Aston Villa handed Arsenal a lifeline in their bid to bag a Champions League place as free-spending Manchester City's away day blues worsened in the English Premier League on Sunday. Villa blew their chance to open up an eight-point gap over the Gunners as they let lowly visitors Stoke score two last-gasp goals to claim a 2-2 draw at Villa Park.
Aston Villa could have moved one point behind Chelsea and Liverpool, whose hopes of catching leaders Manchester United have all but faded. But Stoke's heroics left Martin O'Neill's team three points off second and third place and six points clear of Arsenal.
Manchester City, who have not won away from home in the league since August, were sunk 1-0 at West Ham, who moved up to seventh in the table. Hull City, who have won just one league game in their last 18, lost 2-1 at home to Blackburn Rovers, who gained a vital three points that lifted them just out of the relegation zone.
Lancashire rivals Bolton gained a 1-0 win over visitors Newcastle as manager Gary Megson celebrated his new contract with a victory that keeps them in mid-table.
Villa seemed on course for victory over Stoke after James Milner set up Stiliyan Petrov to score just before half-time. The points seemed certain when the Bulgaria midfielder played in giant striker John Carew for Villa's second goal, in the 79th minute. But Ryan Shawcross headed in a James Beattie cross in the 88th minute before Glenn Whelan blasted in a superb equaliser from 30 yards out in injury time. Stoke remain second-bottom in the table.
Manchester City made it to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup in midweek and may have to win the trophy to qualify for European competition next season. As their star striker Robinho had another off-key game and his team-mate Craig Bellamy was hauled off early on his return to Upton Park, Wales midfielder Jack Collison scored for hosts West Ham in the 71st minute. City's Elano hit a post late on but it was not enough to halt the steady progress West Ham are making under new boss Gianfranco Zola.
Blackburn gave their Premier League survival hopes a boost in a feisty game at the KC Stadium. Stephen Warnock scored their first in the 34th minute and Keith Andrews made it 2-0 three minutes later. Hull midfielder Dean Marney was sent off for a crude foul on Morten Gamst Pedersen, and the Norwegian was sent off himself soon afterwards.
Ian Ashbee pulled one back in the 79th minute but could not stop another sorry defeat for Hull. Megson's luck was in on Sunday as his inspired half-time substitution put the gloss of victory on his new deal at the Reebok. Jamaica midfielder Ricardo Gardner scored with his first touch in the 47th minute to inflict another worrying defeat on Newcastle, who are still soldiering on without manager Joe Kinnear, who is recovering from a heart operation.
In Saturday's matches, Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez came close to conceding defeat in the title battle after a shock 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough left Liverpool struggling to keep leaders Manchester United within sight.
The demoralising defeat at the Riverside allowed Chelsea, who snatched a last-gasp winer 2-1 win at home to Wigan, to move into second place on goal difference.
But the real winners were champions United, who stand seven points clear of both their closest rivals with a game in hand. Elsewhere, Arsenal were jeered off the pitch by their own supporters after a 0-0 draw at home to Fulham - their fifth straight draw in the league and a fourth consecutive goalless stalemate.
Australia midfielder Tim Cahill helped Everton move to within two points of Arsenal with a headed opener in a 2-0 win over bottom side West Bromwich. With Manchester United and Tottenham playing in the League Cup final, Portsmouth and Sunderland were left without a match over the weekend.
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