(CNN) -- Liverpool have moved out of the bottom three of the English Premier League table after Maxi Rodriguez scored a late goal to give them a 1-0 win at Bolton.
Rodriguez ran onto a flick from Fernando Torres to toe-poke the ball under Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen as Roy Hodgson's side won two matches in a row for the first time this season, after last weekend's win over Blackburn.
The result see Liverpool move up six places from 18th to 12th although so congested is the table that just six points separates Tottenham in fifth place from Wolverhampton in 19th.
Sunday's two other Premier League matches saw keenly-contested local derbies, with vastly different outcomes.
The West Midlands derby saw Aston Villa and Birmingham share a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Villa Park, a result that sees both teams locked in mid-table.
However, there was drama in the North East derby between Newcastle and Sunderland, as the home side ran riot with a stunning 5-1 victory.
Newcastle captain Kevin Nolan scored his first-ever Premier League hat-trick with striker Shola Ameobi adding the other two.
Sunderland's top scorer Darren Bent scored a late consolation goal for the visitors who had to play the majority of the second half with just 10 men after their former Newcastle defender Titus Bramble was sent off for a late challenge on Andy Carroll.
