Middlesbrough will be disappointed not to have taken anything away from a match they dominated bar a 20-minute period either side of half-time.

The goal came eight minutes into the second half. Middlesbrough failed to clear a Greening corner and, with his back to goal, Ishmael Miller hooked the ball back into the danger area for centre-back Olsson to volley home.

West Brom suffered an early blow when South Korean playmaker Kim Do-Heon caught his studs in the turf and was forced off. Shaken by their early loss, the midlands club retreated to the edge of their box and invited a Middlesbrough onslaught.

Mido led it and appears to have struck up a good understanding with Alfonso Alves. A quick one-two between the home side’s front pairing saw Alves rock Scott Carson’s cross bar after 15 minutes. Jeremie Aliadiere followed up, but saw his volley well blocked.

From the resulting corner Robert Huth could only pull his header wide, after which West Brom’s five-man midfield took control for the remainder of the half. They had much more of the ball but were restricted to efforts from distance – Robert Koren and Borja Valero stinging the palms of Ross Turnbull.

Valero’s effort won a corner that provided West Brom with their best opportunity of the half. Greening swung over an inviting cross and Turnbull had to make an outstanding point blank save from a Ryan Donk header.

Moments later Boro’s Alves went one better than Donk, beating Scott Carson from a Downing corner but not Paul Robinson stationed on the back post. That proved to be Boro’s last meaningful chance of the half.

West Brom began the second half in confident mood and, buoyed by the introduction of Ishmael Miller, pushed for the opening goal. It came fifty three minutes in and Gareth Southgate will be disappointed with his side’s defending for it.

Falling behind forced Middlesbrough into action, Alves firing straight at Carson following a Gary O’Neill centre.

Moments later, Mido and Alves caused scares in the Baggies defence, but Carson stood strong and their lead remained in tact.

Gary O’Neill then saw two sharp efforts saved by Carson either side of Mido’s blast into the stands.

Middlesbrough’s complete dominance was occasionally punctuated by a West Brom effort, Borja Valero firing a free-kick over the bar.

The home side continued to press, and David Wheater or Alves would have probably scored on other days, but it wasn’t to be.

As they became reckless in pursuit of that elusive equaliser Boro left themselves vulnerable to a West Brom counter punch . Bednar and Miller really should have done better following quick breaks, but it matters little now.

Ronaldo won and converted a disputed penalty on 60 minutes to score his first league goal of the season, before Rooney arrived from the substitutes’ bench to seal victory with an exquisite finish late on.

The result represented only United’s second win in five Premier League matches, and the first time Sir Alex Ferguson’s team have scored more than once in the top flight this season.

The opening exchanges belonged to Bolton, however, who took no time in asserting their trademark physicality on United’s comparatively lightweight midfield.

Two minutes in the visitors had the first shot on target, when Kevin Nolan reacted first to a loose ball and struck a firm volley into the arms of Edwin van der Sar.

Kevin Davies was the next to threaten, driving in from the left and sending over a far-post cross which Rio Ferdinand dealt with comfortably.

But United escaped the early volleys unscathed and gradually started to settle in possession.

On 13 minutes, Dimitar Berbatov met Darren Fletcher’s right-wing cross with a crisp header, but could only direct it straight at Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal.

Two minutes later Carlos Tevez cut in from the left and fired a low shot that Jaaskelainen parried into the path of Park Ji-Sung. The South Korean found the angle too tight, however, and could only find the side netting.

Just after the half-hour mark Jaaskelainen made a fine save to deny Anderson, and soon after repeated the feat to punch away a powerful Ferdinand effort.

Bolton were being outplayed and bookings for Johan Elmander, Davies and Gavin McCann owed much to their inability to cope with United’s attacking threat.

Just before the interval, however, Gary Megson’s men launched a counter-attack and missed a glorious opportunity to take an undeserved lead.

Gretar Steinsson was the architect, reaching the by-line on the right and finding Fabrica Muamba with a fine cross – only for the midfielder to shoot wide from six yards with Van der Sar sprawling.

The second half began with United firmly in the ascendancy. Ronaldo cut across the Bolton box from the left to shoot against the post on 52 minutes, and the visitors duly parked all of their resources behind the ball.

The Portuguese winger moved to the opposite flank soon after and won his side a penalty from referee Rob Styles after Jloyd Samuel was harshly adjudged to have brought him down.

Replays showed the defender got the ball, and Ronaldo compounded Bolton’s frustration by sending Jaaskelainen the wrong way and putting United ahead with a flourish.

In truth it was no more than the home side deserved, and they doubled their lead on 77 minutes with a fine finish from substitute Rooney.

Ronaldo was inevitably involved, driving into the Bolton box before finding the England striker with an impudent backheel. Rooney dragged the ball back and sent a curling shot beyond Jaaskelainen into the far corner.

