LONDON, April 18: Newcastle United, down to 10 men after only 10 minutes, held Aston Villa 0-0 away to join fourth-placed Liverpool on equal points in the race for England's fourth Champions League berth on Sunday.
Liverpool, who lead Newcastle on goal difference but have played one more game, were held 0-0 at home by Fulham on Saturday. Both sides have 50 points. Newcastle defender Andy O'Brien was sent off in the 10th minute of the match in Birmingham for bringing down Villa striker Darius Vassell.
Villa remained in sixth place on 49 points after a hard-fought match with few chances for either side. Leaders Arsenal, the title almost in the bag with 81 points and five games to play, crushed relegation candidates Leeds United 5-0 at home on Friday.
Second-placed Chelsea, who have 72 points with four games remaining, were held 0-0 at home by Everton on Saturday while champions Manchester United, third on 68, were upset 1-0 at relegation threatened Portsmouth.
Results of English premier league:
Played on Sunday:
Aston Villa 0 Newcastle United 0
Played on Saturday:
Blackburn Rovers 1 Leicester City 0
Bolton Wanderers 2 Tottenham Hotspur 0
Charlton Athletic 1 Birmingham City 1
Chelsea 0 Everton 0
Liverpool 0 Fulham 0
Manchester City 1 Southampton 3
Portsmouth 1 Manchester United 0
Wolves 2 Middlesbrough 0
Played on Friday:
Arsenal 5 Leeds United 0
CELTIC CHAMPIONS
GLASGOW: Celtic midfielder Stilian Petrov sparked scenes of celebration when his first-half strike secured the Glasgow club's 39th Scottish championship in a 1-0 win at Kilmarnock on Sunday. The Bulgarian raced on to Henrik Larsson's deft header to hammer home a 32nd-minute winner for the unbeaten premier league leaders.
Kilmarnock had chances but a tired Celtic, clearly feeling the effects of losing Wednesday's UEFA Cup quarterfinal to Spain's Villarreal, held on to wrap up their third title in four years under manager Martin O'Neill.
The scenes of jubilation among the more than 10,000 travelling fans contrasted starkly with the mood at the same Rugby Park venue last May. Then, Celtic walloped Kilmarnock 4-0 but several of their players wept openly after Rangers beat Dunfermline Athletic 6-1 to take the title by a one-goal difference.
Celtic are now 16 points ahead of Rangers who can win only a further 15. They can claim a double if they beat Dunfermline Athletic or Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup final on May 22. O'Neill's men are only six games short of becoming the first Scottish side to go through a season unbeaten since Rangers achieved it in 1898-99.
