Football: Balotelli edges Liverpool past Spurs

Liverpool's Mario Balotelli, center, score against Tottenham during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Photo / AP

Mario Balotelli came off the bench to grab a late winning goal for Liverpool in a 3-2 victory over Tottenham in the Premier League this morning (NZT), boosting his team's chances of hauling in its rivals for Champions League qualification.

Out of favour at Anfield in recent months, Balotelli entered in the 73rd minute and scored his first league goal for Liverpool 10 minutes later by poking home a cross from Adam Lallana.

Spurs had come from behind twice in an entertaining game between two top-four candidates, with Lazar Markovic's opener in the 15th minute cancelled out by a superb turn and finish by in-form Spurs striker Harry Kane.

Steven Gerrard regained Liverpool's lead from the penalty spot in the 55th before Mousa Dembele's 61st-minute equalizer.

Liverpool moved a point behind sixth-place Tottenham.

Theo Walcott's goal ensured Arsenal overcame Leicester 2-1 after the Premier League's bottom team threatened to mount a second-half comeback.

Mesut Ozil helped to set up goals for both Laurent Koscielny and Theo Walcott to give Arsenal a strong halftime lead at the Emirates Stadium.

Leicester provided a greater threat after the break, with Croatia striker Andrej Kramaric scoring his first goal since joining the club last month.

But Arsenal held on to quickly overcome its north London derby loss to Tottenham on Saturday.

Leicester's loss followed days of media speculation over the future of manager Nigel Pearson.

Arsenal's opener came in the 28th minute when Koscielny met Ozil's corner, giving the defender his third goal of the season.

It was a fast break forward that led to Arsenal's second in the 41st minute, with the ball being switched across the pitch before Ozil's shot was parried by goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and Walcott fired in the loose ball.

Arsenal seemed to have the three points wrapped up following the assured display, but Leicester returned in the second half with more attacking confidence.

On the hour, Kramaric's shot was parried by David Ospina and the striker then tried to chip the goalkeeper - only for defender Per Mertesacker to head the ball over from the goal-line.But from the resulting corner, Kramaric did get his first goal since joining from Croatian club Rijeka last month.

Esteban Cambiasso scrambled to retain possession from the corner, the ball reached Riyad Mahrez on the right and his cross eventually reached Kramaric to strike into the net in the 61st minute.

What had seemed a certain win, suddenly seemed far from guaranteed - particularly when Mahrez attempted to beat Ospina, but the shot went wide.

Although Arsenal held on to win, there was an injury worry for the home side after midfielder Aaron Ramsey limped off - less than 10 minutes after coming off the bench.

-AAP