Arsenal extended their record unbeaten run with a 4-1 win at Norwich City, Chelsea beat Southampton 2-1 but Manchester United needed a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 1-1 with 10-man Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Though the Premier League's big three had contrasting afternoons, all their fans had something to celebrate.

Champions Arsenal are top of the table and unbeaten in a record 44 league games, while Chelsea's fourth win from four was their best start to a top-flight season and left them second only on goal difference.

United scraped their draw at Ewood Park to lie 12th, but the club took another step towards signing Everton's teenage England striker Wayne Rooney after bettering a 23.5 million pound ($42.23 million) offer from Newcastle.

Tottenham Hotspur moved up to third on eight points after beating Birmingham City 1-0 with a Jermain Defoe strike, Manchester City got their first win by crushing Charlton Athletic 4-0 and Newcastle United lost 4-2 at Aston Villa.

Arsenal were good value for their win at Carrow Road after a flying start against the Premier League newcomers.

Goals from Spaniard Jose Antonio Reyes and France's Thierry Henry and Robert Pires put Arsenal a 3-0 up at halftime, though they were lucky not to have defender Lauren dismissed after he bundled striker Darren Huckerby to the floor on the break.

Norwich replied in the 50th minute, when Huckerby converted a penalty after being tripped by defender Justin Hoyte, but Arsenal were largely in cruise control and completed the scoring through substitute Dennis Bergkamp in stoppage time.

"It's always difficult to keep the same focus when you're 3-0 up," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports News. "They got back into it with the penalty and from then on, we kept the ball well but they had a few chances."

Looking ahead to the break for international games, he said: "Everyone is going away for two weeks and I just hope I get them back in good health for the game against Fulham."

Southampton striker James Beattie scored at both ends at Stamford Bridge, putting them ahead after just 12 seconds and following up with a 34th minute own goal before Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard converted a 41st minute penalty.

The early action was at Ewood Park, where striker Paul Dickov put Blackburn ahead after 17 minutes, only for Graeme Souness's side to be pegged back by a red card for Italian defender Lorenzo Amoruso in the 71st minute.

Striker Alan Smith grabbed a controversial equaliser, with television footage suggesting French strike partner Louis Saha had used his hand to tee up the shot.

UNRELENTING PRESSURE

Manager Alex Ferguson acknowledged there was a handball, but pointed to the excellent work by Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel for denying United with a series of saves from close range.

"The goalkeeper's done a fantastic job," Ferguson told Sky Sports. "But we've had some good chances and really we should have been putting them away.

"I think Graeme will be quite happy he's got a point really because we could have won by six or seven."

As for their bid to sign Rooney, Ferguson said: "We just have to keep working away...it's down to Everton to decide whether the boy come to us or goes elsewhere."

Defoe's first-half goal means Spurs remain unbeaten in their four league games under former France boss Jacques Santini.

There was relief for Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan after his side coasted to victory with French striker Nicolas Anelka scoring twice, Trevor Sinclair getting one and new England talent Shaun Wright-Phillips adding the fourth.

But there was bitter disappointment for Newcastle boss Bobby Robson after his side surrendered a lead to lose 4-2 at Villa in contentious circumstances.

Robson was fuming after Thomas Sorensen got away with only a yellow card after the Villa keeper handled the ball outside the area under pressure from Craig Bellamy, with the score at 2-2.

"It's the turning point of the game...the goalkeeper ventures outside his penalty area, deliberately hands the ball, it's a clear case of a red card and he should be dismissed," Robson said."