Chelsea strikes back to upstage Di Canio

Chelsea came from behind to beat Sunderland 2-1 at Stamford Bridge yesterday and deny Paolo Di Canio a sensational start in his first game as a Premier League manager.

Juan Mata holds off defender in Chelsea's win over Sunderland.

Chelsea's victory, in a game that witnessed two own goals, saw it climb above both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur into third place, while Sunderland remains just a point above the relegation zone.

Appointed as the successor to Martin O'Neill amid a whirlwind of controversy over his alleged fascist sympathies, Di Canio had dominated the British sporting headlines in the build-up to the game.

The Italian, who this week denied he was a fascist, saw his side take the lead on the stroke of half-time when Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta inadvertently hooked John O'Shea's header into his own goal.

Di Canio had drafted Matthew Kilgallon into his starting line-up but the center-back accidentally gifted Chelsea an equalizer in the 47th minute when he diverted Oscar's pass past visiting goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Branislav Ivanovic completed the Chelsea comeback 10 minutes into the second half but his strike was similarly fortuitous, David Luiz's strike cannoning off him and trundling into the bottom-right corner.

Elsewhere, Papiss Cisse struck in injury time to earn Newcastle United a 1-0 win at home to Fulham that lifted Alan Pardew's side six points clear of the bottom three.

Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for Europe took a hit as the team failed to break down West Ham's stubborn defense in a 0-0 draw yesterday.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard came closest to a winner when his effort was cleared off the line by James Tomkins.

And Lucas Leiva denied West Ham a first win at Anfield in 50 years when he turned away Jack Collison's header five minutes from the end.

The draw left Liverpool seventh, a place below what is set to be the final Europa League qualification place.

Elsewhere, Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a late equalizer for Tottenham in a 2-2 draw with Everton.

Sigurdsson was first to the ball in the 87th minute after Emmanuel Adebayor's curling shot hit the post.

Earlier, Adebayor had put Tottenham ahead in the first minute of the match, stretching out his foot in the six-yard box to connect with a fast-paced cross from Jan Vertonghen.

Everton equalized through Phil Jagielka in the 15th with a steeply angled header.

Kevin Mirallas scored a superb solo goal in the 53rd after waltzing through the Tottenham defense to put Everton ahead at White Hart Lane.

Late on Saturday, one of the goals of the season helped Aston Villa move out of the relegation zone. Villa scored twice in the last three minutes, including a stunning volley from 35 meters by Matthew Lowton, to beat stuttering Stoke 3-1 away and jump three points clear of the bottom three.

"I don't think you will see a better goal in Europe let alone anywhere else," Villa manager Paul Lambert said. "The technique, chest control and volley was outstanding."

Last-place Reading looks doomed, though, after losing 0-2 at home to Southampton to stay seven points adrift of safety with six games left. No team in the Premier League's 21-year history has survived facing such a deficit at this stage.

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