Liverpool beat visiting West Ham 3-0 in Monday's only Premier League match to stay in contention for European qualification. Goals from Yossi Benayoun and David Ngog plus an own-goal from West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green at Anfield lifted Liverpool into sixth place over Aston Villa, which has played one fewer match. The five-time European champion is unlikely to clinch a top-four spot and a place in next season's Champions League but can make sure of a spot in the second-tier Europa League by finishing fifth or sixth. Liverpool has 59 points from 35 matches, five points behind fourth-place Tottenham and three back from No. 5 Manchester City but having played a game more than both those teams. Villa has 58 points from 34 games. Benayoun gave the hosts the lead in the 19th minute, the ball hitting his stomach and then going in off the post from Steven Gerrard's free kick from wide on the flank. Ngog started up front after Fernando Torres was ruled out of the rest of Liverpool's season following knee surgery Sunday, and the Frenchman made it 2-0 in the 29th with a first-time shot from inside the box following Maxi Rodriguez's cross. Liverpool defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos looked to have scored from Gerrard's free kick in the 59th - but the ball came back off the post, hit Green and bounced into the net. “I think everyone's got a soft spot for West Ham. Hopefully they can stay up,” Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher told ESPN after the match, his views echoed by former Hammer Benayoun. “I didn't celebrate because I still have feelings for this club and I really hope they will stay up,” he said. The London club is three points above the relegation zone in 17th and will be nervous observer Wednesday when Hull welcomes Aston Villa hoping to take advantage of its game in hand and draw level on points with the east London club. Newcastle secures title Newcastle United, meanwhile, secured the Championship title Monday with a 2-0 win at Plymouth Argyle. First-half goals from Andy Carroll and Wayne Routledge sealed the title after Chris Hughton's side made sure of promotion back to the Premier League following a year away with a 2-1 win over Sheffield United two weeks ago. Defeat for Plymouth, meanwhile, condemned it to relegation to the third-tier League One. Mallorca fourth Real Mallorca climbed into fourth place in La Liga with a quietly efficient 2-0 victory at home to Osasuna Monday, putting it back in poll position for Spain's last Champions League qualification slot. While all the noise and attention is focused on Barcelona and Real Madrid's battle for first place, Mallorca continued its surprisingly steady progress towards a top-four finish in front of a half-empty Ono Estadi. Ruben Gonzalez headed Gregorio Manzano's over-achievers into the lead from a corner after 36 minutes, and Alhassane Keita sprinted clear to hammer home the decider at the end. With five games left to play, Mallorca is fourth on 55 points, one ahead of Sevilla, who beat Sporting Gijon 3-0 Saturday. Mallorca last played in Europe's elite club competition in the 2001-2 season under the stewardship of Luis Aragones after equaling its best ever league finish of third the year before. Leader Barca saw its advantage over Real cut to just one point on the weekend, after it drew 0-0 at city rivals Espanyol Saturday. Real swept past Valencia 2-0 Sunday to climb on to 83 points, a massive 24 ahead of its third-placed visitors who occupy the last automatic Champions League qualification berth.
