Leaders Arsenal suffered their first Premier League loss of the season with a 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on Sunday.

Stewart Downing's early penalty and a second half goal from Tuncay Sanli gave hosts a deserved and much wanted win, cutting Gunners' lead at the top of the table to one point after Manchester United crushed bottom club Derby County 4-1 on Saturday.

Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing (2nd L) celebrates scoring against Arsenal during their English Premier League soccer match at The Riverside in Middlesbrough, northern England December 9, 2007.

United are second on 36 points, two ahead of Chelsea who beat Sunderland 2-0 overnight.

Manchester City were also handed a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Spurs, losing the chance to overhaul Liverpool in fourth place. City, level on points with Liverpool and Portsmouth, are further back sixth due to goal difference.

Elsewhere, Bolton continued to head in the right direction courtesy of a 4-1 thumping of Wigan while West Ham's Dean Ashton came off the bench to seal a 1-0 win at Blackburn.

Middlesbrough, starting the game in the relegation zone, went ahead in just the fourth minute with Downing's penalty after Jeremie Aliadiere tempted former teammate Kolo Toure into a foul.

The hosts were for the most part more comfortable than a 2-1 scoreline suggests as Downing and George Boateng both went close after break, but they had to wait until the 74th minute for a victory.

Sanli reacted quickly to fire in Boro's second from a tight angle in the box after Gary O'Neil's shot was parried.

Tomas Rosicky's injury-time goal proved to be no more than a consolation which however maintained Gunners' record of scoring in each league game of the season.

Substitute Jermain Defoe grabbed a late goal to give Spurs a crucial win over City in what was an evenly fought contest in North London.

Pascal Chimbonda gave the home side a controversial lead before halftime when he deflected the ball in with his arm from an offside position.

Rolando Bianchi headed Manchester City level when he powered in Martin Petrov's corner three minutes off the bench.

But City's Stephen Ireland was sent off for a disgraceful lunge on Young-Pyo Lee before Defoe crashed home the winner seven minutes from time.

(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2007)