Arsenal missed out on the chance to go top of the Barclays Premier League after Manchester United battled to a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium. Chances were at a premium between the two sides, with the best coming in the opening minutes as former Arsenal captain Robin van Persie, now in the United camp, and home striker Olivier Giroud should both have scored. Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny pushed a bullet header from the Dutch forward against the crossbar in the second half of a match which ultimately failed to live up to its billing, leaving Jose Mourinho's Chelsea still top of the league.
Steven Gerrard secured Liverpool an incredible 3-2 stoppage-time victory at Craven Cottage, rifling home from the penalty spot to break struggling Fulham's hearts. It was an important win but one in which Liverpool failed to get anywhere near the heady heights reached in Saturday's 5-1 mauling of Arsenal, falling behind after just eight minutes. Kolo Toure, guilty of gifting West Brom a 1-1 draw 10 days ago, could only watch on in horror when he sliced a Kieran Richardson cross into his own goal. Fulham continued to impress but were undone as half-time approached by a wonderful first-time Gerrard through ball, which found Daniel Sturridge to net his eighth goal since returning from injury. While Liverpool were somewhat fortunate to go in level at half-time, they began the second half with renewed vigour and Luis Suarez rattled the far post as the Whites looked increasingly unsteady. Fortunately for them, Martin Skrtel was looking even more shaky and his defensive mistake allowed Manchester United academy graduate Richardson to net from close range. The lead did not last long, though, as Philippe Coutinho sent a fine shot past Maarten Stekelenburg via a slight deflection off former Everton defender John Heitinga. Fulham looked good value to follow up their thrilling 2-2 draw at Manchester United with another point, only for Sascha Riether to foul Sturridge, allowing Gerrard to fire home a stoppage-time winner from the spot.
Emmanuel Adebayor claimed a double as Tottenham condemned Newcastle to a fourth successive home defeat for the first time in the Premier League era. The Togo international striker turned in a fine individual display as Spurs tore Alan Pardew's depleted side to shreds at St James' Park to maintain the pressure on the top four with a 4-0 rout. He struck from close range with just 19 minutes gone on a wintry Tyneside night to give the visitors a lead they never looked like relinquishing, and Aaron Lennon was only denied a second by the post. The game was effectively over eight minutes into the second half when Paulinho was presented with an equally straightforward task to double his side's lead after goalkeeper Tim Krul failed to hold Adebayor's stinging shot. Adebayor doubled his tally with seven minutes remaining when the unfortunate Krul made a good save to deny substitute Andros Townsend, but saw the frontman follow up to complete the scoring. Tottenham were not finished, however, and the Dutchman found himself picking the ball out of his net for the final time five minutes later after being beaten from distance by substitute Nacer Chadli. Tim Sherwood's men were simply too pacy, too inventive and too clinical for their hosts, who could not match them in any department.
Swansea bad-boy Chico Flores finally made the headlines for all the right reasons as he struck an equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Stoke. At a blustery Britannia Stadium, with the game only going ahead after two pre-match safety inspections given the storm-force winds prior to kick off, Flores deservedly earned Swansea a point as he deftly flicked home a Pablo Hernandez cross beyond the despairing reach of Asmir Begovic in the 52nd minute to keep his side in 10th place. Arguably, Swansea should have won the game as they were the better team for the most part, aside from one spell in the first half when Peter Crouch bagged his eighth goal of the season in the 17th minute. Crouch first teed up Peter Odemwingie for a thumping right-foot drive that crashed back off the post straight to the lanky striker whose follow-up deflected off a diving Leon Britton trying to block.
The night's other games at Manchester City and Everton were postponed on Wednesday as severe weather battered the country and endangered fans travelling to games in the north west. Earlier on Wednesday the Met Office issued red warnings - the highest possible - for parts of Wales and north west England in the evening. City were preparing to welcome Sunderland to the Etihad Stadium but, with just over one hour before the scheduled 1945 kick-off, the club announced the fixture would not go ahead. Everton's home meeting with Crystal Palace was next to go, with the Merseyside club citing "building damage" around Goodison Park as the deciding factor.
