Magpies up to fifth as Gunners held

Newcastle United has moved up to fifth place and in the process leapfrogged both Liverpool and a stumbling Arsenal side following Wednesday’s night’s Barclays Premier League action.

A first half own goal by Scott Dann and an extremely late goal by Gabriel Obertan ensured Newcastle United of a 2-0 home win over the relegation threatened Blackburn Rovers.

Whilst Arsenal’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League or in fact Europe took a hit when they were held to a 0-0 away draw against another relegation threatened team in Bolton.

The Magpies victory, their 11^th of the season saw them move up to fifth place on 39-points, three points behind the fourth place Chelsea who currently occupy the final Champions League spot available.

Alan Pardew’s side who has recently found their early season form took the lead through an 11^th minute Scott Dann own goal before the Rovers, who currently sit in the relegation zone had a chance to equalise only for Magpies goalkeeper Tim Krul to save a David Dunn spot in kick just before the interval.

Former Man Utd winger Gabriel Obertan then secured all three points for the visitors with a goal in second half stoppage time as the Magpies made life more miserable for the Rovers in front of their home fans at Ewood Park.

Fellow relegation threatened team Bolton moved two points clear of the 18^th placed Rovers following a well deserved 0-0 home draw against the European chasing Arsenal.

In a tactical encounter at the Reebok Stadium the Gunners dominated proceedings with two Robin van Persie’s shots that struck the woodwork but it was the home side that may consider themselves unlucky with a late penalty claimed denied for television replays showing afterwards that the referee may have been wrong.

The draw means that Arsenal remains winless in 2012 as they have only secured one point from a possible 12 having entered this game on the back of a three game losing streak.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger still believes that his side can challenge for a top four position even though the Gunners have slipped to seventh place on 37-points, five points behind the fourth place Chelsea.

“There is a long way to go and I am confident we can come back,” Wenger told the English media after the game.

“It is a long way to go. We have gone through a difficult period, we’ve lost three league games (prior to tonight’s match) but we could have won the three as well.”

“We have confidence but we have to produce it game by game – for us every game in the championship is a cup final for us now. Even when we have won championships we have not won for six games.”

“It is part of football that when you lose three games like we did when you don’t lose the fourth game it is already not too bad.”

Arsenal may be focusing on the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle in the hunt for a Champions League spot but another team making a run for a European spot is Sunderland who moved up to eighth place following a 3-0 home win over Norwich City.

Goals from Fraizer Campbell, Stephane Sessegon and an own goal by Daniel Ayala ensured the Black Cats of their sixth league win from their past nine games under the tutelage of manager Martin O’Neill.

The Black Cats eighth league victory of the season lifted the once relegation threatened club to eighth place on 30-points, seven points behind the stumbling Gunners and with all the momentum heading into the second half of the season.

Elsewhere two second half goals from Darren Bent and Charles N’Zogbia saw Aston Villa comeback from a two goal deficit in their 2-2 home draw against Queens Park Rangers.

A Somen Tchoyi 81^st minute side saw West Bromwich Albion earn a point at Craven Cottage following their 1-1 away draw against Fulham.