Premier League review:Liverpool and Chelsea both closed the gap on Manchester United to four points ahead of the Premier League leaders' visit to Newcastle United. Arsenal also rediscovered their scoring touch with a 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns.
At Anfield, second half goals for David N’gog and Yossi Benayoun ensured a win over Sunderland and helped ease the pressure on Rafael Benitez after his side suffered their second league defeat of the campaign at home to Middlesbrough at the weekend.
Stretched for options at right back, the Spaniard opted to start Javier Mascherano in defence alongside Martin Skrtel, Jamie Carragher and another Argentinean Emilio Insua.
The quarter were left flat footed early on when Kenwyne Jones burst through the middle only to fire a tame shot at Pepe Reina.
That was Sunderland’s best chance, however, as the homeside went on to dominate possession, though they created little of not in the first half either, save for a Mascherano strike and a deflected Albert Riera effort that Martin Fulop tipped around the post.
It was more of the same in the second half and the breakthrough just seven minutes in when Riera clipped a ball to the back-post to the onrushing Steven Gerrard. The captain directed his header back across goal and Ngog gratefully swept it in on his first Anfield start.
Fulop’s inability to hold the latter’s harmless overhead cross presented Benayoun with chance to double the lead in the 65th minute and the Israeli stabbed the ball home from close range.
“I’m happy with the goal, but the most important thing is the points,” Benayoun told Sky Sports 1 after a win which took his team closer to United - who have two games in hand.
“After we lost against Middlesbrough, it was important to come back to winning ways. Now we have time to think about Real Madrid (in the Champions League next week).
“We were very disappointed. We expected to beat Middlesbrough — but we did a job tonight.
“It is important for everyone to show the supporters — even if it is not to win the league but to finish second and do our best.”
Rafael Benitez expects Ngog to go on and score many more at Anfield.
“He showed he is quality,” said the Spaniard. “He is a young player who has just arrived, and I think he has a great future here.”
Didier Drogba saw Chelsea remain second ahead of Liverpool in atrocious conditions at Fratton Park.
Drogba, who had failed to get the better of Portsmouth's Sol Campbell all evening, finally managed to settle the contest in the 79th minute.
Jose Bosingwa’s low cross eluded the Pompey defence and Drogba sent a curling drive into the bottom corner for the winner.
Nicklas Bendtner scored twice and hit the post as Arsenal won 3-1 at West Brom.
Arsenal made a positive start and needed only four minutes to end their recent goal drought through Bendtner.
Denilson found the Dane who easily cut inside Ryan Donk before drilling a low left-footed drive across Scott Carson into the corner of the net for his 10th goal of the season.
Yet Albion needed only three minutes to draw level through Chris Brunt whose low free-kick skidded through the defensive wall and past the dive of Manuel Almunia.
After 38 minutes some dreadful defending allowed Kolo Toure to restore Arsenal’s lead from Andrei Arshavin’s free-kick and a minute before half-time Bendtner struck again.
