Palace cage Canaries

Bottom side Norwich threw away a 3-1 lead as Barclays Premiership relegation rivals Crystal Palace fought back to earn a 3-3 draw at Selhurst Park.

The Canaries began the day three points behind Palace and they got off to the worst possible start in south London.

Michael Hughes’ fifth-minute free-kick evaded everyone in the Norwich penalty area and Joonas Kolkka gambled at the far post to volley home.

The lead lasted only 17 minutes as Damien Francis’ cut-back picked out Dean Ashton, who drove home from just three yards.

And it was Ashton, a £3million January signing from Crewe, who struck again just seconds after the interval when he collected the ball 35 yards from goal, went past Gonzalo Sorondo and fired into the bottom corner.

The result appeared to be safe when Daren Huckerby beat Kolkka and whipped a ball across for Leon McKenzie to convert to make it 3-1 in the 53rd minute.

However, Hughes pulled one back with a diving header 15 minutes from time and when Andrew Johnson was fouled in the penalty area he picked himself up to convert for a vital point.

Fulham are not yet safe and their 1-1 draw at home to Manchestr City did little to ease their fears.

In the 20th minute Robbie Fowler chipped to Antoine Sibierski, and although his diving header was saved by goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, Claudio Reyna followed in to net the rebound.

However, City goalkeeper David James spilled a cross and Luis Boa Morte was able to capitalise with an equaliser in the 76th minute.

At the other end of the table Champions League-chasing Liverpool were stunned by a wonder strike from Tottenham’s Erik Edman at Anfield but managed to recover to salvage a 2-2 draw.

The Swede let fly with a swerving, dipping shot from 35 yards-plus in the 12th minute which hit the top corner of the net and gave Jerzy Dudek no chance.

But Liverpool scored an impressive goal of their own just before half-time when Luis Garcia turned his defender before curling a left-footed shot past Paul Robinson.

Ten minutes after half-time Fredi Kanoute’s cross from the right was headed goalwards by Robbie Keane and deflected off Jamie Carragher and past Dudek.

Moments later Steven Gerrard won a penalty when he was tripped by Michael Carrick but the Liverpool captain blazed the spot-kick wide.

The skipper was rescued by the man whom he took the armband off – Sami Hyypia - after the Finland defender volleyed home from the edge of the penalty area in the 63rd minute.

Southampton threw away the chance to move out of the bottom three after they let a 2-0 lead slip to lose 3-2 at home to Aston Villa.

The hosts set about their task with relish, despite their kick-off being delayed for 15 minutes because of congestion outside the ground.

Kevin Phillips struck after only four minutes, converting a Peter Crouch cross.

Crouch turned scorer 11 minutes later after latching onto a pass from Jamie Redknapp to fire past Thomas Sorensen.

Villa’s problems were not helped by an ankle injury to striker Darius Vassell 10 minutes before half-time, who was replaced by Carlton Cole.

The Villa substitute gave his side a chance 10 minutes after the break when he side-footed home Nolberto Solano’s pass.

Solano then converted Thomas Hitzlsperger’s 70th-minute corner and two minutes later Steven Davies snatched a winner to cap a remarkable second-half comeback.