Hernan Crespo struck in the 74th minute to give Chelsea a 3-2 win over Fulham on Monday that maintained their 100 percent home record in the English Premier League and opened a 12-point lead over Manchester United.
Chelsea went two goals up in 24 minutes through defender William Gallas and midfielder Frank Lampard but Fulham came back into the game with a strike from Brian McBride before the half hour and a 56th-minute penalty converted by Heidar Helguson.
Manchester United, who have 37 points to Chelsea's 49, were at home to West Bromwich Albion in a match kicking off later.
Arsenal ended a run of three league defeats in which they had not scored by winning 1-0 at Charlton Athletic to climb to sixth 20 points adrift of Chelsea.
Jose Antonio Reyes scored just before the hour to end the drought with his second league goal of the season, a shot inside the near post after goalkeeper Thomas Myhre had parried Thierry Henry's effort from the right.
Charlton were down to 10 men for the last 18 minutes after midfielder Danny Murphy was sent off for dissent.
"We played some brilliant football in the first half," man-of-the-match Henry said on Sky Sports after Myhre, making his Charlton debut, had saved two good Arsenal chances from Fredrik Ljungberg and the Frenchman himself.
Tottenham Hotspur beat 10-man Birmingham City 2-0 to go third on 34 points. Robbie Keane, with a penalty, and Jermain Defoe, in injury time, scored the goals that left City one from bottom with 12 points from 17 games.
Birmingham's Muzzy Izzet was sent off just past the hour for a second bookable offence.
