FOOTBALL – Everton gave neighbours and Premier League leaders Liverpool a helping hand by holding second-placed Arsenal to a 1-1 draw yesterday, while Aston Villa beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 in a battle between teams chasing Champions League qualification.
Nine-man Crystal Palace held on to beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1, Wolverhampton Wanderers defeated Ipswich Town 2-1 to boost their survival chances, and Bournemouth salvaged a 2-2 draw with West Ham United.
Arsenal have 62 points from 31 games, 11 behind leaders Liverpool, who travel to Fulham to play their game in hand on Sunday.
Villa climbed to sixth in the league on 51 points, six points below third-placed Forest, who are on pace for their first berth in Europe’s elite competition since 1980.
Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen struck twice in two minutes, with Rogers putting Villa on the scoresheet in the 13th minute with a sublime finish.
Villa fans were still celebrating when Malen struck two minutes later, tapping in Ian Maatsen’s pinpoint cross.
Jota Silva pulled one back for Forest in the 57th minute when he swept the ball past Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez.
Everton salvaged a draw with Arsenal thanks to Iliman Ndiaye’s penalty that cancelled out a Leandro Trossard goal.
The Gunners went ahead in the 34th minute when Raheem Sterling fed Trossard, who took a touch and drilled his shot low into the far right corner.
Everton were awarded a penalty two minutes after halftime when Myles Lewis-Skelly hauled down Jack Harrison and Ndiaye scored from the penalty spot to leave Arsenal’s flagging title hopes in tatters. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta disagreed with the penalty decision.
It was another point towards safety for Everton, who will be moving to a new home next season.
At Portman Road, Jorgen Strand Larsen scored an 84th-minute winner as Wolves made it three league victories in a row to boost their survival chances.
Liam Delap fired Ipswich into the lead in the 16th minute when he struck the ball from close range through the legs of Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa.
But Wolves responded brilliantly and Pablo Sarabia equalised in the 72nd minute from just inside the box, and Strand Larsen tapped home the winner 12 minutes later.
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