LONDON, 29 December 2004 — Chelsea stretched their lead to eight points at the top of the premiership table following a hard-fought 2-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park yesterday.

Pompey, just as they had done against champions Arsenal, made life tough for Chelsea until Arjen Robben’s deflected shot 11 minutes from time sent the visitors on their way.

Jose Mourinho’s men were assured of the points when Joe Cole hit Chelsea’s second goal at the death.

Everton, who were in third before kick-off, suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Charlton where substitute striker Duncan Ferguson was sent-off in the closing minutes.

But Manchester United will overhaul them if they beat Aston Villa in Tuesday’s 2000GMT kick-off game.

Second-placed champions Arsenal will reduce Chelsea’s lead to five points again if they win at Newcastle on Wednesday.

Elsewhere West Brom remained bottom of the table following a 1-1 draw at Manchester City where they were forced to play most of the game with 10 men after Thomas Gaardsoe was sent-off.

Meanwhile Birmingham continued their recent good form with a 3-2 win away to Fulham while Tottenham’s run of five straight wins was ended with a 1-1 draw against drop candidates Crystal Palace.

Middlesbrough bounced back from their Boxing Day defeat by Birmingham with a 2-0 win against drop candidates Norwich as Blackburn added to Bolton’s woes with a 1-0 win at the Reebok.

Chelsea could not break a resilient Portsmouth defense in a goalless first-half although home goalkeeper Shaka Hislop had to be at his best to keep out Didier Drogba’s effort early in the second period.

But it was not all one-way traffic with Pompey’s Jamaica striker Ricardo Fuller, on as a second-half substitute, shooting narrowly wide with Chelsea keeper Peter Cech beaten.

However Dutch ace Robben soon gave the visitors the opener when his strike was deflected in off the unfortunate Matthew Taylor in the 79th minute.

Robben was then booked for his exuberant goal celebration before England midfielder Cole beat former West Ham team-mate Hislop with a long-rane effort late on.

Everton, who lost goalkeeper Nigel Martyn in the first half at Charlton, went behind to Talal El Karkouri’s header eight minutes from time before Ferguson was dismissed for swinging an arm into the face of Hermann Hreidarsson who had the last laugh by scoring five minutes from time.

At the City of Manchester Stadium, Danish defender Gaardsoe was red-carded by referee Andy D’Urso who ruled he was the last man when he pulled back striker Robbie Fowler as the former England international was set to break into the box in the 16th minute. West Brom, thrashed 5-0 by Liverpool on Sunday, saw their day go from bad to worse when France striker Nicolas Anelka put City 1-0 up with a 20-yard free-kick.

But they salvaged a point through City defender Richard Dunne’s own goal five minutes from time.

An entertaining first-half at Craven Cottage ended with visitors Birmingham 2-1 up against Fulham. Steve Bruce’s side saw in-form striker Emile Heskey make it two goals in two games with a left-foot strike from 18 yards after being played in by strike partner Clinton Morrison.

Fulham levelled through Sylvain Legwinski from the center of the box following Tomasz Radzinski’s cross. But Birmingham regained the lead four minutes before the break when Darren Carter turned in Heskey’s header from just a few yards out.

Wales midfielder Robbie Savage then made it 3-1 for Birmingham when he smashed the ball home in the 53rd minute. Radzinski netted a late consolation goal in the 90th minute.

Palace were made to pay for not taking several first-half chances at White Hart Lane when striker Jermain Defoe fired in from 25 yards in the 54th minute before the visitors pulled a goal back through forward Andy Johnson 11 minutes from time.

Two goals in the space of three minutes from Joseph Desire Job assured Boro of victory over Norwich following a goalles first half.

First he turned in England prospect Stewart Downing’s cross in the 52nd minute and, before Norwich had time to catch their breath, he doubled the lead with a low strike from 18 yards.

Blackburn, who frustrated former manager Graeme Souness in a 2-2 Boxing Day draw against Newcastle, went 1-0 up in the sixth minute through striker Paul Dickov’s volley and then held on for all three points.