LONDON: Newcastle moved up to third in the Premier League after playing out a goalless draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

The visitors dominated possession throughout the contest, which saw them squander 15 corners.

Palace were dealt a blow when Wilfried Zaha was forced off with injury in the second half and created little in the way of clear-cut opportunities.

Magpies goalkeeper Nick Pope, who kept his ninth straight clean sheet in all competitions, made a brilliant leaping save to deny substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta and ensure Newcastle returned home with something to show for their efforts.

The result drew Newcastle level on 39 points with Manchester United, who face league leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

Everton were plunged into further turmoil as their under-fire owners watched their underperforming team slump 2-0 at fellow strugglers West Ham.

Chairman Bill Kenwright and majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri were both in attendance as two goals from Jarrod Bowen kept the Toffees rooted in the relegation zone and left manager Frank Lampard’s future in serious jeopardy.

While Everton’s fans made their feelings crystal clear again, unfurling banners reading ‘Board Full Of Liars’ in the away end, their team simply capitulated, creating very little at the London Stadium.

So feeble was this display that it made West Ham, themselves in a dreadful run of form, look almost competent.

Substitute Sam Surridge struck a late leveller to deny former club Bournemouth an overdue Premier League win as Nottingham Forest snatched a 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium.

Jaidon Anthony’s first-half finish helped to end the Cherries’ four-game losing streak in the top flight to ease the pressure on head coach Gary O’Neil.

But striker Surridge, who began his career with the Dorset club, poked home Brennan Johnson’s cross from close range seven minutes from time after replacing debutant Chris Wood.

The dramatic twist pushed Bournemouth into the relegation zone and leaves O’Neil still searching for his first victory since being appointed permanent Bournemouth boss in November.

Forest maintained their momentum by registering an 11th point from the last 18 available.

Evan Ferguson’s late header rescued a deserved Premier League point for Brighton in a 2-2 draw at Leicester.

The substitute nodded in to clinch a 2-2 draw and maintain the Seagulls’ assault on the top five, Ferguson’s third goal in his last four Premier League appearances.

Harvey Barnes and Marc Albrighton had struck for the hosts to cancel out Kaoru Mitoma’s sensational opener. It is still the first time the Foxes have earned a point after falling behind this season.

The Seagulls missed the chance to move into the Premier League’s top five – but climbed to sixth – while Leicester moved up to 14th in a congested mid-table.

Ollie Watkins’ late winner secured all three points for Aston Villa after Southampton had two goals ruled out at St Mary’s.

Watkins’ header in the 77th minute proved enough for the visitors to win 1-0 and move up to 11th in the Premier League, just one point behind Chelsea and Liverpool.

The result brought an end to Southampton’s three-game winning run in all competitions and they remain at the bottom of the table.

Liverpool’s goalless draw with Chelsea – only their second in 80 league meetings – was as unsurprising as it was disappointing as two struggling sides failed to rise to the occasion.

For the last decade such a result between the two would often have been viewed as satisfactory but this was a missed opportunity for both and was a poor return on Jurgen Klopp’s 1,000th game as a manager.

Both clubs are currently a shadow of their best selves and the fact that this was sides in ninth and 10th place trying – and failing – to significantly close the gap on the top four shows how bad things currently are.

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