LONDON, Feb 8: Arsenal hung on for a 0-0 draw away at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday despite playing for nearly an hour with 10 men after Emmanuel Eboue’s red card.

The Gunners, in danger of losing touch with the Premier League’s top four, had midfielder Eboue sent off in the 36th minute, shortly after striker Emmanuel Adebayor went off injured.

Tottenham, with Robbie Keane starting as captain following his return to the north London club from his ill-fated spell at Liverpool, had two good chances in the second half while Luca Modric wasted the home side’s best opportunity in stoppage time.Arsenal were content to soak up pressure after Eboue was dismissed for a petulant kick at Modric although they were occasionally threatening.

Arsenal remain in fifth place, five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea while Spurs are 15th, just two points above the relegation places.

Fernando Torres came off the bench to head a stoppage-time winner as Liverpool twice came from behind to reclaim top spot in the Premier League with a thrilling 3-2 victory at Portsmouth on Saturday.

Dirk Kuyt, who like Torres and midfielder Xabi Alonso did not make manager Rafa Benitez’s much-changed starting lineup, had also fired a late equaliser for Liverpool.

Benitez’s team have 54 points from 25 matches, one point ahead of champions Manchester United who have two games in hand starting with Sunday’s visit to West Ham United.

Chelsea left the field to the sound of booing as their fading title challenge took another blow in a 0-0 home draw with Hull City, six days after losing 2-0 at Liverpool.

The Londoners dropped to fourth, behind Aston Villa who won 2-0 at Blackburn Rovers.

Villa, who claimed a club record seventh consecutive away league win thanks to goals from James Milner and Gabriel Agbonlahor, have 51 points from 25 games with Chelsea on 49.

Brazilian striker Jo made a sparkling debut for sixth-placed Everton, earning a first-half penalty for Mikel Arteta to convert and scoring two goals after the break in a 3-0 triumph over Bolton Wanderers at Goodison Park.

Goalkeeper Shay Given, another debutant, also shone in Manchester City’s 1-0 home victory over Middlesbrough who have now gone 13 matches without a win.

Newcastle United eased their relegation fears with a 3-2 triumph at bottom club West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City’s 2-0 defeat at Sunderland meant the four clubs at the bottom all lost.

Wigan Athletic and Fulham played out a 0-0 draw.

Results:

Played on Sunday:

Tottenham Hotspur 0 Arsenal 0

Played on Saturday:

Blackburn Rovers 0 Aston Villa 2

Chelsea 0 Hull City 0

Everton 3 Bolton Wanderers 0

Manchester City 1 Middlesbrough 0

Portsmouth 2 Liverpool 3

Sunderland 2 Stoke City 0

West Bromwich Albion 2 Newcastle United 3

Wigan Athletic 0 Fulham 0

—Reuters