Brief reports of English Premier League matches played over the weekend.
Played on Sunday
MIDDLESBROUGH 0 CHARLTON ATHLETIC 3
Charlton secured their third successive victory and their best-ever start in the Premier League with an assured display.
Dennis Rommedahl put them ahead in the 38th minute, defender Chris Perry dispatched a well-taken second in the 81st -- both set up by midfielder Danny Murphy -- with Darren Bent adding his fourth of the season in injury time.
----
NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 2
Manchester United also made it three in a row against a Newcastle side who have yet to score and have just one point from their first four games.
Wayne Rooney scored the opener after 66 minutes, nipping in sharply to drive home after Newcastle defender Jean-Alain Boumsong had failed to cut out a routine Edwin van der Sar clearance.
Manchester United, who have yet to concede a goal, were rarely troubled at the back and completed an excellent victory in stoppage time when Rooney's cross again embarrassed Boumsong and gave striker Ruud van Nistelrooy a tap-in.
----
Played on Saturday
ASTON VILLA 1 BLACKBURN ROVERS 0
Czech striker Milan Baros, bought from Liverpool last week, wasted little time in winning over the Aston Villa fans by scoring the only goal after 11 minutes.
Villa should have had more in the second half but the nearest they came was when Kevin Phillips struck the woodwork five minutes from time.
----
FULHAM 1 EVERTON 0
Fulham's dominance of Everton at Craven Cottage continued as they made it seven successive wins in the fixture.
Striker Brian McBride stroked in the only goal against his former club in the 57th minute as Fulham just about shaved a game of few highlights.
Everton went out of the Champions League on Wednesday and their frustrating week was completed by a late red card for midfielder Phil Neville.
-----
MANCHESTER CITY 2 PORTSMOUTH 1
City came from behind to seal a rare home win and continue their excellent start to the season.
Colombian midfielder John Viafara put Portsmouth ahead against the run of play with a glancing header seven minutes into the second half.
City levelled in the 66th minute when Claudio Reyna reacted sharply after Sander Westerveld spilled a shot and Andy Cole completed the comeback with a sharp turn three minutes later to make it 10 points from four games.
----
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0 CHELSEA 2
Chelsea made it 31 league games unbeaten against Spurs in the top-of-the-table clash but the contest was pretty much decided by striker Mido's 26th-minute red card for elbowing Asier de Horno who headed the opening goal soon after.
Tottenham battled well but were finished off in the 71st minute when Damien Duff's miscued shot wrong-footed England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.
----
WEST HAM UNITED 1 BOLTON WANDERERS 2
West Ham's encouraging start to life in the Premier League was brought to an end by Bolton, who rode their luck in the first half.
Spaniard Ivan Campo lashed a 25-metre shot against the bar before Jay Jay Okocha had a shot blocked on the line and midfielder Kevin Nolan poked in the rebound on the hour.
West Ham's veteran striker Teddy Sheringham rattled the bar with a free kick 10 minutes from time, and Bolton made the most of their escape as Campo scored the second on the break five minutes later.
Sheringham slotted an injury time consolation from the penalty spot.
----
WIGAN 1 SUNDERLAND 0
Wigan picked up their first Premier League points thanks to a Jason Roberts penalty in the second minute.
Sunderland hit back to create a series of chances but failed to take any of them. Their fourth defeat of the season made it 19 in a row in the Premier League including the end of their 2003-04 relegation campaign.
---
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 2 BIRMINGHAM CITY 3
Emile Heskey scored twice as Birmingham beat their midlands rivals for their first win of the season in a lunchtime kickoff.
Birmingham led 3-1 at the break, Jiri Jarosik also scoring, and despite Geoff Horsfield getting his second goal of the game midway through the second half, Birmingham held on.
More from rediff