Hernandez strikes late to stretch United lead

Javier Hernandez headed an 84th-minute winner as Manchester United beat Everton 1-0 on Saturday to retain their six point lead at the top of the table.With Arsenal away at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday, Chelsea are three points clear in second after a 3-0 win over West Ham United, who are bottom, three points from safety.

The Mexico striker nodded in Antonio Valencia's cross from close range to cap a familiar late surge from Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

"Javier has done better than everyone expected," said Ferguson. "We thought that because it was his first year, he would just get used to the English game and get strengthened up.
"He has passed all those tests. He is first in, at 9am every morning. He is last to leave. He is a truly dedicated boy."
In torrential rain at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were never really comfortable. Frank Lampard put them ahead just before half-time, and David Luiz hit the crossbar, but Robbie Keane missed a glaring chance to level the game.
And with seven minutes to go came the moment Fernando Torres has been waiting for since January as he scored his first goal for Chelsea.
Torres, running on to Nicolas Anelka's through-ball, seemed to have been denied as the ball held up in the surface water, but turned to slam a finish past Rob Green to end a drought of 903 minutes.
Florent Malouda crashed in a third in injury-time.

Sunderland all but secured their Premier League survival as they came from behind to beat Wigan 4-2 - their first win in 10 games.

Mohamed Diame thrashed in a ferocious shot from 25 yards to give Wigan the lead seven minutes after half-time, but Asamoah Gyan levelled within three minutes, flicking in a Steed Malbranque corner.

Sunderland, having already lost Phil Bardsley and Danny Welbeck to injury, saw Asamoah Gyan go off with a hamstring injury, but Jordan Henderson lashed in after 66 minutes.

It was then the Stephane Sessegnon show: he won a penalty and converted it for his first Premier League goal, before laying on the fourth for Henderson.

Franco Di Santo added a late second for Wigan. "We had injury problems again but fortunately this time we were in a position to do something about it," said Sunderland manager Steve Bruce.

"We scored three of our four goals without a recognized striker on the pitch. All credit to the players. They produced a performance when they needed to and it restores a bit of the faith."

The defeat left Wigan third-bottom, above only West Ham and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who drew 1-1 at home to Fulham.

Steven Fletcher converted Karl Henry's cross after 21 minutes to give Wolves the lead, but Andy Jonson came off the bench to level.

Blackpool are outside the bottom three only on goal difference after a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United.

Charlie Adam lost the ball cheaply, allowing Joey Barton to lay in Peter Lovenkrands to give Newcastle the lead, but DJ Campbell levelled from Adam's corner.

"We should have had two penalties, probably three," said Blackkpool manager Ian Holloway.

"I was screaming and shouting at the ref because I thought it was going to be one of those games again where we don't get something that is blatantly obvious that we deserved.

"Is there any chance of whoever is governing things up there giving us a bit of a break?"

Birmingham City remain in trouble, only four points clear of the drop zone, after a 5-0 defeat at Liverpool, for whom Maxi Rodriguez scored a hat-trick.

Dirk Kuyt and Joe Cole got the other goals, while Birmingham keeper Ben Foster was forced off with injury.

Tottenham Hotspur remain behind Manchester City, who face Blackburn Rovers on Monday, in the race for Champions League qualification as they drew 2-2 with West Bromwich Albion.

Peter Odemwingie outmuscled Benoit Assou-Ekotto and swept in the opener after five minutes, but Roman Pavlyuchenko levelled after 27 minutes from just outside the box.

Jermain Defoe smashed in his third of the season from 25 yards after 66 minutes, but Simon Cox scored a superb equalizer with nine minutes remaining.

Aston Villa and Stoke City both edged closer to safety with a 1-1 draw.

Kenwyne Jones scored his 10th of the season, heading in a Rory Delap long throw after 20 minutes, but Darren Bent headed Villa level from Kyle Walker's cross just before half-time.