Manchester Utd., Arsenal Keep Pressure on League Leader Chelsea

Manchester United routed Wigan 5-0 to move within two points of Chelsea atop soccer’s Premier League as Arsenal kept pace with the top two with a 4-1 win at last-place Portsmouth.

Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Rafael da Silva, Dimitar Berbatov and Antonio Valencia all scored at Old Trafford last night as United sealed a second 5-0 win over Wigan this season.

The victory lifted the defending champion to 43 points and took United’s goal difference to +27, two less than Chelsea’s. Both teams have scored 45 goals through 20 games, though the Blues have allowed two fewer.

“We recognized that it was an opportunity to get goals,” United manager Alex Ferguson told MUTV. “Goal difference, you never know, could be important come the end of the season. We’re now two points behind Chelsea and our goal difference is up there with Chelsea’s. We’re in with a great chance.”

Arsenal boosted its tally to a league-leading 51 goals as Eduardo da Silva, Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song scored against Portsmouth, which may face bankruptcy after the U.K. government started legal proceedings over taxes owed by the club.

The Gunners, who won their last league title in 2003-04, head into 2010 having played a game fewer than the top two and can move past United and close to within a point of Chelsea by beating Bolton at home on Jan. 6.

“We’re up for it, the commitment is there and the talent is there,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports. “We’ll fight and this team is ready to give everything.”

Rooney Starts Rout

At Old Trafford, Rooney opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a near-post finish from Rafael’s cross before Carrick swept in United’s second. It was Rooney’s 14th league goal of the season, putting him level with Didier Drogba and Jermain Defoe as the top scorers.

Rafael added the third with a left-foot shot just before half time before Berbatov tapped in after the break. Valencia added the fifth with a 75th-minute chip against his former club.

“Winning 5-0 in the Premier League is quite a rare feat these days and I’d say it was one of our best performances of the season,” Rooney told MUTV.

Arsenal went ahead at Fratton Park when Eduardo’s 28th- minute free kick deflected in off Younes Kaboul. Nasri added the second to put Arsenal 2-0 up at half time and Ramsey made it 3-0 from 20 yards out in the 69th minute.

Nadir Belhadj got a goal back for Portsmouth before Song headed in Nasri’s cross with nine minutes remaining to re- establish the three-goal margin. “It was a big game for us,” Wenger added. “We knew, to keep chasing, it was important to win here.”