Manchester United moved to within a point of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table with a thumping 4-0 win over Wigan at Old Trafford.
Javier Hernandez missed a penalty inside the first five minutes and Wigan kept their opponents at bay for the rest of the half before the floodgates opened after the break.
Paul Scholes netted his side’s first goal in what was his 700th appearance for the club and new signing Andreas Buttner provided an assist for Hernandez before scoring one himself after slaloming through the Wigan defence.
Another new boy Nick Powell rounded off the spcoring from distance with a powerful strike.
Arsenal trumped United’s four-goal win with a 6-1 victory over Southampton. They had bagged four in a frantic first half and, after a drab start to the second half, Theo Walcott and Gervinho added a further two.
Manchester City were only able to draw against Stoke who have never lost to the champions at home in the Premier League.
League-leaders Chelsea were held to a goalless draw away at QPR in a match the build-up of which was dominated by the anticipated meeting of Anton Ferdinand and John Terry after the Chelsea man’s was acquitted of racially abusing his opposite number.
On Sunday a Jermain Defoe brace helped Tottenham to a 3-1 win at Reading as Spurs finally registered their first win of the campaign.
Liverpool were unable to do the same against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, a 1-1 draw meaning they’ve made their worst start to the season for 100 years.
Jonathan Tiernan-Locke won cycling’s Tour of Britain yesterday ahead of Nathan Haas and Damiano Caruso. Tiernan-Locke. Mark Cavendish sprinted clear of the field to win the final stage.
Spain will face the Czech Republic in the final of the Davis Cup after beating the United States 3-1.
David Ferrer won the third singles match for Spain, beating John Isner to win the tie. Tomas Berdych beat Carlos Bercloq to seal the Czech Republic’s place in the final which will take place in Ostrava in November.
Wigan, who won the League Leaders’ Shield, got off to a superb start to their playoff campaign against Catalan Dragons. George Carmont scored a hat trick in an eight-try 46-6 victory.
St Helen’s had a similarly comfortable victory at Warrington, going over five times in a 28-6 win.
Defending champions Leeds reached the preliminary semi-finals, beating Wakefield 42-20. Danny McGuire scored to overtake former teammate Keith Senior as the Super League’s record try-scorer.
Hampshire beat Warwickshire in a dramatic CB40 final at Lords. Warwickshire were only able to muster six runs from their final over to tie with their opponents but lose by virtue of having lost seven wickets to Hampshire’s five.
Ian Bell scored 81 from 81 balls in Warwickshire’s unsuccessful run chase. Adams top-scored for Hampshire with 66.
