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LONDON - Manchester United missed an opportunity to increase the pressure on Chelsea in the Premiership title race when they were held to a 2-2 draw at Newcastle United this morning.
The draw left Alex Ferguson's side seven points clear of the champions but Chelsea can cut that
back to four if they can beat Aston Villa at Villa Park tomorrow.
Liverpool, in contrast, began 2007 in dream style with a 3-0 win over Bolton that allowed Rafael Benitez's side to leapfrog their opponents into third place in the table.
But it was a New Year's Day to forget for relegation-threatened West Ham, who suffered a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Reading.
Manchester United had looked poised to pull nine points clear of Chelsea when Paul Scholes fired in his second goal of the evening after James Milner had given Newcastle an early lead with a superb 30-yard strike.
But the Red Devils were denied the three points by Canadian teenager David Edgar, whose long-range shot beat Edwin van der Sar with the help of a deflection a quarter of an hour from the end.
Bolton, whose tactics had been publicly criticised by Benitez ahead of the match, produced a typically robust performance at Anfield but their resistance was broken by two goals in as many minutes just after the hour mark.
Peter Crouch scored the first premiership goal of 2007 with a bicycle kick before Steven Gerrard volleyed another Jermaine Pennant cross into the top corner from just behind the penalty spot.
Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt completed the win six minutes from the end.
Bolton will slip out of the top four if Arsenal can beat Charlton at the Emirates stadium tomorrow.
West Ham's hopes of hauling thenselves out of the relegation zone were dealt a devastating blow as Reading ran riot.
The Hammers found themselves two goals down inside quarter of an hour to headers from Brynjar Gunnarsson and Stephen Hunt. An Anton Ferdinand own goal, and a double from Kevin Doyle either side of a Leroy Lita strike completed the rout.
Portsmouth and Tottenham shared the points at Fratton Park - a result that will not help either side's push for European football.
Georgios Samaras came off the bench to score a second-half double as Manchester City continued their recent good run with a 2-1 win over Everton.
Nigerian striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu scored two second-half goals, including a 76th-minute penalty, to help Middlesbrough to a 3-1 win over Sheffield United that lifts it six points clear of the drop zone.
Socceroos striker Mark Viduka had put Boro ahead with a low shot from the edge of the area but the Australian's fine strike was cancelled out in first-half stoppage time after Rob Hulse was pushed over by Emmanuel Pogatetz in the box, Phil Jagielka converting the resulting penalty.
Blackburn claimed their third straight win with a 3-0 defeat of Lancashire neighbours Wigan, while Fulham were held to a goalless draw at home by bottom side Watford.
- AFP
