LONDON (AP):

Liverpool substitute Yossi Benayoun scored in stoppage time yesterday to secure a 1-0 victory at Fulham that piles more pressure on defending champion Manchester United in the title race.

While the victory at Craven Cottage took Liverpool two points clear at the top of the Premier League, United have two games in hand and host Aston Villa today.

Liverpool, who routed both United and Villa before the two-week international break, looked set to squander the title lifeline those results provided in a frustrating match at Fulham.

But after hitting the goal frame four times in the first half, Liverpool finally got a lucky bounce in the second minute of stoppage time. Fulham defender Brede Hangeland challenged Steven Gerrard for the ball at the top of the area, and the ball fell to a wide-open Benayoun to fire into the net. It was the Israeli's first club match in a month after an injury layoff.

"It's a massive three points - we knew a defeat or a draw was no good for us," Gerrard said. "We had to let United know they are in for a title fight until the end."

Still in the fight

Chelsea is also still in that fight, going within a point of United with a 2-0 victory at Newcastle as former Magpies captain Alan Shearer began his eight-match reign as manager.

Second-half goals from Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda allowed Chelsea to dampen the euphoria surrounding the return of Shearer, Newcastle's all-time leading scorer, in a bid to haul the club out of the relegation zone.

"We knew this new impulse with the homecoming of Alan Shearer would give them a lot of energy, but we spoiled the party and got rid of the energy," Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink said. "They were no big danger for us."

Ailing Newcastle struggled to match the visitors' skill and fluency as Shearer saw the full scope of the task he faces while filling in until the end of the season for Joe Kinnear, who is recovering from heart surgery.

Made mistakes

"We worked very, very hard and contained them in the first half, but the second half came back to bite us," said Shearer, the fourth man to take charge of Newcastle this season. "We made a mistake and got punished for it and you don't want to go gung-ho because you're playing against a very good team. We'll have to step up our quality."

Newcastle stayed third from bottom, two points adrift of Sunderland who lost 2-0 at West Ham. West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough, who occupy the bottom two places, were also beaten.

In the chase for Champions League places, Arsenal strengthened their grip on fourth with Emmanuel Adebayor's double providing a 2-0 victory over Manchester City.

Cesc Fabregas, returning after three months out with a knee injury, set up both goals for Adebayor, who was playing in his first game for the Gunners after a two-month layoff.