Liverpool remained on top of the English Premier League after winning 3-1 away to struggling Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. Victory saw Liverpool stays a point ahead of Chelsea after the Londoners beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0. Chelsea's win saw it surpass Tottenham Hotspur's English record of 10 successive top-flight away victories set in 1960 while Arsenal remained in the top four with a 1-0 win at home to Wigan. Elsewhere, Newcastle, on course for victory after Michael Owen scored twice, was held to a 2-2 draw at home to Stoke while Hull came from behind to beat Middlesbrough 2-1. Earlier Saturday, Fulham and Manchester City shared the points in a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage. Spain international Xabi Alonso broke the deadlock at Ewood Park in the 69th minute when he sidefooted in Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's cross. Then, 10 minutes later, Yossi Benayoun went past Stephen Warnock before shooting beyond Paul Robinson in the Rovers goal. Roque Santa Cruz pulled a goal back for Rovers four minutes from time when he headed in after Andre Ooijer had flicked on Keith Andrews's cross but then Gerrard wrapped up victory with a last-minute goal to wrap up the three points. The defeat increased the pressure on Blackburn boss Paul Ince, the former Liverpool midfielder, with Rovers still rooted in the relegation zone after a fifth successive defeat. Former Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka gave Chelsea a ninth-minute lead when his header from Jose Bosingwa's cross hit the post before crossing the line at the Reebok Stadium. The Blues then doubled their lead in spectacular fashion through Portugal midfielder Deco's acrobatic ‘bicycle-kick' in the 21st minute. Emmanuel Adebayor put Arsenal ahead at the Emirates against Wigan when he latched onto Cesc Fabregas's deflected pass in the 16th minute and shot low into the corner. All the goals at Hull's KC Stadium came in a frantic final 11 minutes. Boro went ahead through Turkey international Tuncay Sanli only for Hull to equalise three minutes later when Bernard Mendy's shot went under the arm of Ross Turnbull, came back off the woodwork and went in off the keeper for an own goal. Hull then went ahead through Marlon King's 85th minute penalty with Boro's David Wheater sent-off for the foul on Geovanni that led to the spot-kick. Spurs, United kept apart Holders Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United could meet in the English League Cup final after the last two Premier League clubs left in the competition were kept apart in Saturday's semifinal draw. Tottenham will play Burnley, quarterfinals conqueror of Spurs's north London rival Arsenal, having knocked Chelsea out in the previous round. Meanwhile, English and European champion United, who last won the League Cup in 2006, takes on another team from the second-tier Championship in Derby. The semifinal ties will be played over two legs, with Spurs welcoming Burnley to White Hart Lane and United travelling to Pride Park for the first in the week commencing Jan. 5. The second leg ties ares due to take place in the week starting Jan. 19.
