Tevez lifts Hammers away from drop

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Argentine Carlos Tevez scored twice as West Ham beat Bolton 3-1 and moved out of the Premier League relegation zone for the first time since early December.

With four of the other relegation contenders pondering legal action because the Hammers did not have points deducted after breaking the league's rules when they signed Tevez and fellow Argentine Javier Mascherano, the Londoners took a big step towards survival.

Wigan, whose chairman Dave Whelan has been an especially vociferous critic of the league's ruling, are now perilously close to the drop after losing 1-0 at home to Midddlesbrough.

They have slipped into the bottom three, three points behind West Ham and Sheffield United, and two in front of Charlton, who have a game in hand, at home to Tottenham on Monday.

Sheffield were unable to lift the threat of relegation when they slumped to a resounding 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa.

Fulham, another of the four clubs displeased by the league's verdict on West Ham, virtually assured themselves of safety by beating Champions League finalists Liverpool 1-0 at Craven Cottage.

Everton made sure of European football next season by beating Portsmouth 3-0 at Goodison Park but Reading's UEFA Cup prospects were dented with a surprise 2-0 home loss to relegated Watford.

West Ham made an impressive side against Bolton, who were playing their first game under new manager Sammy Lee. Tevez curled home a superb curling free kick after 10 minutes and added a second goal 11 minutes later.

The Argentine then set up Mark Noble for a volleyed third after 29 minutes and, although new player-coach Gary Speed pulled one back for Bolton after 67 minutes, the Hammers romped to their sixth win in eight games.

Deep trouble

Mark Viduka's 29th minute goal for Middlesbrough plunged Wigan into deep trouble while, at Craven Cottage, American international Clint Dempsey brought relief to Fulham with the goal that gave them their first league win since early February, over a Liverpool team showing nine changes from the side that beat Chelsea in the Champions League semifinal second leg.

It was Fulham's first success under manager Lawrie Sanchez.

Second-half goals from Mikel Arteta, Joseph Yobo and Gary Naysmith took Everton into Europe and left Portsmouth a point adrift of the top seven.

Blackburn kept alive their hopes of a return to the European scene next season by winning 2-0 at Newcastle, with Benni McCarthy's 22nd goal of the season and a late header from Jason Roberts.

It was a disappointing return to action at St James's Park for Newcastle striker Michael Owen, and the jeers from the terraces must have left United manager Glenn Roeder wondering about his future.

With relegation assured Watford pulled off an upset at Reading, Danny Shittu scoring his first Premier League goal and Marlon King punishing a slip by home keeper Marcus Hahnemann.

It waseasy to see why Sheffield United have won only three away games this season as they crumbled to a 3-0 drubbing at Villa Park.

Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and Patrik Berger were the marksman as Villa punished some feeble defending.

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