By Tony Jimenez
LONDON (Reuters) –
Out-of-sorts Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League qualifying hopes received another jolt when they lost 2-1 at home to
Norwich City on Monday while on-song Newcastle United boosted their chances with a 2-0 win over Bolton
Wanderers.
Luka Modric (L) is challenged by Norwich City's Bradley Johnson (R) during their English Premier League soccer match at
White Hart Lane in London, April 9, 2012. REUTERS/Paul Hackett
Elsewhere, Frank
Lampard became the first midfield player to chalk up 150 Premier League goals as Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw at west
London neighbours Fulham.
Fourth-placed Spurs and Newcastle, in fifth, are now level on 59 points in the race for the
fourth and final Champions League qualifying berth for next season with Chelsea two points adrift in sixth
position.
Leaders Manchester United (79 points) visit second from bottom Wigan Athletic on Wednesday when
second-placed Manchester City (71) entertain mid-table West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal (61), in third, travel to bottom club
Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Norwich had a host of penalty claims turned down but still secured a memorable victory
against Spurs at White Hart Lane.
Goals by Anthony Pilkington and Elliott Bennett either side of a crafty Jermain
Defoe dink in the 32nd minute lifted Norwich to 10th in the table.
“I thought Norwich bullied us a little bit. It was
a difficult day for our boys at the back,” Spurs manager Harry Redknapp told reporters.
“Credit to them … I think
they deserved it. We were disappointing,” he added as Spurs continued a poor run that has yielded one win in eight league
games.
Senegal striker Papiss Cisse scored his seventh goal in his last four league appearances as red-hot Newcastle
reeled off their fifth victory in a row.
The goal of the game against Bolton came from French forward Hatem Ben Arfa
who went on a stunning 70-metre run to open the scoring in the 73rd minute.
“He’s got that bit of magic,” said
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew. “Hopefully it will persuade his manager to include him in the French squad.”
LAMPARD
PENALTY
The 33-year-old Lampard gave Chelsea a 45th-minute lead from the penalty spot at Craven Cottage after Ivory
Coast forward Salomon Kalou was brought down in dubious circumstances in the box.
Fulham rallied in the second half as
Champions League semi-finalists Chelsea wilted and keeper Petr Cech brought off a remarkable save to tip over a close-range
header from American Clint Dempsey in the 82nd minute.
Cech was then beaten from the resulting right-wing corner as
the unmarked Dempsey nodded the ball home to claim his 16th league goal of the season.
Chelsea’s interim coach
Roberto Di Matteo, who has been on the losing side just once in his 11 matches in charge, praised Lampard for reaching his
goal landmark.
“It shows what a tremendous player he’s been for Chelsea over the years,” said Di Matteo who again
rang the changes in his starting lineup as the squad continued their hectic schedule in the Premier League, Champions League
and FA Cup.
“I thought we were mainly in control of this game but maybe we didn’t pose enough threat for a second
goal. We’re hanging in there and getting closer to the teams ahead of us though.”
Second-half goals from Magaye
Gueye, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and Victor Anichebe helped Everton hammer Sunderland 4-0 to rise to seventh on 47
points.
Aston Villa moved seven points clear of the relegation zone after a 1-1 home draw with mid-table Stoke City.
