Premier League big guns misfire

Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC played out a scoreless draw after Manchester City FC won 2-1 at Manchester United FC to complete a Premier League double over their city rivals.

Few chances
In a tight game at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool had the best opportunities with Peter Crouch passing up a trio of first-half chances. Chelsea, who could have gone to within a point of second-placed Manchester United after the latter's loss earlier in the day, could not find a way through the disciplined away defence and did not have an effort on target during the first period.

Ballack effort
Chelsea stepped up a gear in the second period and nearly won the game ten minutes from the end as Michael Ballack's volley drifted just wide. However, the draw leaves the London side five points behind league leaders Arsenal FC while Liverpool rise from seventh to fifth.

Home setback
There was a minute's silence before the Manchester derby in memory for the victims of the Munich air disaster, which happened fifty years ago this week. Once the game got under way, first-half goals from Darius Vassell and debutant Benjani Mwaruwari inflicted United's first home league reverse of the season, putting a serious dent in their title ambitions. An added-time goal from Michael Carrick was scant consolation for United, who have now lost four league games this term, two of which have come against their near neighbours.

Benjani glee
The visitors took the lead midway through the opening period when Vassell slotted in the loose ball after Edwin van der Sar had first denied Stephen Ireland and then Vassell himself. United threatened the Manchester City rearguard on a number of occasions but Sven-Göran Eriksson's team held firm and added a second moments before the interval when Benjani's glancing header from a Martin Petrov cross found the bottom corner.