Rodwell is at Everton to stay and Arsenal win ugly

It was another action-packed weekend in the Premier League as Chelsea consolidated their position at the top of the table thanks to two goals from Didier Drogba against Wolves, but United slipped up and Arsenal kept up the pressure and Manchester City and Liverpool ground out a dour 0-0 draw...

RODWELL IS HERE TO STAY SAYS MOYESArsenal seem to get all the plaudits for their youth policy, but what about Everton? Their shock win over United came thanks to two goals from homegrown youngsters Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell, who is reportedly a £30m target for Manchester United.

David Moyes heaped praise on his young team after the win and pledged that Rodwell would not be heading anywhere any time soon. Of course, Everton know how it feels to lose a talented teenager to United having seen Wayne Rooney switch allegiances in 2004.

But Moyes said: "We weren't ready when Wayne came on the scene. We're ready for Jack Rodwell and our team is good enough to carry a Jack Rodwell and keep bigger suitors away."

GUNNERS WIN UGLYArsenal refuse to give up on the title and are even showing tendencies towards winning 'ugly' after their victory over Sunderland. Cesc Fabregas sealed the win with a late penalty, only the Gunner's second of the season and their first successful one, but it was the first goal that was most illuminating.

Arsenal fans love watching the artists that Arsene Wenger has assembled at the Emirates, but they also bemoan the fact that the Gunners are all style and no substance. So they must have been delighted when two of the club's least flamboyant, Emmanuel Eboue and Nicklas Bendtner, combined for the first goal...

POOR OLD ASHLEYIs it possible to feel a twang of sympathy for Ashley Cole? As he sits at home with a broken ankle, sweating on his chances of making it to the World Cup, he must also face up to the probability that his pop star wife will leave him after a series of tabloid headlines about his sexual indiscretions over the weekend. And not only is Cheryl Cole upset with him, so is his club - it is reported that Chelsea are so fed up with his behaviour that they could fine him £400,000 or even sell him.

ARE FULHAM FINALLY FASHIONABLE?Fulham have come a long, long way under the stewardship of Roy Hodgson and on Sunday they beat Birmingham in the clash of the Premier League's most unsung success stories. They did it thanks to two goals of the highest quality from Damien Duff and Bobby Zamora despite falling behind in the opening minutes.

Hodgson couldn't resist a smile as he commented afterwards: "We don't get into those goal of the month competitions too often... but perhaps we could see one of our players up there in the top 10 with a chance."

Fabio Capello was also on hand to witness another excellent performance from Zamora, who is now being talked about as a genuine England prospect - although sober heads will recall that Marlon Harewood was touted as a potential World Cup player at about this time of year in 2006.

POMPEY HORROR SHOW CONTINUESWhen luck is against you it is really against you, as Portsmouth discovered yet again at the weekend. Firstly it emerged that the club's financial position is much worse than was expected - it is around £70m in debt, although the current owner Balram Chainrai has promised that the club "will not close".

Then, on the pitch, they were sunk by 10-man Stoke thanks to an injury time winner from Salif Diao, a player who had not scored a goal for eight years.

The upshot of all that is that Pompey face a winding-up order and a possible nine-point deduction and remain eight points adrift at the foot of the table.

FOURTH-PLACE PARALYSISThe pressure on the teams fighting for fourth spot and Champions League football is so great that it can cause paralysis - or so it seemed at Eastlands on Sunday, where Liverpool and Manchester City fought out a dire goalless draw.

The Premier League may be renowned as the biggest and best in the world but too many more games like this and that reputation will be long gone.

There were just two shots on goal all match and even the return of Fernando Torres in the closing stages failed to ignite proceedings.

As the two main contenders for fourth cancelled each other out their unfancied rivals, Aston Villa and Spurs, took advantage and posted big wins.

The net result is a fascinating battle. There is now only one point separating all four clubs and little to choose between them on goal difference. ·