LONDON, Dec 20: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claimed his side were firmly back in the race for the English Premiership title after they eked out a 1-0 victory at Portsmouth on Sunday.

Defender Sol Campbell secured three points for the champions with a rare goal, smashing the ball home from 25 yards to lift Arsenal above Everton into second, still five points behind leaders Chelsea.

"For us it was a massive game today, we are back in the race and in this situation we wanted three points," Wenger said. "We needed to be sound defensively and wait for our goal, we did it well and got three great points against a very good side. They (Portsmouth) were always dangerous when Yakubu came on. Overall I feel it was a great team performance.

"We are very hungry, I think we are back in the race. It goes from game to game but we are determined, we have the talent and ingredients to make the race interesting. It is all you can do."

Portsmouth, still without a coach after Harry Redknapp's departure and subsequent arrival at neighbours Southampton, will wonder how they lost after they hassled and harried Arsenal throughout.

Steve Stone and Yakubu both caused Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia problems, while Ricardo Fuller squandered a great chance to put Pompey ahead after superb work from Patrik Berger.

In the end, it took a superb strike from Campbell 15 minutes from time to secure his side the three points. Dennis Bergkamp almost doubled their lead in the dying minutes but Jamie Ashdown saved superbly at his feet.

Earlier, Liverpool closed the gap on the top five as they beat Newcastle United 3-1 at Anfield. Newcastle, with coach Graeme Souness returning to his former club, took the lead through a controversial goal from Patrick Kluivert on 32 minutes. But after an own goal from Titus Bramble three minutes later, Neil Mellor put Liverpool ahead seven minutes before the break and Milan Baros sealed victory with the third goal just after the hour mark.

The Reds remain in sixth, but are now just four points behind Middles brough in fifth. "Im very delighted with the win," Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez said. "When you concede a goal then afterwards score three and control the game then you have the right mentality, clear ideas. We were playing against a good team.

"We had more options in terms of movement, we could create more problems today. You lose things in the middle but win in attack. "We had a good game in terms of defence, all of the players not just the defence work hard and do not give many chances to other teams. We have a lot of confidence and I think we will finish in the top four, but I know it is a long race." -dpa