Chelsea had goalkeepers Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini both taken to hospital after appearing to suffer head injuries in the champions' 1-0 win at Reading overnight.
What proved to be an astonishing match at the Madejski Stadium began with Czech keeper Cech colliding with Reading's Stephen Hunt in the first minute and being carried off. Cudicini took over, but collided with Reading's Ibrahima Sonko at the end of the game and needed treatment by paramedics before he too was taken off on a stretcher. Coach Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports: "Both are in hospital and both were completely knocked out."
Chelsea stayed second in the table after league leaders Manchester United came from behind to beat Wigan Athletic 3-1 in the day's early kickoff.
Both United and Chelsea have 19 points from eight games, three ahead of Portsmouth who beat West Ham United 2-0.
Goals by Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic, French striker Louis Saha and Norwegian forward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer turned the game around for United after Wigan left back Leighton Baines had opened the scoring with a 25-metre piledriver.
Chelsea took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Frank Lampard's free kick was deflected in by Icelandic defender Ivar Ingimarsson.
The champions suffered their second setback of the game when Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel was sent off in the 62nd minute for a second booking, hauling down French defender Sonko.
But Chelsea held on and it was all-square in terms of players when Andre Bikey was dismissed in the 83rd minute.
Cudicini was take off in the closing stages and captain John Terry had to play in goal for the final minutes of stoppage time.
Arsenal captain Thierry Henry scored one and made another as they beat Watford 3-0, while Liverpool were spared defeat against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield by a Craig Bellamy equaliser against his old club in a 1-1 draw.
Aston Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel missed a penalty and scored an own goal in the space of three minutes in their 1-1 draw with 10-man Tottenham Hotspur and Middlesbrough edged Everton 2-1.
The day's early action at the JJB Stadium was only four minutes old when Baines crashed home his shot from a free kick, giving United keeper Edwin van der Sar no chance.
Though United took charge of the game, they had to wait until the 62nd minute before equalising through Vidic, heading home a Ryan Giggs corner.
Four minutes later, Alex Ferguson's side were in front with a superb finish by Saha following a cross from Wayne Rooney, who had an excellent game after a difficult start to the season.
Solskjaer wrapped up the points in stoppage time to make United look good value for their place at the top.
"There's a good momentum about the team at the moment and hopefully we can keep that going," Ferguson told Sky Sports.
The Scot was delighted with Rooney, who hit the bar in the first half, saying: "I think he was right back to his best."
Portsmouth kept their remarkable start to the season going with a fifth win from eight games.
Nigerian striker Nwankwo Kanu got his sixth league goal of the season before substitute Andy Cole added a late second at Fratton Park.
Arsenal's victory at the Emirates Stadium moved them up to fourth on 14 points with a game in hand.
An own goal by Watford's Jordan Stewart set Arsenal on their way and Henry rifled home the second before teeing up Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor to add an easy third.
Liverpool are mired in mid-table after taking only a point from their game despite plenty of second half pressure after going behind to a strike by South African Benni McCarthy.
West Ham's defeat left them in the relegation zone, above Watford and Charlton Athletic, while Sheffield United earned a point with a 0-0 draw at Manchester City.
- REUTERS
Soccer: Premier League weekend wrap
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