LONDON: Chelsea survived a fright to maintain their four-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 derby victory over west London neighbours Queens Park Rangers.

Charlie Austin’s fourth goal in five games just after the hour mark cancelled out Oscar’s brilliant first-half strike to give struggling Rangers hope of a point.

But 15 minutes from time Eden Hazard tumbled under a challenge from Eduardo Vargas and the Belgian bounced back up to convert his fifth goal of the season. Chelsea are unbeaten after 10 games with 26 points, their best start to a top-flight season.

Southampton stayed second after their 1-0 win at Hull. Victor Wanyama scoring from 40 yards after a poor clearance from Hull’s third-choice goalkeeper, Eldin Jakupovic, dropped straight to him.

Arsenal moved into the top four with a 3-0 home victory over Burnley  although they had to wait until the last 20 minutes. Alexis Sanchez and Calum Chambers ended Burnley’s brave resistance with two goals in two minutes. Sanchez struck his 10th goal of the season in stoppage time while Lukas Podolski also hit the posts.

Arsenal thus moved above West Ham on goal difference after the Hammers fought back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw at Stoke.

Victor Moses’s first Premier League goal in 14 months and Mame Biram Diouf put Stoke in command before Stewart Downing made one goal for Enner Valencia and then scored himself to help West Ham extend their unbeaten run to four matches.

Ayoze Perez was Newcastle’s match-winner for the second time in a week as the Magpies edged Liverpool 1-0 for a fourth successive victory.

The former Tenerife forward, who scored the decisive goal at Tottenham the previous week, scored from close-range with 13 minutes to secure the Magpies’ third league win in a row – a feat Alan Pardew’s men had not achieved since last November.

Newcastle might have won more comfortably in front of a delighted crowd of 52,166 had Simon Mignolet not made a fine one-on-one save from substitute Remy Cabella four minutes later.

While manager Alan Pardew was able to celebrate once again, Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers was left to reflect upon another toothless display with Champions League trip to Real Madrid to come on Tuesday.

Swansea held Everton to a goalless draw at home despite having Jonjo Shelvey sent off 19 minutes from time for a second yellow card.

West Brom added to promoted Leicester’s troubles with a 1-0 win presented by an own goal from Esteban Cambiasso. Leicester have gone five games without a win.

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