Chelsea Preserve Lead, Rooney Sent Off In United Win

Premier League leaders Chelsea conserved their three-point advantage
by beating Aston Villa 3-0 on Saturday, while Wayne Rooney was sent
off as Manchester United edged West Ham United.

Having drawn 1-1 at champions Manchester City last weekend, Chelsea
continued their unbeaten start to the season with a straightforward
win over Villa at Stamford Bridge.

Oscar gave Chelsea the lead in the seventh minute when he steered home
a cut-back from Brazilian countryman Willian, who had seen his initial
shot parried by Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Diego Costa added a second goal just before the hour, glancing a
header past Guzan from Cesar Azpilicueta's cross to take his tally to
eight goals in his first six Premier League games.

The Brazil-born Spain striker also played a role in Chelsea's third
goal with a shot that Guzan could only push straight at Villa defender
Aly Cissokho, enabling Willian to stab home from close range.

"Even during the period the game was 1-0, when it could be open, it
was always closed because we controlled the game," said Chelsea
manager Jose Mourinho.

"When we weren't dangerous, we kept the ball. The result was a
consequence of our dominance."

Southampton remain Chelsea's closest rivals after winning 2-1 at home
to Queens Park Rangers, with Ryan Bertrand and Graziano Pelle finding
the net either side of a Charlie Austin effort.

United climbed six places to seventh, eight points below Chelsea,
after seeing off West Ham 2-1 at Old Trafford, but their victory was
overshadowed by the red card shown to captain Rooney for violent
conduct.

Injury problems forced United manager Louis van Gaal to give a debut
to 19-year-old centre-back Paddy McNair.

But they took a fifth-minute lead when Rooney swept home Rafael da
Silva's cross to become the outright third-highest scorer in Premier
League history with 176 goals; one more than Thierry Henry.

Radamel Falcao set up Robin van Persie to rattle in United's second
goal mid-way through the first half, but Diafra Sakho reduced the
arrears for West Ham by nodding in after Enner Valencia's header hit
the bar.

Rooney was shown a straight red card in the 59th minute for kicking
out at the fleeing Stewart Downing -- his first club dismissal since
March 2009 -- but United's 10 men held on to secure victory.