Champions Chelsea stretched 11 points clear of their Premier League rivals when they won 2-0 at managerless Portsmouth on Saturday and Wigan Athletic lost 2-1 at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
Wigan's defeat allowed Arsenal to power up to second place after a 3-0 home victory over Blackburn Rovers but Chelsea remain the side to catch after Hernan Crespo and Frank Lampard, with a penalty, secured the points at Fratton Park.
Jose Mourinho's team, who have lost only once in the league all season, have 37 points from 14 matches, with Arsenal on 26 from 13 games and Wigan slipping to third on 25 points from 13.
On a day when fans paid their respects to former Manchester United great George Best, who died on Friday, improving Liverpool won 1-0 at Manchester City, Birmingham won 1-0 at bottom club Sunderland and Aston Villa beat Charlton, also 1-0.
