Newcastle United 1 - 5 Liverpool
Liverpool maintained their grip on first place the Premier League table with a 5-1 win against a toothless Newcastle United at St. James' Park on Sunday.
Reds captain Steven Gerrard scored twice, and had had it not been for Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given, the hosts could have been on the wrong end of a double-figure disaster after being completely outclassed. The Reds grabbed a three-point advantage over Chelsea.
It was Gerrard who broke the deadlock in the 31st minute when he drilled Yossi Benayoun's pass in off the post. Given had no opportunity to reprise his heroics and the Irishman was stranded again five minutes later when defender Sami Hyypia was given the freedom of the Newcastle penalty area to head home Gerrard's corner. These were torrid times for Newcastle but Canada international defender David Edgar reduced the arrears on the stroke of half-time by heading in Danny Guthrie's corner kick.
Liverpool's third goal, five minutes after the restart, had an element of luck about it, with referee Mark Halsey failing to spot Lucas's handball. But Dutch international Ryan Babel tapped in from five yards despite being surrounded by several Newcastle players. Gerrard grabbed his second from Lucas's astute through ball in the 66th minute. When substitute Xabi Alonso wrapped things up with a well taken penalty 13 minutes from time with Gerrard off the field, after his fellow replacement David Ngog had been brought down by Edgar, Liverpool could celebrate heading into 2009 on top of the Premier League.
Fulham 2 - 2 Chelsea
Clint Dempsey's last-gasp equaliser dented Chelsea's English Premier League title hopes as hosts Fulham came back to earn a 2-2 draw in an exciting west London derby at Craven Cottage on Sunday.After hitting the opener, the United States international headed in his second goal of the game in the 89th minute to cancel out two Frank Lampard strikes and leave Chelsea three points behind leaders Liverpool, who beat Newcastle 5-1.
Midfielder Dempsey put the Cottagers ahead in the 10th minute, capitalising on some sloppy defending. Lampard levelled in the 50th minute following a Fulham defensive blunder and the England international scored what looked to be a winning free-kick in the 72nd minute. Dempsey,however, nodded a goal from a corner two minutes from time.
William Gallas' goal nine minutes from time enabled Arsenal to reclaim fourth place in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Portsmouth at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.The victory saw the Gunners move ahead of Aston Villa, who do not play until Tuesday, on goals scored, although they remain ten points adrift of leaders Liverpool. The win also ended a run of three successive drawn games that had also seen captain Cesc Fabregas ruled out until March by injury. Portsmouth, managed by former Arsenal captain Tony Adams, frustrated Arsenal for long periods but had no answer to Gallas' 81st-minute header.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger made three changes from the side that drew 2-2 at Villa on Boxing Day. Alex Song missed out through injury but Robin van Persie and Kolo Toure found themselves on the bench as Gael Clichy, Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor returned, with the latter having served a one-match ban following his sending off in last week's 1-1 draw with Liverpool. Adams also made changes following his side's 4-1 defeat at home to West Ham. Papa Bouba Diop and David Nugent came in for Glen Little and Jermain Defoe, the former Spurs striker, who were named as substitutes. fifa
Current results;
Newcastle United 1 - 5 Liverpool
Arsenal 1 - 0 Portsmouth
Bolton Wanderers 0 - 1 Wigan Athletic
Everton 3 - 0 Sunderland
Fulham 2 - 2 Chelsea
West Bromwich Albion 2 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United 2 - 1 Stoke City
Blackburn Rovers 2 - 2 Manchester City
.......
Manchester United ? - ? Middlesbrough
Hull City ? - ? Aston Villa
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