LONDON (AP):

CHELSEA, LIVERPOOL and Manchester United maintained their Premier League title charges with victories yesterday, but Arsenal's faltering challenge suffered a further dent with their first loss to Aston Villa in a decade.

Arsenal defender Gael Clichy headed into his own net to set Villa on their way to a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium. After Liverpool had eased past Bolton 2-0, Nicolas Anelka's double led Chelsea to a 3-0 victory over bottom-place West Bromwich Albion - their 10th straight away league win, stretching back into last season.

Cristiano Ronaldo became a Manchester United goalscoring centurion as the defending champions thrashed newcomers Stoke 5-0 in a rampant display after last weekend's loss at Arsenal.

Tied in standings

Chelsea and Liverpool are tied atop the standings on 32 points, with the Blues ahead on goal difference. United are eight points adrift in third.

"Everybody knows we want to win every game, every competition but the league is the priority," Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said.

Harry Redknapp slumped to his first defeat since taking charge of Tottenham last month, with Fulham's 2-1 victory sending the London rivals back into the relegation zone.

Titus Bramble salvaged a 2-2 draw for Wigan in the 89th minute at his former club Newcastle; Sunderland avenged their 2-1 midweek loss to Blackburn in the League Cup by reversing the result at Ewood Park; and West Ham were held 0-0 by Portsmouth.

Dirk Kuyt secured Liverpool's victory with his fifth goal in seven league matches, sending a looping header into the net in the 29th minute from Fabio Aurelio's cross.

Bolton were denied an equaliser on the stroke of half-time when referee Rob Styles ruled that Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina had been fouled before Gary Cahill headed past the Spaniard.

The visitors' nerves were soothed when substitute Fernando Torres flicked the ball to Gerrard, who sent a glancing header past Jussi Jaaskelainen in the 73rd to maintain the club's bid for a first league title since 1990.

"We should have scored more today and perhaps a fairer scoreline would have been 3-1 or 4-1, but the most important thing is the three points," Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso said. "We have to keep these performances up now."

Consistency was clearly Arsenal's problem as Arsene Wenger's side wiped out the effects of a confidence-boosting victory over Manchester United by losing at home to Villa for the first time in 15 years.

Manuel Almunia prevented Villa from going ahead in the 19th, when the Spanish goalkeeper parried a weak penalty from boyhoood Arsenal fan Ashley Young after the striker had been brought down by Theo Walcott.

Arsenal left back Gael Clichy headed into his own net in the 70th to give Villa the lead when trying to clear Young's cross to Gabriel Agbonlahor. Agbonlahor found the net in 80th, completing a strong run with a right-footed shot past Almunia.

Villa and Arsenal both have 23 points, with the Gunners ahead in fourth place on goal difference.

Doubled lead

Chelsea rebounded from their League Cup exit in midweek to second-tier club Burnley.

West Brom goalkeeper Scott Carson remained rooted to his line in the 34th as Chelsea defender José Bosingwa cut inside from the right and unleashed a left-footed shot from 20 yards that found the top corner.

Anelka doubled Chelsea's lead four minutes later when he ran on to Florent Malouda's header down the left wing and finished with a deft chip over Carson from close range.

The contest was over just before half-time when Anelka slotted home his 13th goal of the season to remain the league's top scorer.