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Chelsea cut Red Devils down to size at home

LONDON - Chelsea replaced Manchester United at the top of the standings with a 2-1 victory over the defending champions at Old Trafford.

LONDON - Chelsea replaced Manchester United at the top of the standings with a 2-1 victory over the defending champions at Old Trafford.

Third-placed Arsenal stayed in contention by edging Wolves 1-0 at home thanks to a goal in the fifth minute of injury time by Nicklas Bendtner.

Ilan scored a late equaliser as relegation-threatened West Ham ended their six-game losing run with a 2-2 draw at Everton on Sunday while Liverpool were held 1-1 by Birmingham to lose ground in the race for fourth place and the final Champions League spot.

West Ham looked to be heading for another defeat when Ayegbeni Yakubu nodded Everton 2-1 ahead in the 85th minute but Brazilian striker Ilan headed the leveller as West Ham moved a point clear of the relegation zone.

Everton went ahead in the 24th minute when Diniyar Bilyaletdinov guided a finish home with his head after Tim Cahill had flicked the ball across the six-yard box.

West Ham should have equalised in the 37th minute when Everton defender Sylvain Distin was adjudged to have pushed Carlton Cole over inside the box but Mido's tame penalty was pushed round the post by Tim Howard. Seconds after West Ham midfielder Mark Noble had hit the bar with a lob, his team equalised from a corner, Manuel da Costa scrambling the ball in from close range in the 60th minute.

The draw puts West Ham on 28 points from 33 games. Hull have one point fewer in 18th but they have a game in hand. If West Ham had won at Everton, last-placed Portsmouth, who have only 14 points, would have been relegated but they survive another week.

Steven Gerrard fired Liverpool ahead in the 47th minute when a shot from Glen Johnson came to the England midfielder on the left of the area and he drove the ball into the far corner. The lead lasted only nine minutes before Liam Ridgewell scored.

Liverpool are four points behind fourth-placed Manchester City, having played a game more.

Fulham beat Wigan 2-1. Jason Scotland gave Wigan a 34th-minute lead but Stefano Okaka equalised in the 47th and Brede Hangeland headed home a corner in the 58th. - Sapa-AP

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