Free-scoring Manchester City maintained their grip at the top of the English Premier football League with a 3-1 home win over Newcastle United to take their goals tally to 42 from 12 games.
Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero both scored penalties and Micah Richards was also on target to condemn third-placed Newcastle to their first defeat of the season and leave City as the only unbeaten side in the league.
City have 34 points from a possible 36 this season and have piled up a staggering goal difference of 31 to lead Manchester United by five points.
The champions edged a 1-nil victory at Swansea City in the late kickoff.... Javier Hernandez scored the only goal in the 11th minute in South Wales from a cross by Welshman Ryan Giggs to inflict a first home defeat on the Premier League's newcomers.
Arsenal maintained their improvement with a fifth consecutive league victory thanks to Robin van Persie's double in a 2-1 win at Norwich City, which moved the London club above Liverpool into sixth place with 22 points.
Liverpool face fourth-placed Chelsea tomorrow morning, with fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur at home to eighth-placed Aston Villa on Tuesday morning.
Bottom club Wigan Athletic ended a run of eight successive league defeats in a 3-all home draw with fellow strugglers Blackburn Rovers, who equalised with an injury-time penalty despite playing most of the second half with 10 men.
Bolton Wanderers remained in the relegation zone after a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion. Everton eased away from the bottom three courtesy of a 2-1 home defeat of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers won 3-2 at Stoke City, and Sunderland drew nil-all with Fulham.
