Midfielder Cole came off the bench to provide Joe Mourinho's side with a much-needed three points as he struck the Blues' winner after 64 minutes.

Blues striker Didier Drogba limped off injured after 38 minutes and without a specialist forward on the bench, Mourinho sent on Cole to deputize up front.

The midfielder's goal extended Chelsea's unbeaten start to the season while condemning Liverpool to a fourth straight away defeat.

Petr Cech made a vital late save from Steve Finnan but Liverpool, who only threatened twice through Djibril Cisse, were unable to find an answer.

Despite the goal, Mourinho branded his talented midfielder 'two-faced' and criticised him for being the only Chelsea player not to help out in defence after scoring.

"Joe Cole scored a goal, he played really well in terms of his attacking dynamic, but when he scored a goal, the game's finished for him," blasted Mourinho.

"The game had two faces, one was beautiful and the other I did not like. The good one is to keep, the other one is to change. It's normal with a young player like him."

Alan Smith climbed off the bench to upstage Wayne Rooney and snatch another late goal to save Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Smith headed home Ronaldo's deep cross with just nine minutes remaining to salvage a point for Alex Ferguson's men and deny Middles-brough after Stuart Downing had put them ahead with a well-taken strike on 33 minutes.

The spotlight was on Rooney on his Premiership debut for United following his stunning European hat-trick earlier in the week but he failed to shine and had to take a back seat to Smith, who produced another one-man rescue act.

With 10 minutes remaining, after neither Rooney nor Ruud van Nistelrooy could break down the visitors' defence, Smith rose highest to nod home Cristiano Ronaldo's cross.

Ferguson was left frustrated at seeing his side drop another two home points, although they move up one spot to fourth position nine points behind Arsenal.

"It was one of those days. We got to the by-line so many times but it was one of those days that didn't go for us," said the Scotsman.

At St Andrews, Nicky Butt preserved Newcastle's unbeaten record under new manager Graeme Souness with a stunning equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Birmingham.

Dwight Yorke cancelled out Jermaine Jenas' early opener in a dramatic first half which saw the hosts lose Emile Heskey and Muzzy Izzet to injury.

Blues defender Matthew Upson looked to have earned Steve Bruce's side only their second win of the campaign when he put them ahead after 57 minutes, but a superb half-volley from 15 yards out from Butt beat Blues goalie Maik Taylor.

Arsenal, meanwhile, ended a turbulent week on a high Saturday by sweeping Charlton aside 4-0 to move to within two matches of a phenomenal 50-game unbeaten run in the English Premiership.

At the other end of the table, West Brom became the first of the newly-promoted sides to register a win this season when they held on for a 2-1 win over Bolton that lifts Gary Megson's side out of the relegation zone.

At Goodison Park, Tottenham withstood a fierce onslaught from Everton before taking all three points.

Blackburn and Aston Villa settled for a point apiece in a feisty 2-2 draw at Ewood Park.

Southampton were relieved to hold out for a 0-0 draw after being outclassed by Manchester City.