Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew was sent from the dugout for headbutting a Hull City player while Chelsea striker Andre Schuerrle scored a hat-trick as the Premier League leaders won 3-1 at Fulham.

Liverpool jumped from fourth to second after winning 3-0 at Southampton, leapfrogging Arsenal and Manchester City.

Arsenal stumbled in the scramble for the title, going down to a 1-0 defeat at Stoke City, while Manchester City were without a league match as they are playing Sunderland in the Capital One (League) Cup final at Wembley tomorrow.

The results left Chelsea top with 63 points from 28 games, followed by Liverpool on 59 ahead of Arsenal on goal difference. Fourth-placed Manchester City, who have two matches in hand on the clubs above them, have 57 points.

While Schuerrle's Chelsea treble, and goals by Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and a Steven Gerrard penalty for Liverpool, will make headlines for the right reasons, Newcastle manager Pardew's name will be splashed across the back pages for the wrong ones.

He was sent off by referee Kevin Friend for headbutting Hull midfielder David Meyler during a 4-1 away win at the KC Stadium.

The incident began when Meyler tried to move Pardew, who was standing by the touchline, out of the way to take a quick throw. Meyler was handed a yellow card for his part in the fracas which involved a whole host of jostling players and officials.

In the day's other match, Everton beat West Ham United 1-0 with a late goal from Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku.