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Rediff.com  » Sports » EPL PHOTOS: Arsenal, Everton win; Defoe boosts Sunderland

EPL PHOTOS: Arsenal, Everton win; Defoe boosts Sunderland

Last updated on: May 01, 2016 00:41 IST
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Welbeck comes to Wenger's aid with winner amid protests

Danny Welbeck

IMAGE: Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck celebrates scoring with Olivier Giroud, right, during the Premier League match against Norwich City at The Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images.

Arsenal produced a patchy performance in the face of more crowd demonstrations against manager Arsene Wenger but still beat increasingly desperate Norwich City with a goal from substitute Danny Welbeck.

Some Arsenal fans, disgruntled by the club's 12-year wait for a Premier League trophy, held up protest boards in the 12th minute and also with 12 minutes of the match left.

Yet others in the crowd expressed their disapproval at the disruption and Welbeck's 59th-minute strike, four minutes after he came on, lifted the mood in the Emirates Stadium.

The result leaves Arsenal well-placed to claim a Champions League spot, lying third three points ahead of Manchester City.

Norwich, who were the only side of the three battling to avoid relegation not to pick up any points on Saturday, remain deep in trouble in 19th place, two points from safety.

Respite for Martinez as Everton beat Bournemouth

Everton players

IMAGE: Everton’s Leighton Baines, right, celebrates scoring his team's second goal with his team-mates during the Premier League match against A.F.C. Bournemouth at Goodison Park. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images.

Under-pressure Everton manager Roberto Martinez enjoyed some respite as his struggling side won for the first time in eight league matches.

The Goodison Park clash between two sides with little to play for apart from pride began in lively fashion with two goals inside the opening 10 minutes.

First Tom Cleverley fired Everton ahead but Bournemouth responded almost immediately with Marc Pugh rolling the ball home from close range.

Fears of a ninth home defeat in all competitions this season for Everton subsided, however, when Leighton Baines scored his side's winner, slamming home Aaron Lennon's cross.

Last-gasp Defoe boosts battling Sunderland

Jermain Defoe

IMAGE: Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe, centre, celebrates scoring his team's first goal with his team mates Patrick van Aanholt, left, and Dame N'Doye, right, during the Premier League match against Stoke City. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.

A 93rd-minute penalty from Jermain Defoe secured a point for a Sunderland side desperately scrambling to avoid relegation.

The visitors had looked well beaten against Stoke City before a push on Defoe by Geoff Cameron gave the striker his chance from the spot, the striker duly converting for his 17th goal of the season.

But Newcastle's 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace still pushed Sunderland into the bottom three, with three games to play.

Mark Hughes's side had conceded 14 goals in the four games before Saturday but went ahead through Marko Arnautovic after Peter Crouch had appeared to impede Younes Kaboul.

West Ham still pressing for Europe after win at West Brom

Andy Carroll

IMAGE: West Ham United’s Mark Noble, right, celebrates scoring his team's third goal with his team mate Andy Carroll. Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images.

West Ham set a new club points record in the Premier League with Mark Noble scoring twice in an easy victory at West Bromwich Albion that boosts their hopes of European football next season.

Cheikhou Kouyate headed in Dimitri Payet's cross after 34 minutes and skipper Noble doubled the visitors' lead in first-half stoppage time from Kouyate's pass.

West Brom offered little in response and Noble added his side's third late on with a volley as West Ham stretched their unbeaten run to 10 league games, moving above Manchester United on goal difference into fifth place with 59 points.

The London club's previous best points haul in the Premier League era was in 1998-99 when they came fifth with 57 points.

Townsend cracker lifts Newcastle out of relegation zone

Rafael Benitez

IMAGE: Rafael Benitez, right, manager of Newcastle United congratulates Andros Townsend after their win. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images.

Newcastle United moved out of the relegation zone after a superb Andros Townsend free kick and a penalty save by Karl Darlow gave them a vital 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace.

The result lifted the Magpies to 17th position on 33 points from 36 games.

Sunderland have 32 from 35 and Norwich, who visit fourth-placed Arsenal in the 1630 GMT kickoff, have 31 from 34.

Bottom-placed Aston Villa have already been relegated.

Following a drab first half in which Palace had the upper hand, Towsend broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when he curled an unstoppable shot from 25 metres into the top right corner past visiting goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

The home fans held their breath after Moussa Sissoko gifted Palace a penalty when he handled a Yohan Cabaye corner kick, and then erupted in joy as Darlow parried the former Newcastle playmaker's tame spot-kick.

Deeney double seals Watford comeback against Villa

Troy Deeney

IMAGE:Troy Deeney of Watford celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match against Aston Villa. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images.

Watford staged an astonishing recovery against basement side Aston Villa with two late goals from Troy Deeney to ease the pressure on manager Quique Sanchez Flores.

The Spaniard said before the game that he felt unappreciated after steering the mid-table Hertfordshire club to Premier League safety and an FA Cup semi-final.

But the players clearly still believe in him and refused to accept defeat against a Villa side who twice led either side of halftime through Ciaran Clark and Jordan Ayew, the first time Villa have scored twice away since September.

In between Almen Abdi had equalised for Watford before Deeney settled matters late on with a close-range header after 90 minutes and a right-foot strike three minutes later that left Villa equalling a club record of 11 straight league defeats.

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