LONDON, Feb 24: Aston Villa maintained their pursuit of a Champions League place on Sunday with a 2-1 Premier League victory at struggling Reading.

Ashley Young put Villa in front on the stroke of halftime after Gareth Barry had missed an earlier penalty.

Marlon Harewood increased Villa’s lead after 83 minutes and although Nicky Shorey replied for Reading in stoppage time the home side slipped to their eighth consecutive league defeat.

Villa are in sixth place with 47 points, the same total as Liverpool and Everton who occupy fourth and fifth respectively.

Reading remain third from bottom with 22 points.

Meanwhile, leaders Arsenal suffered a double blow at 10-man Birmingham City on Saturday, conceding a stoppage-time penalty in a 2-2 draw and striker Eduardo da Silva breaking his left leg.

James McFadden equalised for Birmingham in the 95th minute after Theo Walcott’s first league goals for Arsenal early in the second half had put the Londoners 2-1 ahead and on course for an eight-point lead in the title race.

The match was overshadowed by a third-minute tackle by Martin Taylor on Eduardo. The Brazilian-born Croatia international needed around 10 minutes of treatment before being taken to hospital with an oxygen mask over his mouth.

Taylor was shown a straight red card before McFadden gave Birmingham a surprise halftime lead.

Kicking off later, champions Manchester United seized their chance to reduce Arsenal’s lead to three points when they thrashed Newcastle United 5-1 away from home – Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney both scoring twice at St James’ Park.

Fernando Torres scored a hat-trick for Liverpool in a 3-2 home victory over Middlesbrough that moved them above Everton into fourth place.

UEFA Cup-chasing Portsmouth beat Sunderland 1-0 thanks to a penalty from Jermain Defoe while Wigan Athletic overcame bottom club Derby County 2-0.

Fulham remained deep in trouble after conceding a late goal in a 1-0 home defeat by West Ham United.

Results:

Played on Sunday:

Reading 1 Aston Villa 2

Played on Saturday:

Birmingham City 2 Arsenal 2

Fulham 0 West Ham United 1

Liverpool 3 Middlesbrough 2

Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 5

Portsmouth 1 Sunderland 0

Wigan Athletic 2 Derby County 0

—Reuters