Toon march on as Wigan lose

Newcastle cemented their place in the top four of the Premier League yesterday after a late goal from Yohan Cabaye handed them a 1-0 victory over struggling Wigan at St James Park. With Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea all playing today, the unbeaten Magpies had the opportunity to keep the pressure on the top clubs against lowly Wigan. For long periods Alan Pardew’s men were frustrated by a disciplined Wigan side until Cabaye struck in the 81st minute to the delight of the Toon Army. The win left Newcastle level on points with Chelsea but trailing the Londoners on goal difference ahead of their derby with QPR today. Liverpool remained in fifth placed after they were held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Norwich in the late kick-off at Anfield yesterday. Yesterday’s defeat saw Wigan slump to the foot of the table with only five points from nine matches this season. Elsewhere yesterday, Sunderland eased the pressure on manager Steve Bruce with a hard-fought 2-0 win at relegation-threatened Bolton. Liverpool went 1-0 up just before half time. Craig Bellamy, who started his career with the Canaries,  raced clear and places the ball past Ruddy with the help of a deflection.But Norwich returned into the game with a leveller in the 59th minute. Grant Holt score with a fantastic header following a cross from the right by Anthony Pilkington. Sunderland’s victory at the Reebok Stadium came courtesy of goals in the final eight minutes from Stephane Sessegnon and on-loan Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner. At Villa Park, West Brom came from behind to down 10-man Aston Villa 2-1 for a win which lifted Roy Hodgson’s side into the top half of the table. Darren Bent fired Villa ahead on 23 minutes with a penalty after Baggies keeper Ben Foster tripped Gabriel Agbonlahor. But Villa were reduced to 10 men when Chris Herd was sent off for a straight red card offence in an off-the-ball tangle with Jonas Olsson which also saw West Brom awarded a penalty. Northern Ireland international Chris Brunt missed the resulting spot-kick but atoned for his howler on the stroke of half-time, when his corner was headed in by Olsson for 1-1. Austrian international Paul Scharner put West Brom 2-1 up on 57 minutes when he hooked in past Shay Given. In the early kick-off Wolves staged a dramatic late fightback to deny Swansea their first away win of the season, scoring twice in the final six minutes to snatch a 2-2 draw at Molineux. Swansea appeared to be cruising to victory after outplaying Wolves for much of an entertaining contest and opening up a 2-0 lead through first-half goals from Danny Graham and Joe Allen. But with Wolves’ sixth straight defeat looming, Mick McCarthy’s men somehow dragged themselves back into the contest with a goal from Kevin Doyle on 84 minutes before Jamie O’Hara grabbed an 86th-minute leveller.