Manchester United FC won 2-1 at West Bromwich Albion FC in the early New Year's Day game in England to remain top of the Premier League, but Sir Alex Ferguson's men could easily have come unstuck at The Hawthorns.

Wayne Rooney headed Europe's first top-flight goal of 2011 inside three minutes, but his first strike from open play for his club since March was swiftly trumped by James Morrison's thunderbolt equaliser. Peter Odemwingie missed a penalty for West Brom just after the hour mark, and an off-colour United once more showed their resilience, Javier Hernández nodding them ahead after 75 minutes, before Nemanja Vidić and Tomasz Kuszczak made vital interventions to maintain that winning lead.

Manchester City FC remain level on points with their Rainy City rivals after Adam Johnson's deflected effort proved to be the only goal in their home win against Blackpool FC. Robin van Persie's free-kick for Arsenal FC also benefited from a touch off a defender as the third-placed Gunners took the lead at Birmingham City FC, and another strike from Samir Nasri tightened the Londoners' grip before Roger Johnson put into his own net to make it 3-0. A Gareth Bale strike, meanwhile, saw Tottenham Hotspur FC get the better of capital rivals Fulham FC.

Joe Cole's injury-time goal earned Liverpool FC a 2-1 home success against Bolton Wanderers FC while their Merseyside rivals Everton FC were 2-0 losers at Stoke City FC. Elsewhere, Sunderland AFC beat Blackburn Rovers FC 3-0 at home and West Ham United FC got the better of fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers FC thanks to a Ronald Zubar own goal and a late Freddie Sears effort.