Date:30/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/30/stories/2008123056381700.htm

Sport - Football

Fulham holds Chelsea

LONDON: Chelsea drew 2-2 at Fulham on Sunday, giving title rival Liverpool — which had earlier beaten Newcastle 5-1 — a three-point clear at the top of the Premier League on Sunday.

Fulham’s Clint Dempsey headed his second goal of the game with a minute remaining to stun Chelsea after the American midfielder’s early strike was wiped out by Frank Lampard’s double.

Manchester City scored twice in the closing minutes through Sturridge and Robinho to wipe out goals from Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts and salvage a 2-2 draw at Blackburn.

The results: Arsenal 1 (Gallas 81) bt Portsmouth 0; Blackburn 2 (McCarthy 45, Roberts 84) drew with Manchester City 2 (Sturridge 88, Robinho 90+4); Bolton 0 lost to Wigan 1 (Zaki 44-pen); Everton 3 (Arteta 10, 27, Gosling 83) bt Sunderland 0; Fulham 2 (Dempsey 10, 89) drew with Chelsea 2 (Lampard 50, 72); West Brom 2 (Bednar 83, Beattie 90) bt Tottenham 0; West Ham 2 (Cole 51, Tristan 88) bt Stoke 1 (Faye 4). — AP