There would be no response from Gary Megson’s toothless Bolton, who other than the occasional foray were hopelessly bereft of ambition and ultimately could have suffered a far heavier defeat but for the efforts of Jaaskelainen.

Substitute Paul Scholes was sent clean through by Berbatov on 88 minutes, but the impressive Jaaskelainen once more came to the visitor’s rescue – saving with his legs.

United played out the closing minutes comfortably, and Ferguson could even afford the luxury of withdrawing the ever-influential Ronaldo once his important work was done.

With both he and Rooney on the scoresheet there was a familiar look to this United victory – one that will surely send a clear message to those who dared to doubt United’s title credentials.

In a frantic five-minute spell, Carlton Cole and Matthew Etherington both scored for Gianfranco Zola’s side and Fulham striker Andy Johnson was sent off.Danny Murphy reduced the deficit with a second-half penalty.

After having the best chances to score throughout the opening period, the Cottagers found themselves two goals and a man down in the final five minutes of the first half.

On 43 minutes, against the run of play, Cole put his recent off-pitch troubles behind him when Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzerparried Etherington’s cross into his path for a simple tap-in.

It was Etherington’s pace and drive that had created that opportunity and the winger got a goal of his own just two minutes later. The impressive Mark Noble sent a well-weighted ball forward, and the former Tottenham man latched on to steer the ball past the onrushing Schwarzer and into the empty net.

Things got worse for Roy Hodgson’s side in the final minute of five added on at the end of the half. Striker Andy Johnson – already on a yellow card for a foul on full-back Herita Ilunga – got a second booking and a subsequent red card for clattering Hammers captain Lucas Neill as the defender was clearing the ball, leaving referee Andre Marriner with no choice but the send him off.

Murphy gave the home side some hope from the penalty spot after Zoltan Gera’s header hit Neill’s arm and the referee pointed to the spot. The Fulham captain sent Robert Green the wrong way and calmly rolled the ball into the bottom corner.

Fulham had emerged the stronger side after an open start to the match, with Simon Davies and Bobby Zamora both spurning a clutch of chances.

Jimmy Bullard had two dead-ball opportunities on the edge of the West Ham area, the second of which forced a good save from Green, who then got a stray boot in the face as John Paintsil slipped over looking for the rebound.

Beginning the second half with the extra man, West Ham predictably had the better chances, with Herita’s strike forcing a good low save from Schwarzer.

Fulham had chances to equalise following the penalty, with Zamora glancing Bullard’s delivery from deep just the wrong side of the post with Green beaten.

In stoppage time Bullard again had two free-kicks in good positions, but this time he blasted both efforts into the wall as the Hammers made it six points out of six for new boss Zola.

Djibril Cisse had given the visitors an early lead, but Villa hit back through a superb free-kick from Ashley Young and a close-range finish from the in-form John Carew.

Both sides were attempting to bounce back after poor performances in the Carling Cup in mid-week, but it was Villa who deservedly took the points which keep them in the top four in the fledgling table.

Villa defender Martin Laursen had an excellent chance to open the scoring on 10 minutes when he found himself unmarked at the back post from a Gareth Barry corner. But the defender – in superb goalscoring form early this season – planted his header straight at Craig Gordon.

And just moments later, Sunderland took an early lead as Steed Malbranque rolled a simple pass into the path of Cisse, sprinting between two static Villa defenders to fire a low first-time shot inside the near post as Brad Friedal advanced.

Typical of a team involved in games that average almost four goals-per-match in their last 12 fixtures, Villa refused to allow the setback to affect them and hit back with an equaliser just eight minutes later.

Young was brought down 20 yards out by Liam Miller – handed a first start of the season – and got off the ground to curl the ball beyond Gordon into the bottom-corner of the net.

Just after the half-hour mark, another cheap free-kick conceded by Sunderland lead to Villa going in front.

Anton Ferdinand’s careless handball 25 yards out allowed Young another set-piece; this time his free-kick hit the top of the wall, but the ball broke to Stiliyan Petrov, who fired across the face of goal where Carew prodded home for his fourth goal of a promising season.

Villa were dominant and came close to a third before the break when Gordon smothered Barry’s close-range effort after failing to gather Carew’s low cross at the near post.

Sunderland looked brighter after the break – extended to over 20 minutes due to a calf injury to linesman Alan Williams, fourth official Steve Bennett taking over the flagging duties.

But Villa’s defence remained sound and restriced the visitors to long-range efforts, Miller and substitute Andy Reidslicing efforts from just outside the box a couple of yards over the bar.

Reid curled a free-kick just a few inches wide of the top corner as the clock ticked down, but Villa looked comfortable and were able to keep the visitors on their toes with typically pacey counters as they closed out the victory with some ease.

