Goals from Xabi Alonso, Yossi Benayoun and Steven Gerrard gave them a 3-1 victory over Blackburn at Ewood Park.

It was just the result Benitez was looking for after successive goalless draws against Fulham and West Ham.

Benitez said: "We have shown we can manage the pressure. When you have a game like this, you know you might have problems.

"But we were more clinical than other days and that is important with the Christmas programme coming up."

Rovers have now gone 10 league games without a win and remain in the relegation zone.

But under-pressure manager Paul Ince was heartened by his team's display and believes they can re-build in the coming weeks.

"It was an exceptional performance. We have not got the three points but we have to take some positives from the game."

Chelsea assistant boss Ray Wilkins has dismissed suggestions of growing unrest in the Blues camp under manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Scolari has now masterminded a new top-flight record of 11 away wins, with a 2-0 victory at Bolton, courtesy of goals from Nicolas Anelka and Deco.

But there are claims the players are unhappy with his apparently lax training regime, and their play is becoming too predictable.

Scolari did not attend the post-match press conference and when asked whether there was any concerns in the ranks, Wilkins sternly replied: "None whatsoever. If you are looking for an angle then that team might have fallen apart, but the spirit and application in the camp is absolutely different class."

Sir Alex Ferguson is confident Manchester United will have a real tilt at a Premier League title hat-trick providing they can get within three points of their major rivals on New Year's Day.

Nemanja Vidic's last-gasp strike allowed United to claim a 1-0 win over managerless Sunderland at Old Trafford, keeping them five points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

"If we get within two or three points of the top two by the turn of the year, we will have a marvellous chance," Ferguson said.

Arsenal squeezed past Wigan with a 1-0 win courtesy of Emmanuel Adebayor, but boss Arsene Wenger was left explaining his decision to take off substitute Emmanuel Eboue after a series of mistakes.

The Frenchman said: "It was a difficult decision but he had completely lost his confidence. He couldn't keep the ball any more and had become a danger."

Two goals in the last eight minutes - from a Ross Turnbull own goal and a Marlon King penalty - saw Hull overturn a one-goal deficit at home to Middlesbrough.

Elsewhere, Fulham drew 1-1 with a Manchester City side missing star man Robinho, leaving City boss Mark Hughes defending his side's unimpressive league showing.

Stoke salvaged a 2-2 away to Newcastle, for who Michael Owen scored twice, leaving a boss Tony Pulis delighted with a comeback from what he described as an "insipid" first-half display.