Gap Opened to Nine While Spurs Edge Ahead in Fourth

Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool: City fall to nine points behind Manchester United with their second draw on the bounce. City actually went ahead when Edin Dzeko once again scored on 23-minutes. But their lead lasted for just six minutes when Daniel Sturridge equalised with a long range to silence his former employers, although City felt they should have had a free-kick in the build up when Daniel Agger seemingly fouled Dzeko. Steven Gerrard then put Liverpool ahead on 73-minutes with a fantastic strike from outside the box that Joe Hart had no chance of saving. This time, Liverpool's lead lasted for only five minutes as Pepe Reina stupidly chased substitute Sergio Aguero to the ball which was going away from goal. Aguero got to the ball first and somehow curled the ball into the net from a ridiculously tight angle, saving City from defeat. Liverpool now sit six points behind Everton in the hunt for European football.

West Brom 0-1 Tottenham: Tottenham go three points clear of Everton to remain fourth and actually move to within a point of Chelsea. The game was perhaps decided three minutes from time when Goran Popov was sent off for spitting at Kyle Walker. It took until the 67th minute for Spurs to take full advantage with a great strike from Gareth Bale settling the match.

Newcastle 3-2 Chelsea: Newcastle move six points clear of the relegation with this fantastic win over Chelsea. Chelsea slump to 16-points behind Manchester United and may have to focus on remaining in the Champions League places. Newcastle took the lead four minutes before half-time when Jonas Gutierrez flicked a Davide Santon cross into the bottom corner. Demba Ba’s return to St. James Park only lasted 45-minutes as he had to be substituted after being caught in the face by Fabricio Coloccini’s boot. Frank Lampard was once again on the score sheet with a screamer from outside the box to equalise ten minutes into the second half. Juan Mata then curled a beauty into the top corner to make it 2-1 just after the hour mark. Moussa Sissoko marked his debut with a goal, scoring after Yoan Gouffran’s shot was parried on 68-minutes to make it 2-2. Sissoko then won the match with a low driven goal from outside the box in injury time, already possibly the best signing in the January transfer window.

Everton 3-3 Aston Villa: Villa threw away a 3-1 lead to now end up being two points from safety. At the start of play Villa may well have a taken a point at Goodison but they will unhappy that it is just a point. Villa broke the deadlock after just two minutes when Christian Benteke overpowered Jonny Heitinga and fired into the bottom corner. Everton’s equaliser was in a similar vein on 21-minutes when Victor Anichebe managed to hold off Ciaran Clark before unleashing a shot into the bottom corner. Villa retook the lead three minutes later when Gabriel Agbonlahor headed home a Matthew Lowton cross. Benteke scored his second with a terrific header from another Lowton cross to make it 3-1 just after the hour mark. Marouane Fellaini pulled one back after a neat one-two with Anichebe eight minutes later. The equaliser came in the depths of injury time when Villa’s Achilles heel once again came back to haunt them, Fellaini grabbing his second with a header from a corner. Everton sit three points Tottenham in the race for fourth and now only four points behind Chelsea who are in third.

Reading 2-1 Sunderland: Another late win for Reading sees them move two points clear of the relegation zone with Sunderland safe by eight points. Reading took the lead after seven minutes when Jimmy Kebe rounded John O’Shea from a cross before smashing high into the top corner. Sunderland had a penalty just before the half hour mark when Pavel Pogrebnyak slid into O’Shea whilst failing to deal with a corner. Craig Gardner stepped up and placed it into the bottom corner. The winner came five minutes from time with Kebe scoring his second courtesy of a header from an Ian Harte free-kick.

Wigan 2-2 Southampton: In what was probably a six-pointer, the point for Wigan sees them sit two points from safety while Southampton sit three points above the bottom three. Wigan took the lead on 25-minutes when Gary Caldwell headed home from a corner. Rickie Lambert headed Southampton level on 64-minutes. The Saints may have thought they had won the match when Morgan Schneiderlin made it 2-1 five minutes from time after tapping home a ball that came from a great Gaston Ramirez run. But Wigan would find an equaliser in injury time when Shaun Maloney was on hand to roll in a headed on corner and break Southampton hearts.

Fulham 0-1 Manchester United: United go nine points clear at the top with their second victory over Fulham in the space of seven days. United had hit the woodwork three times and Fulham once before the floodlights failed three minutes before half-time. Play resumed ten minutes later but the winner didn’t arrive until 11-minutes from the end when Wayne Rooney coolly ran in and slotted into the bottom corner. Fulham now sit seven points above the relegation zone.

Arsenal 1-0 Stoke: Arsenal move to within a point of Everton and more importantly four of Tottenham in the race for Champions League football. Stoke do sit tenth but may have a little eye on the bottom three as they are only nine points ahead of it. The only goal of the game came 12-minutes from time when Lukas Podolski’s free-kick found the net as was awarded the goal after the linesman had initially flagged for offside.

West Ham 1-0 Swansea: West Ham join Stoke on 30-points after this victory over eighth place Swansea. Andy Carroll started for the first time since his lengthy injury and marked it with the only goal of the game on 77-minutes. The goal came via a header from a Mark Noble corner.

QPR 0-0 Norwich: The point for QPR sees them remain six points from safety at the bottom of the table. Norwich are only seven points clear themselves after this goalless draw at Loftus Road