LIVERPOOL 2-1 SUNDERLAND: GERRARD & STURRIDGE KEEP TITLE PUSH ALIVE

Liverpool beat Sunderland 2-1 at Anfield to move back up to second in the Premier League table.

The Black Cats' massed ranks had frustrated their hosts for the majority of the first half, but Steven Gerrard struck a fine free kick into the top corner to open the scoring.

The Reds were incensed that Santiago Vergini only received a yellow card for bringing down Luis Suarez after giving away the free kick, and the Argentine was even luckier to stay on the field shortly afterwards when he slid in on Suarez again.

Daniel Sturridge doubled the advantage three minutes after the break with a shot from 18 yards out which deflected in off Wes Brown.

Lee Cattermole struck the crossbar and Sturridge did likewise at the other end, but the Black Cats were given a lifeline when Ki Sung-Yeung headed home at the far post with 14 minutes remaining.

Anfield was a bag of nerves in the final moments but the hosts managed to hold on despite increasing Sunderland pressure.

CHELSEA’S £32M WIZARD REVEALS EXTRAORDINARY COMMENTS ON HOW ETO’O INSPIRES HIM

Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has revealed that team-mate Samuel Eto’o constantly assures him that he can go on to become one of the world’s best players, reports the Express. While the ex-Barcelona striker also tells the Belgian he cannot leave the stadium without scoring a goal.

The Belgian has been in blistering form this season with 14 goals, including a penalty during the demolition of Arsenal, which has helped Jose Mourinho’s side to the top of the Premier League table.

Touted as a future Ballon d’Or winner, Hazard has never appeared to be short of self confidence but still gratefully accepts tips from the vastly experienced Cameroon striker Eto’o, which has given him even more faith in his own ability.

“Eto’o tells me every day that I can be one of world’s best players.

“Before every game he tells me I have to make the difference.

MATCH REPORT: ARSENAL 2-2 SWANSEA : GUNNERS SUFFER YET ANOTHER SETBACK

Arsenal's hopes of regaining some Premier League momentum were judderingly ended by a late own goal from Mathieu Flamini as they drew 2-2 with Swansea City.

Wilfried Bony jumped clear of Thomas Vermaelen less than a quarter of an hour into the game, meeting Neil Taylor's cross to score against the run of play.

Despite having dominated until then, the Gunners dropped off and struggled to turn possession into meaningful attempts on Michel Vorm's goal.

The game turned on its head in the space of two second-half minutes, however, with Lukas Podolski at the heart of it. First, the substitute finished from close range before, only moments later, bursting down the left and crossing for Olivier Giroud to score.

But there was to be a late sickener for Arsenal when Flamini calamitously put the ball into his own net.

MAY BE THE “BEST” IN LIVERPOOL HISTORY: ANFIELD ICON RAVES ABOUT £34M DUO

John Aldridge believes that the current Liverpool strike pairing of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge is amongst the best in the club’s history.

He told the Liverpool Echo that the pair may even be the best already, based on their form over the season so far.

“Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have to be ranked right up there with the best strike partnerships in Liverpool’s illustrious history,” Aldridge opened.

“We’ve had some fantastic pairings over the years. Hunt and St John, Keegan and Toshack, Dalglish and Rush, Beardsley and myself, Fowler and Collymore – there has been a long line of great double acts going back decades.

“It’s still early days for Suarez and Sturridge but I honestly believe they already deserve to be mentioned alongside those names and they may already be the best.

“Their record speaks for itself. It’s there in black and white.

“They have scored 50 goals between them in 55 appearances this season. They are so exciting to watch.

“Suarez is nailed on for the Golden Boot and he has more assists than anyone in the league.”

The pair combined to lethal effect in the side’s last game, with Suarez scoring a hat trick and Sturridge adding one more to help the side to a 6-3 win over Cardiff.

“Suarez took his hat-trick brilliantly and Sturridge also played his part in Saturday’s 6-3 thrashing of Cardiff,” continued Aldridge.

“The moment of the match for me was Sturridge’s sublime backheel for Suarez’s second.

“The understanding between them was bordering on telepathic. Suarez read it and sprinted into that area.

“It was phenomenal awareness from Sturridge – I really enjoyed that.

“Sturridge also showed his desire and hunger with the way he burst into the penalty box to tuck away Suarez’s cross.”

MANCHESTER UNITED 0-3 MANCHESTER CITY: MOYES’ MEN THRASHED ONCE AGAIN

Edin Dzeko bagged a double and Yaya Toure fired in a late third as Manchester City eased to a comfortable 3-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The result sees City jump above Liverpool and into second in the Premier League table.

Dzeko put City ahead after just 43 seconds as Manuel Pellegrini's men burst out of the traps. Rafael made a great last-ditch tackle to deny David Silva even earlier, but the ball was worked out to Samir Nasri and, in the United right-back's absence, he had time to pick out a low shot which hit the inside of the post, rebounded across goal and was turned in by Dzeko.

The Bosnian went close to making it 2-0 after 18 minutes but David De Gea kept out his weak strike.

David Moyes' men were on the ropes for the early exchanges and barely got out of their own half for the first 10 minutes, but gradually wrested more possession towards half-time even if they failed to carve out many opportunities.

Juan Mata had the best of those rare first-half chances, skying Rafael's low cross over the bar from just inside the area.

Fernandinho flashed a header over the bar on 51 minutes, but Dzeko made no mistake five minutes later when he side-footed home Nasri's corner.

United barely registered a threat after that but Danny Welbeck did force Joe Hart into a save with a backheel at the near post.

Yaya Toure added the gloss as he stroked home a low shot from the edge of the box in the 90th minute.