LONDON, April 15: Chelsea all but sealed their defence of the Premiership title on Saturday, defeating Bolton Wanderers 2-0 to open up a seemingly unassailable nine-point lead over Manchester United with just four games remaining.

Goals from John Terry and Frank Lampard meant Jose Mourinho's side fully capitalised on Friday night's unexpected slip-up by their closest pursuers, when United managed only a goalless draw with bottom club Sunderland.

Tottenham boosted their chances of Champions League football next year by beating Everton 1-0 away from home to stay four points clear of Arsenal in fourth place, thanks to Robbie Keane's 33rd-minute penalty.

But Arsenal kept up the pressure on their north London rivals, beating West Bromwich Albion 3-1 at Highbury.

Aleksander Hleb fired into the top corner just before half time following a one-two with Thierry Henry.

Nigel Quashie equalised with 18 minutes to go, but Robert Pires put the home side in front again four minutes later following a goalmouth scramble.

Dennis Bergkamp sealed the points with a curling shot a minute before the final whistle.

Their plight was made even worse as a resurgent Portsmouth finally climbed out of the relegation zone with a vital 1-0 home victory over Middlesbrough thanks to Gary O'Neil's 54th-minute goal.

Just weeks ago Pompey looked doomed, but Harry Rednapp, who returned to the club in December for a second spell in charge, has now guided his string of New Year signings through a six game unbeaten run.

Birmingham, who fell to third from bottom, were playing local rivals Aston Villa on Sunday.

Newcastle recovered from conceding a goal in the fifth minute to visiting Wigan, a curling 25-yard free kick from Jimmy Bullard, to win 3-1. Alan Shearer scored twice, a first half penalty and, after Titus Brimble's close-range header, a shot in the 66th minute.

Fulham beat fellow Londoners Fulham 2-1 at home, Luis Boa Morte the hero.

The Portuguese striker scored an early free kick before Jason Euell equalised with a 26th-minute header from a corner.

But just four minutes later, Boa Morte jinked his way past a series of tackles in a run from the half way line to score again.

Finally, Manchester City's miserable recent run continued, Stuart Pearce's side losing 1-0 at West Ham thanks to Shaun Newton's 15th minute shot, a sixth straight league defeat.

Results:

Arsenal 3 West Bromwich Albion 1

Bolton Wanderers 0 Chelsea 2

Everton 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1

Fulham 2 Charlton Athletic 1

Newcastle United 3 Wigan 1

Portsmouth 1 Middlesbrough 0

West Ham 1 Manchester City 0

Manchester United 0 Sunderland0

—Reuters