LONDON, April 24: Chelsea missed their chance to slash Manchester United's lead in the Premier League to a single point on Sunday when they were held to a 0-0 draw at Newcastle United.

Manchester United handed the initiative to Chelsea after drawing 1-1 at home with Middlesbrough on Saturday and will breathe a huge sigh of relief at the champions' scrappy draw at St James' Park.

With four games left, United are top on 82 points and Chelsea, who host Alex Ferguson's men in a potential title decider at Stamford Bridge on May 9, have 79.

Neither side created clearcut chances on Sunday, with Newcastle's defence keeping a tight rein on the Chelsea attack led by 31-goal Ivorian striker Didier Drogba.

Chelsea, who had won nine consecutive league games, had their best chance deep in stoppage time when a flick by substitute Joe Cole ran wide of the far post.

Coach Jose Mourinho played down the day's missed opportunity and highlighted a penalty appeal rejected when the ball hit Newcastle United defender Stephen Carr's arm.

In comments that could land him in trouble, Mourinho said penalty decisions were favouring Manchester United and going against Chelsea.

Sheffield United had a strong penalty appeal waved away in last week's defeat by United, as did Boro in the closing stages on Saturday.

Aston Villa drew 0-0 at home to Portsmouth in Sunday's other game.

On Saturday, Middlesbrough blew the title race wide open by holding Manchester United to a surprise 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Liverpool are 11 points further back after a 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic, while Arsenal lie fourth on 63 points after conceding an equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time to draw 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby.

Bottom club Watford were relegated after a 1-1 draw with Manchester City, while the race to avoid following them down became tighter after West Ham United beat Everton 1-0 and Charlton Athletic drew 1-1 with Sheffield United.

Up at the top, the drama was all at Old Trafford where United took a third minute lead through Kieran Richardson.

But they were pegged back by Mark Viduka's headed equaliser in first-half stoppage time and denied a potential winner when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had a strike disallowed.

The Norwegian substitute flicked the ball away from Mark Schwarzer as the Australian keeper prepared to kick it upfield.

He was shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

Liverpool won a northwest derby with a goal in each half from Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt.

With three matches to go, Liverpool should finish above Arsenal, who dropped two points after being behind.

Spurs, looking to end an eight-year run of 17 matches without a win over Arsenal, went in front on the half-hour mark when Ireland striker Robbie Keane nodded home.

Arsenal's Ivorian defender Kolo Toure scored at the far post in the 64th minute and Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor looked to have won it with a 78th minute header before Jenas smacked home a superb daisy-cutter from 20 metres.

Reading made an impressive comeback at Bolton Wanderers, trailing to a 64th minute own goal by Nicky Shorey until six minutes from the end – before romping home 3-1 winners.

Two goals from Irish forward Kevin Doyle, the first from the penalty spot, turned the game around and Stephen Hunt added a third.

The battle to avoid following Watford into the second division looks set to go down to the wire.

West Ham are second from bottom on 32 points after a fine matchwinner from Bobby Zamora, Charlton have 33 and Sheffield United and Wigan are both hovering above the drop zone on 35.

Fulham, under new manager Lawrie Sanchez, still risk being drawn into the dogfight after a 1-1 home draw with Blackburn Rovers left them on 36 points.

Results:

Played on Sunday:

Aston Villa 0 Portsmouth 0

Newcastle United 0 Chelsea 0

Played on Saturday:

Bolton Wanderers 1 Reading 3

Charlton Athletic 1 Sheffield United 1

Fulham 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

Liverpool 2 Wigan Athletic 0

Manchester United 1 Middlesbrough 1

Tottenham Hotspur 2 Arsenal 2

Watford 1 Manchester City 1

West Ham United 1 Everton 0.

Standings