LONDON, Feb 4: Nicolas Anelka scored his ninth goal of the season in the English Premier League on Saturday to give Bolton a 1-0 win at Watford and push the Hornets closer to a quick return back down to the Championship.

The French international fired home after goalkeeper Ben Foster had made a mess of Gary Speed's 64th-minute corner.

The three points kept Bolton in fifth place in the Premiership and still hopeful of making the Champions League next season while Watford are stranded at the bottom on 15 points, now 10 points from safety.

Bolton were on top in the early stages and dominated a drab encounter.

Anelka almost found the target with a third-minute free-kick as the visitors dominated the opening exchanges while Watford were limited to seeing a Jay DeMerit header drift over the bar.

Foster again thwarted Anelka just before the break but Watford insisted they should have had a penalty as Darius Henderson claimed his shot came off the arm of Bolton defender.

Foster was in action again to keep out substitute Andranik Teymourian just before the hour but he ruined a fine performance by the error which handed Anelka his goal and Bolton their first league win since Christmas.

Fulham striker Brian McBride kept up his prolific scoring run as his late goal clinched a 2-1 win against Newcastle.

McBride's fifth goal in his last seven appearances came after Heidar Helguson had given Fulham the lead just after half-time at Craven Cottage.

Obafemi Martins got one back for Newcastle in the last minute but it wasn't enough to salvage a point for the visitors.

Any lingering worries about being sucked into the relegation battle will have been eased by this win for Chris Coleman's side, who move to within a point of mid-table Newcastle.

Arsenal came from behind with ten men to claim a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough, courtesy of Thierry Henry's 77th-minute equaliser.

Nigeria's Aiyegbeni Yakubu had put Boro ahead quarter of an hour earlier, converting a penalty after being brought down by a Philippe Senderos challenge from behind which earned the Arsenal defender a straight red card.

Results:

Aston Villa 1 West Ham United 0

Blackburn Rovers 2 Sheffield United 1

Charlton Athletic 0 Chelsea 1

Fulham 2 Newcastle United 1

Liverpool 0 Everton 0

Manchester City 0 Reading 2

Middlesbrough 1 Arsenal 1

Watford 0 Bolton Wanderers 1

Wigan Athletic 1 Portsmouth 0

—Agencies