Updated: Arsenal snatch victory

(Adds later games)

Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2

Liverpool paid for missing a penalty and hitting the post twice as Arsenal's Robin van Persie scored twice to snatch a late victory at Anfield.

Dirk Kuyt squandered the Reds' sixth spot-kick this season just before Laurent Koscielny put through his own net, but Van Persie equalised with a close-range header from a rare Gunners' chance.

The home side dominated the second half but failed to capitalise and were punished by the Holland international's second in added time.

West Brom 1 Chelsea 0

West Brom defender Gareth McAuley increased the pressure on Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas with a late winner in the Barclays Premier League clash at The Hawthorns.

McAuley struck eight minutes from time to earn Albion their first ever Premier League win over the Blues whom they had not beaten at any level since 1979.

It leaves Chelsea three points adrift of Arsenal, winners at Liverpool earlier in the day, in the battle for a Champions League spot.

They were matched for long periods by Roy Hodgson's side who looked full of confidence after back-to-back wins before McAuley's crucial intervention.

Blackburn 1 Aston Villa 1

David Dunn came off the bench to breathe life into Blackburn's Barclays Premier League relegation battle with an 85th minute equaliser at Ewood Park.

Dunn headed home a Bradley Orr cross to grab the point Rovers' second half performance deserved, and frustrate a Villa side denied the chance to move further clear of the drop zone.

Charles N'Zogbia had rocketed Alex McLeish's men into a 24th minute lead and such was their dominance it seemed likely Villa would go on to claim a comfortable win.

But Rovers responded in superb fashion with Junior Hoilett, Scott Dann and Morten Gamst Pedersen all coming agonisingly close before Dunn's header secured their vital point.

Stoke 1 Norwich 0

Matthew Etherington scored the winner as Stoke edged past a stubborn Norwich side to claim all three points at the Britannia Stadium.

The Potters enjoyed the better of the first half but were unable to convert the opportunities that came their way, with John Ruddy making saves to deny Jon Walters, Dean Whitehead and Peter Crouch.

Tony Pulis' men continued to press after the break and Etherington struck in the 72nd minute after collecting the ball from substitute Cameron Jerome, who had flicked on a throw-in it appeared the hosts had been fortunate to be awarded.

The result means Stoke continue their recent recovery from a four-match losing streak in the Barclays Premier League, following up last week's 2-0 win against Swansea.

QPR 1 Everton 1

QPR were unable to eke out a winner against Everton as the struggling west Londoners yet again failed to make the most of home advantage.

The Hoops have now won just two of their 14 Barclays Premier League matches at Loftus Road and teeter dangerously over the drop zone with a tough-looking batch of fixtures remaining.

QPR came into the match on a run of six defeats from their past eight matches and almost got off to the worst possible start, with a Tim Cahill half-volley hitting the crossbar early on.

Manchester City 2 Bolton 0

Mario Balotelli took centre stage as Manchester City saw off Bolton to move five points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League tonight.

The mercurial Italian, again in the headlines for non-footballing reasons this morning, spurned a hatful of chances but eventually got on the scoresheet in another commanding City display at the Etihad Stadium.

Balotelli might have had a hat-trick before City took the lead with a Gretar Steinsson own goal in the 23rd minute but made sure of victory in the 69th minute.

City's win was a record-equalling 19th in succession at home in the Premier League and it left Bolton deep in relegation trouble.

Wigan 0 Swansea 2

Rock-bottom Wigan were booed off as manager Roberto Martinez suffered more misery at the DW Stadium, this time at the hands of former club Swansea.

Gylfi Sigurdsson's well-taken double either side of the interval was enough to secure a deserved triumph for Swansea, who even managed to survive the last half-hour with 10-men following the dismissal of Nathan Dyer.

It means Wigan have now gone 12 matches without a win at home, a record that will almost certainly condemn them to the Championship after seven years with the big boys if they cannot change it.