Johan Djourou’s own goal gave Chelsea a halftime lead but Dutchman van Persie struck twice in three second-half minutes as Chelsea slid to a second home league defeat this season. Champions Manchester United are now just five points behind Chelsea with a game in hand after they won 1-0 at Manchester City despite having Cristiano Ronaldo sent off. Wayne Rooney poached United’s winner just before halftime.

Tottenham Hotspur were beaten 1-0 at home by Everton while Portsmouth beat Blackburn Rovers 3-2 at Fratton Park. Liverpool can move three points clear at the top of the table on Monday if they beat West Ham United at Anfield.

Derby win for United

England striker Wayne Rooney earned the Red Devils a deserved derby day victory at Manchester City, scoring a tap-in three minutes before halftime to earn the champions revenge for two league defeats by City last season.

United had to play the last 23 minutes with 10 men after Ronaldo was shown a second yellow card when he inexplicably met a corner using his hands rather than his head and referee Howard Webb deemed it to be gamesmanship.

The Portuguese winger looked bemused as he reluctantly trudged off, indicating that he thought the referee’s whistle had been blown before he handled the ball.

“We dominated the match,” said United manager Alex Fergsuon. “We had to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men which is never easy but the players never looked in danger.”

Ferguson was guarded when asked about the Ronaldo red card. “I’ve seen it again and in actual fact he’s tried to protect the ball from his face,” Ferguson said. “He thought he heard the referee's whistle, but I’m not going to get into the referee because I could be here all day.”

United dominated to such an extent that it would have been an injustice if Richard Dunne had equalised for City in stoppage time — his shot cleared off the line by Patrice Evra.