Van Persie and Hernandez give Man Utd winning start to 2013 January 1, 2013 -- Updated 1739 GMT (0139 HKT) Robin van Persie wheels away after scoring Manchester United's second goal in the 4-0 win over Wigan. Manchester Utd beat Wigan 4-0 to stay seven points clear in EPL Second placed Manchester City ease past Stoke to keep pace Tottenham back into third spot with 3-1 home win over Reading Arsenal playing Southampton in the late kick off on New Year's Day (CNN) -- Robin van Persie and Javier Hernandez began 2013 as they ended the old year by grabbing two goals apiece as Manchester United won 4-0 at Wigan Tuesday to stay top of the English Premier League by seven points. Mexico's Hernandez, who scored the crucial Boxing Day winner in the 4-3 victory over Newcastle, grabbed the opener and the third for United at the DW Stadium. Van Persie, the key summer signing for United, made it 19 for the season for his new side, with 16 coming in the EPL, the leading tally. Hernandez, taking his share of responsibility in the absence of the injured Wayne Rooney, tapped home a 35th minute opener after Ali Al Habsi saved from Patrice Evra. Dutch ace van Persie scored the second eight minutes later, fielding a pass from Hernandez before curling the ball home. Hernandez added a third just after the hour mark with a neat finish before van Persie took advantage of slack defending with two minutes to go. It was United's eighth win in their last nine EPL matches. Read: EPL goes goal crazy Defending champions Manchester City kept pace with a 3-0 home win over Stoke City, with Pablo Zabaleta, Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero on target against a team who had been on a 10-match unbeaten run. But Argentina's Aguero limped off with an apparent hamstring injury after converting a second half penalty. Tottenham Hotspur continued their recent strong run with a 3-1 home win over struggling Reading. Pavel Pogrebnyak gave Reading a surprise fourth minute lead but Michael Dawson canceled it out five minutes later. Togo star Emmanuel Adebayor and American international Clint Dempsey scored in the second half as Spurs went a point clear of Chelsea, who are at home to QPR Wednesday. In other matches, Aston Villa put a half to their alarming slide with a 2-2 draw at Swansea, the home side grabbing a point through Danny Graham's injury time equalizer. Dimitar Berbatov scored the opener as Fulham returned to winning ways with a 2-1 win at West Bromwich Albion in the early kick off, while West Ham saw off Norwich 2-1. Arsenal, who hit seven at home to Newcastle last Saturday, were at Southampton in the late kick off. December 18, 2012 -- Updated 1121 GMT (1921 HKT) New research suggests the use of ice baths to aid recovery after intense exercise is not as beneficial as previously thought. December 13, 2012 -- Updated 1335 GMT (2135 HKT) Racist abuse, fan violence, attacks on players -- on the face of it, English football seems to be experiencing a return to its darkest days. December 14, 2012 -- Updated 1509 GMT (2309 HKT) He might have walked alone in a crowd of 15,000 fans, but for one Italian soccer fan that lonely experience has resulted in internet stardom. December 10, 2012 -- Updated 1547 GMT (2347 HKT) Lionel Messi's record-breaking 86-goal haul in 2012 further enhanced the argument that the Argentine is the best player the world has ever seen. December 11, 2012 -- Updated 1100 GMT (1900 HKT) Lionel Messi takes just 25 minutes to dispel any doubts that he would break Gerd Muller's 1972 world record of goals in a calendar year. December 6, 2012 -- Updated 1824 GMT (0224 HKT) Diego Mendieta was a man who needed help. There he lay, helpless. Alone. Dying. There were no news stories. There was no Twitter hashtag. December 4, 2012 -- Updated 1557 GMT (2357 HKT) Lionel Messi has dominated the football landscape in 2012 scoring goals for club and country at a rate unparalleled by any of his peers. November 27, 2012 -- Updated 1321 GMT (2121 HKT) Violent attacks, the chanting of Adolf Hitler's name and anti-Semitic abuse -- not dark memories of the 1930s but present reality for Tottenham. November 21, 2012 -- Updated 1159 GMT (1959 HKT) Last Wednesday, in a move that I still don't fully understand, I became a shareholder in the Spanish football club Real Oviedo. November 21, 2012 -- Updated 1641 GMT (0041 HKT) The Secret Footballer lifts the lid on betting practices in the English Premier League in a special column for CNN. November 15, 2012 -- Updated 1846 GMT (0246 HKT) Zlatan Ibrahimovic's stunning overhead volley in Sweden's win against England set ripples across social media. November 13, 2012 -- Updated 1738 GMT (0138 HKT) The Secret Footballer reveals his experiences of the gambling addiction that is rife among many English Premier League players.