Tottenham and Newcastle clinch home wins
Sunday, April 1, 2012
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Tottenham Hotspur FC beat Swansea City FC 3-1 to move level with third-placed Arsenal FC, while Newcastle United FC downed Liverpool FC 2-0 to boost their own European hopes.
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Tottenham Hotspur FC ended a five-match winless streak in the Premier League to defeat Swansea City AFC 3-1 and move level on points with third-placed Arsenal FC.
The hosts took the lead on 19 minutes as Rafael van der Vaart converted a stylish, sidefooted effort from just outside the area after a sliding Ashley Williams had cut out Gareth Bale's near-post cross. The impressive Gylfi Sigurdsson equalised on 59 minutes, however, hitting a bouncing volley into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the area following Wayne Routledge's lay-off.
Spurs regained the lead with 17 minutes remaining as Emmanuel Adebayor rose highest to head in Van Der Vaart's corner. The Togolese striker then nodded in Aaron Lennon's 86th-minute cross to complete his double and give the hosts their first league win since 11 February.
In the early kick-off, a Papiss Demba Cissé double helped Newcastle United FC beat Liverpool FC 2-0 to move level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea FC, five behind Tottenham. Cissé's back-post header from Hatem Ben Arfa's cross gave the hosts a 19th-minute advantage and he rounded Pepe Reina – who was later sent off – to add his second close to the hour mark.