Fulham moving closer to relegation

Fulham looked a step closer to relegation after falling 2-0 behind in the first half at Manchester City.

Stephen Ireland curled in a superb goal from the edge of the area after a mistake by Cottagers defender Paul Stalteri with 10 minutes gone and Benjani added a second after 21.

Benjani tapped in from close range after Darius Vassell had raced onto a long ball from Elano and pulled back across the face of goal.

Relegation rivals Birmingham gave themselves hope of moving out of the bottom three by taking the lead against Champions League semi-finalists Liverpool at St Andrews.

Mikael Forssell, recalled to the side, struck 11 minutes before the interval when he took down a James McFadden cross on his chest and fired past Jose Reina.

Liverpool, who left Fernando Torres out of their squad and had Steven Gerrard on the bench, were looking for a point to secure fourth place.

Reading and Bolton, both in the thick of the relegation scrap, were drawing 0-0 at Wigan and Tottenham respectively.

Sunderland led Middlesbrough 2-1 in a battle between two sides looking to make themselves mathematically safe at the Stadium of Light.

Tuncay Sanli put Boro ahead with a powerful left-foot shot after just four minutes but Sunderland were level moments later with an excellent far-post header from Danny Higginbotham.

Michael Chopra put the hosts ahead with a solo effort on the stroke of half-time.

Newcastle hit back from 2-0 down to equalise just before half-time in their mid-table clash with West Ham at Upton Park.

Mark Noble opened the scoring after good work on the left from George McCartney in the 10th minute and Dean Ashton added a second from a tight angle with 23 gone.

But Obafemi Martins pulled one back with a neat finish three minutes before the break and Geremi followed up with another.