Wayne Rooney after the match against Reading, on Saturday

London: Chelsea’s troubles deepened as Rafa Benitez’s new side lost at West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday, while London rival Arsenal were beaten by Swansea and defending champion Manchester City were held by Everton.

West Ham came from behind to beat Chelsea 3-1 and leave the European champions without a win in seven league matches, three since Benitez replaced the fired Roberto Di Matteo as manager. Chelsea remain third but Tottenham are now only behind on goal difference in fourth place after beating Fulham 3-0.

Arsenal dropped to 10th after Michu’s double gave Swansea a 2-0 victory at Emirates Stadium.

Man City temporarily regained top spot despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Everton. Queens Park Rangers remains winless and at bottom after being held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa, while West Bromwich Albion dropped to fifth after being beaten 1-0 by Stoke and Liverpool defeated Southampton 1-0.

Meanwhile, Manchester United opened up a three-point lead at the top of the League table with a remarkable 4-3 victory at struggling Reading where all the goals came before half-time.

Reading led 1-0 through Hal Robson-Kanu and went 3-2 ahead with Sean Morrison’s header but goals from Anderson, a Wayne Rooney double and Robin van Persie saw United go in front with only 34 minutes on the clock at the Madejski Stadium.

The torrent of goals dried up after the break as United held on for the win that lifted them above champions Manchester City who had briefly gone top with a 1-1 draw at home to Everton.

Chelsea’s interim manager Rafael Benitez was on course for his first victory since taking over from Roberto Di Matteo when Juan Mata gave Chelsea a deserved half-time lead.

But three West Ham goals after the break increased the pressure on the Spaniard, as visiting fans again voiced their disapproval at Chelsea’s surprise managerial change. Benitez has hardly made the impact that Russian owner Roman Abramovich would have expected since Champions League-winning manager Di Matteo was sacked.

Two 0-0 draws — at home to Manchester City, when he was jeered by Chelsea fans, and Fulham — were at least evidence that Benitez’s famed organisational skills had helped shore up their leaky defence.

But Saturday’s second-half capitulation after Carlton Cole’s dubious equaliser against his former club left Benitez stunned.

Chelsea’s season had begun brightly under Di Matteo, with new signings Oscar and Eden Hazard helping them to the top of the Premier League with seven wins and a draw from their opening eight games before a controversial defeat by Manchester United.

Since that defeat at the end of October, precious little has gone right. They have gone seven matches without a win in the Premier League and are in danger of becoming the first Champions League holders to exit at the group stage even if they do beat Nordsjaelland on Wednesday.

(Agencies)