Manchester City FC moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League thanks to a routine 3-0 defeat of Fulham FC.

In snowy conditions in Lancashire, the hosts took the lead through Sergio Agüero's 10th-minute penalty, Chris Baird then diverted Adam Johnson's cross past his own goalkeeper (30) and Edin Džeko finished Fulham off. Manchester United FC hope to rejoin their city rivals on 57 points with a win at Chelsea FC on Sunday.

Arsenal FC had not managed a league victory in 2012 but they ended their four-match winless streak in style with a 7-1 rout of Blackburn Rovers FC, who had Gaël Givet dismissed (43). Robin van Persie's hat-trick (2, 38, 62) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first league goals for the club (40, 54) set the Gunners on their way to fifth place in the table, with Mikel Arteta (51) and Thierry Henry, (90), also on target.

Sunderland AFC collected their seventh win in ten league matches since the arrival of manager Martin O'Neill, downing Stoke City FC 1-0, and there were 2-1 away successes for Swansea AFC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC against West Bromwich Albion FC and Queens Park Rangers FC respectively. Norwich City FC won 2-0 against Bolton Wanderers FC and Everton FC drew 1-1 at Wigan Athletic FC.