Premiership Round up
Manchester United 0 Liverpool 1
Manchester United's hopes of retaining the Premier League title ended today when Danny Murphy converted a second-half penalty to give Liverpool a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
Liverpool clung on to the fourth place that would bring a place in the Champions League qualifiers next season with their third win in four seasons at Old Trafford.
Danny Murphy coolly placed a penalty inside the top right corner just past the hour after Gary Neville had brought down Steven Gerrard.
United, whose defeat ended their distant hopes of retaining the title and left them third in the table, hit the woodwork through Ryan Giggs and Louis Saha and substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer missed late chances.
Middlesbrough 1 Aston Villa 2
Striker Joseph-Desire Job put Boro ahead in the 41st minute from a pin-point right cross by Gaizka Mendieta and defender Gareth Barry headed an equaliser three minutes into first half injury time from a Thomas Hitzlsperger free kick.
Villa's Peru international Nolberto Solano was sent off early in the second half for a second bookable offence after a touchline clash with George Boateng.
Peter Crouch hit the winner for 10-man Villa one minute from time to lift them to fifth, one point behind Liverpool and in the hunt for the remaining Champions League berth.
Newcastle United, at home to Chelsea on Sunday, are two points behind with two games in hand.
Everton 0 Blackburn Rovers 1
Jon Stead's header nine minutes from time, set up by fellow striker Andy Cole, settled a tight match after which Blackburn will feel more confident of avoiding relegation as they climbed one point above Everton into 13th place.
Fulham 2 Charlton Athletic 0
Midfielder Steed Malbranque fired Fulham in front from the penalty spot in the 18th minute after keeper Dean Kiely had brought down Luis Boa Morte and the Portuguese striker laid on the second for Sean Davis, who volleyed past Kiely in the 64th.
Fulham joined Charlton on 48 points and overtook them in seventh place to retain an outside chance of snatching fourth spot and England's fourth Champions league berth.
Leicester City 1 Manchester City 1
England goalkeeper David James saved a hotly disputed penalty from former Manchester City striker Paul Dickov three minutes from time as both clubs fought for top-flight survival.
German Michael Tarnat put the visitors ahead in the 45th minute with a 35-metre free kick that took a deflection and deceived home goalkeeper Ian Walker.
Leicester equalised with a James Scowcroft header in the 66th and the result left them one place off the bottom with Manchester City six points ahead in 17th place, one above the relegation zone with three games to go.
Southampton 1 Bolton Wanderers 2
Bolton's Jay Jay Okocha hit the Saints crossbar in the 10th minute before Latvia's Marian Pahars put the home side ahead in the 21st. The visitors hit back late in the second half with Kevin Nolan heading Bolton level 13 minutes from time and former Saints striker Kevin Davies scoring the winner a minute later.