Manager Roy Keane had claimed there were “no positives” to take from his side’s Carling Cup performance against Northampton, and may struggle to take anything from a similarly poor display here – other than the Sunderland fans chanting ‘There’s only one Keano’ in a show of support after the Black Cats boss had been unhappy with some of the abuse received in midweek.

The striker’s first goals for over a month were enough to down an Everton side still looking for their first home win of the season, and continue Liverpool’s impressive start to the season.

Neither Torres nor strike partner Robbie Keanebegan the match well after their stuttering seasons thus far, with the latter largely anonymous for long periods.

But they combined to open the scoring on 59 minutes when the Irishman latched onto Xabi Alonso’s ball to pull a cross back from the byline that was bound for Torres. Dirk Kuyt’s run towards the near post took the defender with him and Torres had more than enough space to fire a low volley under goalkeeper Tim Howard for his first goal since the winner atSunderland on August 16.

After waiting 42 days for his second goal of the season, Torres would wait just three minutes for his third. With Everton clearly rattled by the opening goal Joseph Yoboslid in to tackle Kuyt well but saw the ball roll to Torres, and Howard could only palm the Spaniard’s solid shot into the roof of the net.

The introduction of Louis Saha just after that goal sparked a half-hearted comeback for Everton, but their hopes were all but extinguished when Tim Cahill received a red card – perhaps harshly – for his scissor-tackle on Alonso.

After a subdued start, Liverpool went to dominate the possession, but it was the home side who had the two best chances to open the scoring.

Midway through the half, Joleon Lescott – back in the side at the expense of Leighton Baines – sent a long ball into the box from deep that neither goalkeeper Pepe Reina nor defender Jamie Carragher dealt with, and it fell to midfielderMarouane Fellaini.

Everton’s record signing had the whole of the goal to aim for with Reina out of the picture, but he fired from close range straight at Carragher on the goal-line.

Tim Cahill also had the chance to score, and get his third league goal in as many games. Mikel Arteta’s corner pinged off several men in the box and, characteristically, Cahill was in the right place at the right time, but he saw the ball late and could only stab an effort wide of the mark.

Liverpool’s best chance in the first half fell to Torres, but his turn and shot from close range was blocked by Joseph Yobo.

Saha did his best to impact upon the match after coming on but, despite making a couple of good opportunited for himself, could not repeat his influential second-half performance in the 2-2 draw against Hull City last weekend.

Referee Mike Riley – who handed out eight yellow cards in last Sunday’s match between Chelsea and Manchester United – dished out a further three for each side in addition to Cahill’s red, including one for Everton striker Yakubu after he went down in the Liverpool box early in the second half.

Pompey strike duo Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch both scored against their former employers to end their own side’s terrible run of heavy defeats and move into the top half of the table, though they will now miss key player Lassana Diarra through suspension after he was sent off late on.

Midfielder Glen Little – making his Portsmouth debut after being plagued by injury since his summer move from Reading – was a constant threat and he won a free-kick on the right wing that Spurs captain Jermaine Jenas subsequently handled to concede a soft penalty on 33 minutes.

Defoe – who scored 64 goals for Spurs during his four years at the club – stepped up and fired his spot-kick clinically into the bottom corner. Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes went the right way but the strike had him beaten.

The 25-year-old also had a hand in partner Crouch’s goal. He set up full-back Armand Traore whose fierce shot was saved by Gomes but the ball kicked up to Crouch – who spent two years at White Hart Lane as a trainee – and he nodded into the net for his first Portsmouth goal.

Portsmouth’s French midfielder Diarra – who turned down a summer move to Tottenham – was highly influential yet again. However, he is now facing a suspension after his wild lunge on Benoit Assou-Ekotto earned him a second yellow card and a sending off in the final few minutes.

Defoe had the ball in the back of the Spurs net as early as the third minute, after he latched on to Crouch’s flick-on and finished past Gomes one-on-one. However, the flag was already up for offside against him.

Tottenham will feel aggrieved that they did not have a penalty of their own in the second half. Aaron Lennon – a half-time replacement on the left wing for the ineffective Gilberto – fired a cross in from the by-line that Diarra blocked with his raised hand. Referee Mike Dean didn’t see the handball and awarded a corner to Tottenham.

Tottenham had the majority of possession throughout the match and had plenty of shots, but they failed to create many clear-cut opportunities, with a misfiring David Bentley unable to supply lone striker Roman Pavlyuchenko with any decent service, leaving the Russian isolated for most of the match.

Darren Bent replaced Pavlyuchenko – rather than come on to partner him – with less than 20 minutes remaining, and although he managed to get a couple of shots away he could not drag his team back into the match.