Everton piled the pressure on Liverpool by grinding out a 1-0 win over Reading that tightens the Toffees grip on fourth place in the Premier League.

The victory enabled David Moyes’s side to open up a four-point lead over their neighbours in the battle for the final Champions League qualifying spot.

Phil Jagielka headed in the goal for the winners.

Aston Villa moved above Liverpool into fifth place after a 4-1 win over Newcastle that saw Norwegian striker John Carew claim a second-half hat-trick.

Michael Owen netted the lone goal for Newcastle.

Newcastle are now winless in nine matches and Saturday’s defeat saw them slip to just six points above the drop zone. Below them, Sunderland notched up a convincing 2-0 win over fellow strugglers Wigan.

Fulhambeat Middlesbrough a 1-0 at the Riverside, courtesy of an 11th-minute strike from Jeremie Aliadiere.

Birmingham drew at West Ham 1-1 while Tottenham blanked Derby 3-0.

Barcelona held

FC Barcelona drew Sevilla 1-1 thanks to Xavi Hernandez’s 75th-minute equalizer in the Spanish league, adds AP from Madrid.

Diego Capel opened the scoring in the 35th minute for Sevilla, which had midfielder Seydou Keita ejected in the 77th for a second yellow card. Elsewhere, Guille Franco’s injury-time goal helped Villarreal edge lowly Murcia 1-0.
Deportivo La Coruna’s recent improvement came to a halt when it drew 1-1 with visiting Getafe.

Sevilla stayed in seventh place with 33 points.

Villarreal made little impact in the first half at Murcia’s Nueva Condomina stadium.

Deportivo also remains in trouble following a draw, which added to supporters’ fears that the 2000 champion could return to the second division after 17 years.

The hosts took the lead just before halftime when Getafe central defender Mario Alvarez deflected Pablo Amo’s header into his own net.

However, Nigerian substitute Ikechukwu Uche equalised for Getafe with a powerful shot in the 69th.