenad Milijas struck with a long distance shot in the 63rd minute before Johan Elmander's goal 11 minutes from time gave Bolton a lifeline they could not grasp.
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