Liverpool have two sent off in defeat at Fulham

By Neil Maidment

LONDON - Liverpool had two players sent off and suffered a sixth loss in seven games on Saturday with a 3-1 defeat at Fulham on a day of red cards in the Premier League.

Defenders Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher were two of eight players to be dismissed as Rafa Benitez's side went down to their fifth league defeat of the season.

Chelsea stayed top with a comfortable 4-0 win at 10-man Bolton Wanderers, while Aruna Dindane hit a hat-trick as Portsmouth thrashed Wigan Athletic 4-0.

Earlier, Arsenal moved into second place with a 3-0 win over fourth-placed north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur courtesy of a Robin van Persie double either side of Cesc Fabregas's brilliant solo effort.

The win puts Arsene Wenger's men five points behind rivals Chelsea with a game in hand.

Liverpool, who stay fifth and trail Chelsea by nine points, were again without injured captain Steven Gerrard for the Craven Cottage clash and went behind on 24 minutes when striker Bobby Zamora tapped in for his fifth of the campaign.

Fernando Torres replied with a long range equaliser just before the break but the visitors lost their way once the Spaniard was substituted on the hour for Ryan Babel.

Erik Nevland restored Fulham's lead on 73 minutes before Degen and Carragher both received straight red cards within three minutes of each other and Clint Dempsey added a third to move them up to 11th.

"We were able to keep our noses in front and anytime you take a scalp the size of Liverpool's you have got to be happy," Fulham manager Roy Hodgson told Sky Sports News.

"I don't think people will begrudge us the victory because I thought we were worth it over the 90 minutes.

Chelsea made it 17 goals from their last four games in all competitions with none conceded in coasting to victory over Bolton.

The hosts were reduced to 10 after defender Jay Lloyd Samuel was dismissed for a foul on Didier Drogba, allowing Frank Lampard to score from the spot just before the break.

Deco added a second on the hour before a Zat Knight own goal and a Drogba strike completed the rout for Carlo Ancelotti's men.

West Ham United remain in the drop zone after letting a two-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 at eight-placed Sunderland with both sides having a player sent off.

Guillermo Franco and Carlton Cole put the visitors 2-0 up before Sunderland midfielders Andy Reid and Kieran Richardson levelled it. Sunderland lost Kenwyne Jones for violent conduct while West Ham's Robert Kovac was dismissed late on.

Dindane's treble inspired bottom-club Portsmouth to their second league win of the season at home to Wigan, meaning Paul Hart's side go level on seven points with West Ham.

Meanwhile fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers fought back to draw 2-2 at Stoke City who stay ninth in the table.

Burnley continued their good home form with a 2-0 win over 10-man Hull City to increase the pressure on manager Phil Brown while Aston Villa missed the chance to move into fourth with a 1-1 draw at Everton.

Both teams had players sent off, Everton goalscorer Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Villa defender Carlos Cuellar both receiving their marching orders in the last three minutes of the match.

Manchester United can move above Arsenal into second with a win at home to Blackburn Rovers in the day's late match .