Arsenal scored three times in the
final ten minutes to maintain their
pursuit of Champions League
football as they leapt to third in
the table on Saturday, while
Everton also maintained their charge towards European
football. Elsewhere, Reading look
increasingly likely to join Rangers
in the Championship next season
despite a draw with Liverpool,
and Aston Villa remain concerned
after they were held by Fulham. - Premier League gallery Arsenal made it seven wins from
their last eight league outings
with a 3-1 triumph over Norwich
at Emirates Stadium, lifting them
above Chelsea and Tottenham.
Goals from Mikel Arteta, Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski did the
damage for Arsene Wenger's men,
who trailed to Michael Turner's
opener until the 85th minute. Norwich will still fear the prospect
of being dragged into the bottom
three after defeat left them four
points clear of 18th-placed Wigan
- having played two extra
matches. Olivier Giroud came closest to
breaking the deadlock for Arsenal
in the opening half-hour, glancing
Bacary Sagna's cross across goal
and shaving the woodwork. The
returning Jack Wilshere looked slightly rusty in the middle of the
Arsenal midfield, but Santi Cazorla
was on the ball frequently as
another chance came and went
for Giroud before half-time. However, the game changed in
the 56th minute when Turner
was afforded a free header from
a Robert Snodgrass free-kick,
burying his effort into the
bottom corner. Arsenal's response was initially poor, barely
fashioning a chance in the next
20 minutes, but a tugged shirt
allowed Arteta to net a penalty
in the 85th minute before Giroud
bundled the ball home to give them the lead, and Podolski then
made things safe. Everton's dream of Champions
League football remains a realistic
prospect after a 2-0 win at home
to QPR moved them within three
points of fourth-placed
Tottenham. David Moyes' men have played the extra game, but
strikes from Darron Gibson and
Victor Anichebe intensified the
pressure. Defeat for QPR leaves them seven
points from safety with five
games to play, and the
breakthrough goal came laced
with misfortune as Gibson's drive
deflected past Julio Cesar from Clint Hill. However, it was hard to argue
that Everton did not deserve
their lead, and they battered
away at the QPR defence in the
second half. A second arrived
when Anichebe flicked home a set-piece, and the Toffees could
have added more by the final
whistle. Reading are in the same position
as QPR, on 24 points, after they
drew 0-0 with Liverpool at the
Madejski Stadium. Liverpool's
outside hopes of securing
European football for next season are surely now over after
Reading 'keeper Alex McCarthy
had a stormer. Liverpool were first to threaten,
Luis Suarez dinking the ball over
the home goalkeeper, but Chris
Gunter was there to head off the
line. Suarez then played Daniel
Sturridge behind the defence, but his first touch allowed Reading to
get bodies in the way of the
eventual shot. The visitors continued to
dominate, with Suarez and
Steven Gerrard both denied
before McCarthy made a world-
class point-blank save to deny
Sturridge. The pattern continued after the break, with Philippe
Coutinho's classy back-heeled
finish ruled out for offside after
Gerrard's cross. Noel Hunt had Reading's best
chance when Pepe Reina
produced a stunning block with
his feet, and the Liverpool
'keeper needed to be sharp again
to tip over from Jobi McAnuff. Liverpool were still the dominant
force, though, and McCarthy
produced two more world class
saves to deny Gerrard and
Suarez in the dying minutes. Aston Villa only managed to put
three points between themselves
and the bottom three - having
played two extra games - after a
1-1 draw with Fulham at Villa
Park. Charles N'Zogbia handed Paul Lambert's side the lead on
home soil but a Fabian Delph own
goal pegged them back. N'Zogbia was only in the team due
to the enforced absence of
Gabriel Agbonlahor, but he
produced a special finish early in
the second period to hand Villa
the lead. It lasted only 11 minutes though as Delph found his own
net at a corner, silencing a nervy
Villa crowd. Elsewhere, Southampton and
West Ham failed to leapfrog
Fulham into the top half, drawing
1-1 at St Mary's. Gaston
Ramirez's goal pushed Saints
ahead but Andy Carroll pegged them back.