Football
Reuters 16y

UPDATE 1-Soccer-English Premier League match reports

(Updates after late Reading v Liverpool match)

LONDON, Dec 8 - Brief reports of Saturday's
matches in the English Premier League:

ASTON VILLA 1 PORTSMOUTH 3

Two superb goals from Ghanaian international Sulley Muntari
and an early own goal from Craig Gardner meant Portsmouth
extended their unbeaten league run to 11 matches.

Pompey, who had not won at Villa Park for nearly 38 years,
raced into a 3-0 lead after 61 minutes before Gareth Barry
pulled one back for the home side with a 72nd-minute penalty.

- - -

CHELSEA 2 SUNDERLAND 0

Andriy Shevchenko put Chelsea ahead after 23 minutes when he
headed home unmarked at the far post, connecting with a cross
from Salomon Kalou.

Chelsea sealed victory when Frank Lampard scored from the
penalty spot after Danny Higginbotham pulled at Alex's shirt in
the penalty area. Sunderland's Liam Miller was sent off in the
closing stages for pushing Claudio Pizarro in the face.

- - -

EVERTON 3 FULHAM 0

A second-half hat-trick from Yakubu Ayegbeni gave Everton
three points with victory over a Fulham side who have now won
just twice in 46 away league matches.

Yakubu opened the scoring in the 51st minute and found the
net again after 61 and 79 minutes.

- - -

MANCHESTER UNITED 4 DERBY COUNTY 1

Ryan Giggs scored his 100th league goal for United after 40
minutes, tapping in after goalkeeper Stephen Bywater parried a
Cristiano Ronaldo shot. Carlos Tevez added a second just before
halftime and then a third after 60 minutes.

Derby scored their first away goal of the season through
Steve Howard in the 76th minute before Ronaldo made it 4-1 with
a last-minute penalty.

- - -

NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 BIRMINGHAM CITY 1

A late goal from defender Habib Beye gave Newcastle their
first win since Oct. 22 after Cameron Jerome had put Birmingham
ahead after nine minutes.

Obafemi Martins levelled from the penalty spot after he was
brought down in the area by Matt Sadler.

- - -

READING 3 LIVERPOOL 1

Reading stunned previously unbeaten Liverpool after taking
the lead with a controversial penalty after 17 minutes, awarded
even though Jamie Carragher's foul on Ivar Ingimarsson was
outside the box.

Stephen Hunt converted to put Reading ahead and although
Steven Gerrard equalised 11 minutes later, goals from Kevin
Doyle and James Harper gave Reading all three points.

Playing on Sunday:

Blackburn Rovers v West Ham United 1600 GMT

Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic 1500 GMT

Middlesbrough v Arsenal 1330 GMT

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City 1500 GMT

(Reporting by Mike Collett; Editing by Sonia Oxley)

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