LONDON, Oct 17: Chelsea made it nine wins in a row to stay nine points clear at the top, blasting five goals in 22 second half minutes to thrash Bolton Wanderers 5-1 in weekend action.

The champions trailed 1-0 at the break but two goals each by Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard followed by a late Eidur Gudjohnsen effort turned it round spectacularly.

Second-placed Tottenham Hotspur maintained their good start with a 2-0 home win over bottom club Everton, who have managed only one goal in eight league games.

Manchester United won 3-1 at Sunderland and promoted Wigan Athletic continued their fine start by beating Newcastle United 1-0.

Arsenal slipped to a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion and trail Chelsea by 14 points.

Juventus also maintained their 100 per cent start, a 1-0 home victory over Messina making it seven wins in a row in Serie A.

The game was won by a superb 24th-minute solo effort by Alessandro Del Piero.

Alberto Gilardino scored after less than 30 seconds to steer second-placed AC Milan to a 2-0 win at Cagliari. Inter Milan, in third, kept up the chase with a 5-0 thrashing of Livorno.

Fourth-placed Fiorentina lost 1-0 at Lazio, who joined them on 13 points.

Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid beat city rivals Atletico 3-0 to take over at the top of the table but the Brazilian twisted an ankle and is doubtful for Wednesday’s Champions League game with Rosenborg Trondheim.

The match at the Calderon was effectively decided after eight minutes when Ronaldo converted a penalty following the dismissal of Atletico left back Antonio Lopez.

Osasuna joined Real at the summit after second half strikes by Savo Milosevic and Pierre Webo clinched a 2-0 win at home to Celta Vigo, who slipped from second to fourth over the weekend.

Former leaders Getafe slipped to third as they lost their unbeaten record, going down 1-0 at Real Betis. The visitors also had midfielder Diego Rivas sent off a minute from time.

Barcelona had to settle for a 3-3 draw at Deportivo Coruna as a late goal for substitute Ruben Castro earned the hosts a point and left both teams on 10 points — five adrift of Real.

Werder Bremen moved to top spot on goal difference with a 6-2 win over Nuremberg as Bayern Munich drew 1-1 at Schalke 04 after conceding an injury-time penalty equaliser.

Miroslav Klose hit a hat-trick and strike partner Ivan Klasnic got two as Bremen clinched a seventh win in nine games.

Bayern seemed set to claim their eighth win, and first at Schalke in six attempts, after a 19th minute goal from Roque Santa Cruz before Soren Larsen’s late spot kick.

Hamburg had Rafael van der Vaart sent off in a surprise 1-0 home defeat by to VfL Wolfsburg and slipped a place to third on 20 points. Schalke are fourth on 17.

Feyenoord hit four second-half goals to come from a goal down and beat Groningen 4-1.

Feyenoord have 21 points from eight matches, two ahead of PSV Eindhoven following their 3-0 win over previous leaders AZ Alkmaar, who have slipped to third on 18 points.

Heerenveen produced the performance of the weekend as, thanks to a hat trick by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, they won 3-0 at NAC Breda.

Unbeaten Olympique Lyon stretched their lead to seven points over Paris St Germain and Girondins Bordeaux with an exciting 3-2 home win against AJ Ajaccio.—Reuters