West Ham United and Wigan Athletic remain in the bottom three after home draws, while Everton left it late to grab a point against Bolton Wanderers.
Sam Allardyce savoured a winning return to Newcastle United, while Aston Villa returned to form with a home triumph over Blackpool.
A much-anticipated derby between City and United failed to live up to its billing after a dreadful 0-0 draw at Eastlands.
In a game of no real clear-cut chances, Dimitar Berbatov had a couple of volleys easily saved and former United striker Carlos Tevez tested Edwin van der Sar with a first-half free-kick.
Chelsea maintained their impeccable home record this season as Michael Essien scored and was then sent off in a 1-0 victory over local rivals Fulham.
The champions made the decisive breakthrough on the half-hour mark as Salomon Kalou's cross from the left was headed home by the unmarked Essien.
However, Ghana midfielder Essien blotted his copybook in the final minute with a two-footed challenge which warranted a straight red card.
Marouane Chamakh scored at the start and end of the game as Arsenal bounced back from a surprise defeat at the weekend to win 2-0 at Wolves.
Arsenal enjoyed a dream start by taking the lead inside the opening minute when Alex Song's cross picked out the unmarked Chamakh to head home.
The second half saw both sides have shots cleared off the line and Andrey Arshavin hit the post before Chamakh made certain of the points by scoring in stoppage-time after being played in by Cesc Fabregas.
Liverpool's recent winning run came to a halt at the DW Stadium as Wigan Athletic came from a goal behind to force a 1-1 draw.
Fernando Torres followed up his double against Chelsea by giving Liverpool the lead on seven minutes by racing on to Steven Gerrard's excellent through ball and finishing clinically past Ali Al Habsi.
Wigan levelled seven minutes into the second half when Hugo Rodallega slammed home the loose ball after Pepe Reina had pushed out Ronnie Stam's cross.
Blackburn secured a fifth successive win at St James' Park as substitute Jason Roberts clinched a 2-1 success over Newcastle.
Allardyce had an early smile on his face upon his return to his former club as Morten Gamst Pedersen capitalised on Cheick Tiote's dallying in the box to drill a low shot into the net on three minutes.
Newcastle hit back two minutes after half-time when the lucrative source of Joey Barton and Andy Carroll combined as the former's deep free-kick was headed beyond Paul Robinson by the in-form England hopeful.
But moments after going in front, Magpies midfielder Barton was fortunate to escape a red card when he punched Pedersen in the stomach behind the back of referee Mike Jones.
Rovers' winner came eight minutes from time when Roberts outmuscled the home defence from Paul Robinson's punt and slotted the ball past Tim Krul.
James Collins scored an 89th minute winner as Aston Villa beat a Blackpool side featuring 10 changes 3-2 at Villa Park.
Villa edged ahead in the 28th minute when Stewart Downing ran from the halfway line and exchanged passes with Ashley Young before seeing his shot from the edge of the area deflect past Richard Kingson.
But former Villa striker Marlon Harewood returned to haunt his old club just before half-time as he wriggled free and fired past Brad Friedel.
Young provided the assist for Villa's second goal on the hour as he played in Nathan Delfouneso, who kept his cool to finish beyond Kingson.
Substitute DJ Campbell thought he had earned the Seasiders a point with a deflected equaliser on 87 minutes, but two minutes later Collins stooped to head home the winner from a corner.
West Ham remain bottom of the table after letting a second-half lead slip to draw 2-2 with West Brom at Upton Park.
West Brom were in front on 38 minutes through Peter Odemwingie's penalty after Luis Boa Morte had needlessly bundled over Steven Reid when tussling for a corner.
The Hammers were level before the break, though, as the inspirational Scott Parker cracked a stunning 25-yard shot into the top corner.
And the turnaround appeared complete five minutes into the second half when Frederic Piquionne scored from the spot after Gabriel Tamas was harshly adjudged to have fouled Kieron Dyer.
However, West Brom refused to buckle and levelled on 71 minutes when Chris Brunt's cross found the unmarked Pablo Ibanez to head home at the far post.
Jermaine Beckford's first Premier League goal in the last minute salvaged a 1-1 draw for Everton at home to Bolton.
All the action at Goodison Park arrived in the final 11 minutes as Bolton went ahead when Ivan Klasnic nudged Matt Taylor's teasing cross over the line.
Everton had Marouane Fellaini sent off four minutes from time for kicking out at Paul Robinson before Beckford curled a superb shot into the top corner to earn his team a point.
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