Newcastle United moved level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur as the battle for Champions League qualification from the Premier League intensified yesterday.

Newcastle’s 2-0 win over strugglers Bolton combined with Tottenham’s 2-1 loss at home to Norwich left the Champions League rivals together on 59 points.

Chelsea, the lone English semi-finalist in this season’s Champions League, failed to join Newcastle and Tottenham on 59 points as the Londoners were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at Craven Cottage to remain two points behind.

After a goalless first half at St James’ Park, Hatem Ben Arfa gave Newcastle a sensational 73rd minute lead when he beat several Bolton defenders before slipping the ball into the corner.

In-form Senegal striker Papiss Demba Cisse, one of the signings of the season, then made it 10 goals in nine games when he turned in Shola Ameobi’s cross from close range seven minutes from time.

Tottenham fell behind at White Hart Lane when Anthony Pilkington capitalised on a mix-up in the Spurs defence to fire the Canaries into a 13th minute lead.

But Jermain Defoe drew Tottenham level after the half-hour mark in controversial fashion.

Norwich appealed for a penalty when Spurs defender Ledley King appeared to grab hold of forward Grant Holt’s shirt but play continued and the home side broke down the other end, with Jake Livermore setting up Defoe, who produced a cool finish.

However, the Canaries – all but assured of safety following promotion from the Championship last season – saw winger Elliott Bennett lash the ball past Brad Friedel as the Spurs defence backed off to make it 2-1 in the 66th minute.

At Craven Cottage, Clint Dempsey earned Fulham a deserved point against Chelsea.

The United States international rose highest to nod home Damien Duff's corner in the 82nd minute when defeat seemed to be on the cards.

Frank Lampard’s controversial 45th-minute penalty looked to have given interim manager Roberto Di Matteo his ninth win at the helm before Dempsey 22nd goal of the season in all competitions changed the game’s complexion.

Everton warmed up for their FA Cup semi-final against Merseyside rivals Liverpool on Saturday, by thrashing Sunderland 4-0 .

All of the home side’s goals came in a second half spree, with winger Magaye Gueye firing Everton ahead in the 52nd minute.

The Frenchman then turned provider as South Africa’s Steven Pienaar sealed victory with a 75th minute shot from the edge of the box.

Barely 60 seconds later Leon Osman made it 3-0 before Victor Anichebe added a fourth nine minutes from time.

Results

Premier League

Aston Villa 1
Weimann 32;
Stoke 1
Huth 71;

HT: 1-0. Att: 30,100.

Everton 4
Gueye 52; Pienaar 75; Osman 76; Anichebe 81;
Sunderland 0

HT: 0-0. Att: 32,249.

Fulham 1
Dempsey 82;
Chelsea 1
Lampard 45 pen;

HT: 0-1. Att: 25,697.

Newcastle 2
Ben Arfa 73; Cisse 83;
Bolton 0

HT: 0-0. Att: 52,264.

Tottenham 1
Defoe 33;
Norwich 2
Pilkington 13; Bennett 66;

HT: 1-1. Att: 36,126.

Standings

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Man. United	32	25	4	3	78	27	79
Man. City	32	22	5	5	75	26	71
Arsenal	32	19	4	9	63	41	61
Tottenham	33	17	8	8	57	38	59
Newcastle	33	17	8	8	50	42	59
Chelsea	33	16	9	8	56	38	57
Everton	33	13	8	12	38	34	47
Liverpool	32	11	10	11	37	34	43
Fulham	33	11	10	12	43	43	43
Norwich	33	11	10	12	46	52	43
Sunderland	33	11	9	13	42	41	42
Stoke City	33	11	9	13	32	45	42
West Brom	32	11	6	15	39	43	39
Swansea City	32	10	9	13	35	41	39
Aston Villa	32	7	14	11	35	44	35
Bolton	32	9	2	21	36	65	29
QPR	32	7	7	18	35	56	28
Blackburn	32	7	7	18	43	67	28
Wigan	32	6	10	16	30	57	28
Wolves	32	5	7	20	34	70	22

Playing today
21.00 Blackburn vs Liverpool.

Tomorrow
20.45 Man. City vs West Brom; Wigan vs Man. United. Wolves vs Arsenal. 21.00 QPR vs Swansea.

The Championship
Blackpool vs Barnsley 1-1; Bristol City vs Coventry 3-1; Cardiff vs Watford 1-1; C. Palace vs Southampton 0-2; Doncaster vs Burnley 1-2; Hull vs M’Boro 2-1; Ipswich vs Leicester 1-2; Leeds vsDerby 0-2; Peterborough vs N. Forest 0-1; West Ham vs Birmingham 3-3.

Leading standings: Southampton 82; Reading 79; West Ham 76; Birmingham 70; Blackpool 67; Cardiff 65; Brighton, Middlesbrough 63.

League One
Sheff. Wed. vs Oldham 3-0; Bour-nemouth vs Huddersfield 2-0; Bury vs Colchester 4-1; Carlisle vs Scunthorpe 0-0; Charlton vs Walsall 1-0; Chesterfield vs Wycombe 4-0; Exeter vs L. Orient 3-0; Hartlepool vs Brentford 0-0; MK Dons vs Tranmere 3-0; N. County vs Yeovil 3-1; Stevenage vs Preston 1-1.

League Two
Accrington vs Hereford 2-1; Barnet vs Crawley 1-2; Burton vs Morecambe 3-2; Crewe vs Bristol R. 3-0; Gillingham vs Dagenham 1-2; Oxford vs Torquay 2-2; Plymouth vs Aldershot 1-0; Port Vale vs Macclesfield 1-0; Rotherham vs Cheltenham 1-0; Shrewsbury vs Bradford 1-0; Sout-hend vs Wimbledon 2-0; Swindon vs Northampton 1-0.