Substitute Danny Welbeck's second-half goal helped Arsenal to a 1-0 victory Saturday over relegation-threatened Norwich in the Premier League on a day of protest and division among the home fans. Welbeck scored in the 59th minute after strike partner Olivier Giroud nodded down a cross for him in the center of the area. Up to that point, Norwich had the clearest chances in the match, with midfielder Nathan Redmond missing three first-half opportunities. Several hundred Arsenal fans held up signs in protest in the 12th minute to signify anger and disappointment that it has been 12 years since the London club won a league title. The sign, in the red and white colors of the club, said "Time for Change. Arsenal is Stale. Fresh Approach Needed." Arsenal provisionally moved third. Earlier, Andros Townsend scored a stunning free kick as Newcastle United edged Crystal Palace 1-0 and escaped the Premier League relegation zone at the expense of northeast rival Sunderland. Townsend netted with a sensational shot in the 58th minute and with Karl Darlow saving a penalty from ex-Newcastle player Yohan Cabaye, Rafael Benitez's team claimed a potentially vital win. Jermain Defoe scored a stoppage-time penalty to rescue a 1-1 draw at Stoke City for Sunderland and although Sam Allardyce's side was left a point behind Newcastle in the bottom three, it retains a game in hand. A pivotal day at St James' Park began with a minute's applause to mark the verdicts of the new inquests into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which found police responsible for the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans. Newcastle's fans broke into a spontaneous rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone', the Liverpool club anthem, but singing quickly gave way to nail-biting as the home side struggled to make a breakthrough. Townsend eventually made the breakthrough, the one-time England winger sending a free-kick from wide on the right whistling into the top-left corner. Twelve minutes later, Cabaye had a chance to equalize, but the France international, who angered Newcastle fans by leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2014, saw his penalty brilliantly turned away by Darlow. Sunderland could not follow Newcastle's lead, but Defoe's unerring 94th-minute penalty prevented it from suffering a damaging defeat. Stoke went ahead in the 50th minute through Marko Arnautovic, who was then forced off by injury, and Defoe earned his side a precious point by dispatching a spot-kick awarded for a foul on him by Geoff Cameron. Elsewhere, West Ham United captain Mark Noble scored twice for the second game in succession as his side won 3-0 at West Bromwich Albion to replace Manchester United in fifth place. Dimitri Payet crossed for Cheikhou Kouyate to head West Ham in front in the 34th minute and Kouyate set up Noble for his first goal before Andy Carroll crossed for the Englishman to volley in his second. Leighton Baines scored the winner as Everton prevailed 2-1 at home to Bournemouth, after Tom Cleverley's seventh-minute opener for the host had been swiftly canceled out by Marc Pugh's deflected strike. But it remained an uncomfortable afternoon for Everton manager Roberto Martinez, with protesting supporters paying for a plane trailing the banner "TIME TO GO ROBERTO" to fly over Goodison Park during the game. Meanwhile, skipper Troy Deeney scored a last-gasp brace as Watford twice came from behind to inflict a 3-2 defeat on already-relegated Aston Villa. Villa led twice, through Ciaran Clark and Jordan Ayew, but Almen Abdi canceled out Clark's opener and after the host had lost Aly Cissokho to a red card for a last-man foul on Ikechi Anya, Deeney turned the game on its head. Leader Leicester City can become England's first new top-flight title-winner since Nottingham Forest in 1978 if it wins at Manchester United Sunday. Should it fail to win, it could still be crowned champion Monday if second-place Tottenham Hotspur, which is seven points off the pace, cannot better its result when it visits Chelsea. Middlesbrough frustrated Middlesbrough's bid for promotion to the Premier League suffered a setback after it was forced to settle for a controversial 2-2 draw against Birmingham Friday. Aitor Karanka's side is battling with Burnley and Brighton for the Championship's two automatic promotion places and its attempt to secure one of those lucrative berths in the top-flight was dented at St Andrews. Middlesbrough's point took it to the top of the second tier table with a one-point lead over second placed Burnley and third placed Brighton. But it was still left fuming after Daniel Ayala's goal, which would have proved the winner, was wrongly ruled out. Ayala netted in the second half with a fine finish, only to see his effort disallowed for offside even though the former Liverpool center-back was clearly onside.
