The Hindu : Sport / Football : Stoke holds Liverpool; West Ham beats Newcastle

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Stoke holds Liverpool; West Ham beats Newcastle

LONDON: Stoke drew 0-0 with Liverpool and West Ham beat Newcastle 3-1 in Gianfranco Zola’s first game in charge in the English Premier League football on Saturday. Steven Gerrard had a goal disallowed at Anfield as Liverpool, which beat Manchester United at home last week, moved to 11 points from five games.

Zola was on the West Ham bench for the first time since the Italian replaced Alan Curbishley as manager, and he saw compatriot David Di Michele mark his first league start for the Hammers with two goals.

The first was a deflected eighth-minute shot. He netted the second in the 37th minute from close range after his first shot had been blocked by goalkeeper Shay Given.

Matthew Etherington added the third from Di Michele’s mis-hit shot in the 53rd. Newcastle scored through Michael Owen’s curling shot in the 67th for his third goal of the season and his ninth in eight matches against the Hammers.

Chopra’s double strike

Two late goals by substitute Michael Chopra earned Sunderland a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough after Stewart Downing had missed a penalty for Boro. Blackburn edged Fulham 1-0 with Matt Derbyshire netting his third goal of the season in the 84th minute.

Five more games are being staged on Sunday, including the showdown between Chelsea, last season’s runner-up, and defending champion Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.

The other matches are West Bromwich Albion-Aston Villa, Hull-Everton, Manchester City-Portsmouth and Tottenham-Wigan. In the League Championship, Wolves moved three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-1 victory at Preston despite having two players sent off.

Striker Chris Iwelumo scored three goals, but was sent off near the end for head-butting an opponent. Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was also shown the red card for giving away a penalty with his team 3-0 up.

Second-place Birmingham lost 1-0 at home to Blackpool.

The results:

Blackburn 1 (Derbyshire 84) bt Fulham 0; Liverpool 0 drew with Stoke 0; Sunderland 2 (Chopra 81, 90) bt Middlesbrough 0; West Ham 3 (Di Michele 8, 37, Etherington 53) bt Newcastle 1 (Owen 67). — Agencies

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