LONDON, Nov 1: A Thierry Henry double helped keep Arsenal on top of the Premiership and plunged Leeds deeper into the mire on Saturday.

An exhilarating display of counter-attacking football allowed the Gunners to extend their unbeaten start to the season to 11 games with a 4-1 victory at Elland Road.

It was Leeds’ sixth defeat in seven matches and, with the club stranded in the relegation zone, it will inevitably trigger a fresh round of speculation about the future of their manager, Peter Reid.

The win keeps Arsenal a point clear of Chelsea and two ahead of Manchester United, both of whom won on Saturday.

Chelsea had to work harder for their points, holding out against a late onslaught to claim a 1-0 win at Everton thanks to Adrian Mutu’s strike four minutes after the break.

Manchester United bounced back from last week’s shock defeat by Fulham by knocking three goals past Premiership newcomers Portsmouth at Old Trafford.

Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan put the home side ahead with a 37th-minute volley but the points were never absolutely guaranteed until Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo fired home his first goal for United ten minutes from time.

Two minutes later fellow substitute Roy Keane smashed in a rare left-foot shot to make it 3-0.

Leeds had started at a whirlwind pace, determined to hussle the Londoners out of their stride. But their approach backfired as Arsenal’s French contingent killed the game in little over half an hour.

First Henry opened his account with a superb solo effort. Robert Pires then side-footed home from close range after a Freddie Ljungberg break down the right and Henry made it three in the 33rd minute.

Brazilian midfielder Gilberto Silva added a fourth five minutes after the break before Alan Smith gave the home supporters some slender consolation by pulling one back in the 64th minute.

Robbie Fowler’s first league goal of the season set Manchester City on their way to a 2-0 win over Southampton.

The fourth minute strike was only Fowler’s fourth goal since he moved to Manchester in January but it was at least worth the wait.

Picking the ball up 30 yards out, the former Liverpool and England striker swerved away from the challenge of Claus Lundekvam and coolly fired past Paul Jones from just inside the area. Paulo Wanchope notched City’s second five minutes from time.

Middlesbrough pulled away from the relegation zone after finally overcoming the dogged resistance of Wolves with two late goals at The Riverside.

Gaizka Mendieta’s first league goal for Boro, a superb 73rd minute strike, was followed by a penalty from Juninho ten minutes later.

Alan Shearer had a late penalty superbly saved by Aston Villa’s Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen as Newcastle were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa.

French winger Laurent Robert equalised on the stroke of half-time after Dion Dublin had given the visitors an 11th minute lead.

Results:

Everton 0 Chelsea 1

Leeds United 1 Arsenal 4

Manchester United 3 Portsmouth 0

Middlesbrough 2 Wolves 0

Newcastle United 1 Aston Villa 1

Southampton 0 Manchester City 2

Tottenham Hotspur 0 Bolton Wanderers 1

Playing on Sunday: Fulham v Liverpool (1400 GMT) Leicester City v Blackburn Rovers (1605)

Playing on Monday: Birmingham City v Charlton Athletic (2000)

SCOTTISH LEAGUE RESULTS: