The Hindu : Sport / Football : Newcastle beats Portsmouth

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Newcastle beats Portsmouth

— PHOTO: AFP

ON TARGET: Newcastle’s Michael Owen (centre) scores against Portsmouth.

LONDON: Michael Owen scored his seventh English Premier League football goal of the season on Sunday to help Newcastle beat Portsmouth 3-0 and lift it out of the relegation zone.

Although Newcastle went into the match in the 18th place with just three wins, it created far more chances than the host and eventually converted when Owen scored in the 52nd minute.

Obafemi Martins made it 2-0 in the 77th and Danny Guthrie completed the scoring from a counter-attack with a minute to go as Newcastle moved up to the 14th place.

Martins almost put Newcastle ahead in the 20th with a shot from 25 metres that swerved past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper David James but hit the post. James then saved a shot by full-back Jose Enrique that was bound for the top corner.

Portsmouth manager Tony Adams seemed unable to coax a meaningful response from his team despite some willing running by striker Jermain Defoe, and Owen put the Magpies ahead by flicking the ball over James from close range.

Guthrie set up Martins for his goal from a low shot and then, with Portsmouth attacking in search of a late goal or two, completed his team’s first away win of the season with a side-footed finish from just inside the area into the top of the net.

United held

Meanwhile late on Saturday, reigning champion Manchester United failed to capitalise on slip-ups of its rival and was held to a goalless draw away to Tottenham Hotspur.

United was frustrated at every turn by a dogged and deserving Spurs at the White Hart Lane.

The results: On Sunday: Portsmouth 0 lost to Newcastle 3 (Owen 52, Martins 77, Guthrie 89).

On Saturday: Manchester United 0 drew with Tottenham Hotspur 0; Aston Villa 4 (Agbonlahor 25 & 68, Davies 40-og, Young 78) bt Bolton Wanderers 2 (Elmander 17, Davies 86); Liverpool 2 (Gerrard 24, 32) drew with Hull City 2 (McShane 12, Carragher 22-og); Manchester City 0 lost to Everton 1 (Cahill 92); Stoke City 0 drew with Fulham 0; Sunderland 4 (Jones 22, 23, Reid 39, Cisse 47) bt West Bromwich 0; Wigan Athletic 3 (Heskey 10, Valencia 12, Cattermole 77) bt Blackburn Rovers 0. — Agencies

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