Pro Eleven Headline News

Liverpool defeats Newcastle 3-0 in Premier League

Liverpool beat relegation-threatened Newcastle 3-0 today in English soccer's Premier League to halve Manchester United's advantage atop the standings to three points.

Yossi Benayoun, Dirk Kuyt and Lucas scored at Anfield to extend the visitor's winless run to 10 games. Newcastle, which finished with 10 men after Joey Barton was shown a 78th-minute red card, remains in the three-team relegation zone.

Liverpool has 77 points through 35 of 38 games, Manchester United has 80 points from 34 matches, while third-place Chelsea has 74 points with three games to play. Arsenal, with 68 points, is assured of at top-four finish.

At the bottom of the table, West Bromwich Albion has 28 points, with Middlesbrough and Newcastle on 31. Hull City is three points above the drop zone, with Sunderland a further point clear. Sunderland hosts Everton in today's other match.

Newcastle, which has been in the top division since 1993, made a positive start today before Liverpool took control and eventually recorded an easy win.

Newcastle was unable to register a shot on target during its early domination and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard then almost put his team ahead with a 30-yard effort which Steve Harper pushed clear.

Peter Lovenkrands managed to round Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina soon after, but Alvaro Arbeloa got back to cover on the line. deseretnews.com


Milan close gap on Inter to seven points

AC Milan's slim Serie A title hopes remain alive, after Sunday's 2-0 victory at Catania closed the gap on city rivals Inter to seven points, with four matches and a possible 12 points still remaining.

However, despite goals from Filippo Inzaghi and Kaka giving them a comfortable success on Sunday, Carlo Ancelotti's side would need the defending champions to suffer an unlikely collapse to secure their first Scudetto since 2004.

Milan took the lead in Sicily in the 27th minute when Kaka burst into the area before teeing-up veteran striker Inzaghi for the 11th goal in his last eight matches.

The visitors' second goal came early in the second half when Kaka prodded home his 15th goal of the season from close range after David Beckham's header was only parried out.

The victory was Milan's fifth in a row, a run of form that contrasts sharply with third-placed Juventus -- whose title hopes mathematically ended as substitute Jose Ignacio Castillo scored an equalizer deep into injury time for relegation-threatened Lecce in a 2-2 draw in Turin.

Ivory Coast forward Axel Konan gave Lecce an 11th-minute lead after beating the offside trap, but veteran midfielder Pavel Nedved scored twice after the break to set Juve up for their first victory in five matches.

But Castillo's late header from a Simone Tiribocchi cross stunned the home supporters, who made their feelings known by jeering their team off the pitch.

Lecce remain second bottom after the draw, but are now only two points from safety.

Fiorentina maintained their grip on fourth place and the final Champions League qualifying position as Peruvian full-back Juan Manuel Vargas scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Torino.

Meanwhile, Roma's top four hopes look over after they were held 0-0 at home to Chievo, leaving them eight points behind Fiorentina with four games left. CNN International