LONDON, Feb 3: Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero scored from a near-impossible angle to salvage a 2-2 home draw with Liverpool but a memorable Steven Gerrard goal still helped boost Premier League leaders Manchester United on Sunday.

The irony of one of Liverpool’s most battling displays of the season helping arch-rivals United end the weekend nine points clear following Saturday’s 1-0 win at Fulham will not be lost on either set of fans but their draw was fully deserved.

Second-placed champions City took the lead midway through the first half and slightly against the run of play when Edin Dzeko slotted in James Milner’s low cross from close range.

Former City frontman Daniel Sturridge brought Liverpool level on 29 minutes with a fine finish before Gerrard and Aguero traded equally impressive efforts after the break.

Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale earlier showed absent strikers how it was done by blasting in the winner in a 1-0 success at 10-man West Bromwich Albion which cut the gap to third-placed Chelsea to a point.

On Saturday, Wayne Rooney’s hot scoring streak continued as Manchester United overcame a floodlight failure to win at Fulham. Overshadowed by Robin van Persie this season, Rooney showed his predatory instincts after 79 minutes at Craven Cottage when he punished a defensive error to grab an unconvincing win.

Chelsea’s week went from bad to worse as Newcastle United’s French legion of new players inspired a second successive league victory. Defeat left Chelsea seven points behind City and 16 points shy of United.

Moussa Sissoko scored twice on his home debut to claim a 3-2 win and move his side further clear of the relegation zone.

Everton had a chance to move above Chelsea into fourth but had to fight back for a 3-3 draw at home to Aston Villa.

Villa are now two points below fourth-bottom Reading, who won 2-1 at home to Sunderland to keep themselves above the bottom three.

Lukas Podolski scored in the 78th minute to hand Arsenal a 1-0 win against Stoke City, a result that helped the Gunners close in on the Champions League qualification places.

West Ham climbed to 10th with a 1-0 win over Swansea while Southampton were denied a precious victory after conceding a last-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Wigan Athletic.

Results: Played on Sunday: Manchester City 2    Liverpool 2 West Bromwich Albion 0    Tottenham Hotspur 1

Played on Saturday: Arsenal 1    Stoke City 0 Everton 3    Aston Villa 3 Fulham 0    Manchester United 1 Newcastle United 3    Chelsea 2 Queens Park Rangers 0    Norwich City 0 Reading 2    Sunderland 1 West Ham United 1    Swansea City 0 Wigan Athletic 2    Southampton 2 —Agencies