London, Dec 4: Unbeaten leader Manchester City turned on the attacking style to maintain its stunning start to the season, thrashing Norwich 5-1 as the Premier League's title-chasers went goal crazy on Saturday.
While second-place Manchester United was content with a 1-0 win at Aston Villa, Tottenham and Chelsea routed Bolton and Newcastle respectively 3-0 and Arsenal went one better, overwhelming Wigan 4-0 to send the northwest team back to the bottom of the table.
City continues to lead the way, though, extending its undefeated run to 14 matches thanks to goals by Sergio Aguero, Samir Nasri, Yaya Toure, Mario Balotelli and Adam Johnson.
In winning 12 of those games, City has racked up 48 goals as the big-spending club seeks to capture its first title since 1968.
Phil Jones' first goal for United, in the 20th minute, kept the champions five points adrift of City and two ahead of Tottenham, which has a game in hand over all its title rivals.
A left ankle injury sustained by Javier Hernandez put a dampener on United's fourth 1-0 victory in its last five league games. The Mexico striker was carried off on a stretcher in the 12th minute at Villa Park and could be out for four weeks with ligament damage, according to manager Alex Ferguson.
Ayegbeni Yakubu scored four goals as Blackburn won its first Premier League game in nine matches, beating Swansea 4-2 to climb off the bottom of the table and provide some relief for its under-pressure manager Steve Kean.
The Nigerian striker became the fifth player in Premier League history—after Teddy Sheringham, Nicolas Anelka, Kevin Campbell and Les Ferdinand—to score a hat-trick for three different clubs.
West Bromwich Albion scored late to hold Queen Park Rangers to a 1-1 draw in the other match.
Aguero prodded in his 11th goal in 13 league starts to set the ball rolling in the 32nd minute at the Etihad Stadium, where City has scored a total of 24 goals in seven straight wins this campaign.
Nasri made it 2-0 six minutes after the break with a free kick before mid-table Norwich collapsed in the last quarter. Toure curled home a shot from the edge of the area in the 68th, Balotelli headed in from close range and Johnson placed a sidefooted finish in from 15 yards (meters) to complete the rout.
Tottenham extended its unbeaten run to 11 matches by claiming a sixth successive league win, taking full advantage of Gary Cahill's straight red card in the 17th minute for a foul on Scott Parker to overwhelm Bolton at White Hart Lane.
Gareth Bale had already put Spurs ahead by then, tapping home Luka Modric's corner in the sixth minute before removing his boot in front of the visiting fans as a tribute to former Wales manager and Bolton player Gary Speed, who died on Sunday.
All seven matches in the Premier League were preceded with a minute's applause for Speed, a popular figure who made 535 appearances in England's top division.
Second-half goals from Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon sealed a comfortable win which will further enhance Tottenham's chances of claiming a top-four place and kept it seven points behind City.
Chelsea stayed three points adrift of London rival Tottenham by consigning Newcastle to a first home defeat of the season, which it replaced in fourth spot.
Didier Drogba's first-half header and late strikes by forwards Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge maintained Chelsea's title challenge, which had threatened to veer off course last month.
Frank Lampard missed a penalty for the visitors, who will count themselves fortunate that defender David Luiz wasn't dismissed for a professional foul on Demba Ba in the fourth minute.
Arsenal was also in the goals at Wigan, with Robin van Persie inevitably getting on the scoresheet to keep him top of the division's charts with 14.
The in-form Netherlands striker's 17th goal in 19 games in all competitions this season rounded off the victory after earlier strikes by Mikel Arteta, Thomas Vermaelen and Gervinho.
Arsenal climbed above Newcastle to fifth place and hasn't now lost in two months.
