Liverpool reclaim top spot, Chelsea draw with Hull

LONDON: Substitute Fernando Torres produced a stoppage-time winner at Portsmouth to send Liverpool back to the Premier League summit on Saturday as Chelsea’s fading title hopes faltered further with a home draw against Hull.
Despite clinching last weekend’s win over Chelsea with late goals, the striker was only deployed by manager Rafa Benitez in the last 14 minutes at Fratton Park.
After twice coming from behind, the Reds were lucky to claim the three points when Torres headed home Yossi Benayoun’s cross.

‘He’s really important, we are very happy he’s back from injury,’ winger Dirk Kuyt said.Manchester United can wipe out Liverpool’s one-point lead at West Ham on Sunday in one of the club’s two games in hand over their title rivals.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, is emerging as a title challenger, registering a club record seventh consecutive away win at Blackburn to snatch third place from Chelsea, which was held 0-0 by Hull.
‘Hopefully we will turn the corner. You cannot give up on the title when you see the talent that we’ve got within the club,’ said Chelsea’s assistant manager Ray Wilkins. ‘We will keep plugging away until it is mathematically impossible to catch anybody. It is going to be difficult to catch Manchester United but we will try.’

Sam Allardyce’s first loss in 10 matches as Blackburn manager means that Rovers remain in the relegation zone alongside Middlesbrough, which lost 1-0 at Manchester City, and West Bromwich Albion, which was beaten 3-2 by Newcastle.
Everton is within three points of fifth-placed Arsenal after a 2-0 victory over Bolton ahead of the Gunners’ game at north London rival Tottenham on Sunday.
Sunderland enjoyed a 2-0 victory over 10-man Stoke and Fulham drew 0-0 at Wigan.
On the south coast, Benitez’s selection gamble _ starting with Torres, Kuyt and Xabi Alonso on the bench – appeared costly in the 62nd minute when David Nugent put Portsmouth ahead by shooting under the advancing Pepe Reina.

Fabio Aurelio levelled within seven minutes, blasting home from Alonso’s indirect free kick inside the penalty area.
Kuyt was then harshly ruled offside after finding the net before Hermann Hreidarsson headed Pompey back in front.
Liverpool’s substitutes combined to equalize again, with Kuyt turning in a cross from Torres, who went on to snatch the winner.

Benitez defended his decision to rest Torres due to concerns about his match fitness since coming back from hamstring problems.
‘Torres is part of the squad, but without the other players we would not be where we are,’ Benitez said. ‘We showed the quality we have in the squad. We could have lost but we deserved to win it.’

Villa found the net four times at Ewood Park – but goals from Emile Heskey and Gabriel Agbonlahor were disallowed either side of James Milner’s 27th-minute opener.
Milner fired a left-footed shot through a crowd of players and Agbonlahor’s angled strike found the net after taking a deflection off Ryan Nelsen in the 90th.
‘We’ve been playing strongly,’ Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill said. ‘There is a good drive and determination about the team.’

While the momentum is with Villa, Chelsea continues to slide and find themselves four points behind leader Manchester United having played two games more than the defending champions.
John Terry squandered Chelsea’s best chance after two minutes. The captain’s header from Frank Lampard’s free kick was parried by Hull goalkeeper Matt Duke and Terry then put the rebound over the crossbar.
Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty in the second half when Andy Dawson appeared to handle, and Hull manager Phil Brown conceded: ‘We got away with it.’
Manchester City’s Craig Bellamy scored six minutes into the second half to claim his second goal in three matches since joining from West Ham.

Middlesbrough was denied any chance of a first win in 13 matches by Shay Given as the Ireland goalkeeper stopped Afonso Alves four times on his City debut.
Striker Jo failed to impress at Manchester City, but scored twice on his Everton debut and the Brazilian also won a penalty five minutes before half time that Mikel Arteta sent past Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Newcastle’s players delivered the perfect result for Joe Kinnear after their manager was hospitalized for an undisclosed illness earlier in the day.
With assistant Chris Hughton in charge, goals from Damien Duff, Peter Lovenkrands and Steve Taylor helped lift some of the gloom.