Bale sends Spurs fourth, Wigan close on safety
LONDON (AFP) –
Tottenham Hotspur’s midfielder Gareth Bale celebrates scoring his goal during their English Premier League football match bagainst Southampton at White Hart Lane in north London on May 4, 2013. Gareth Bale fired Tottenham Hotspur up to fourth place in the Premier League with a spectacular late winner against former club Southampton.
Gareth Bale fired Tottenham Hotspur up to fourth place in the Premier League with a spectacular late winner against former club Southampton on Saturday, while Wigan Athletic boosted their hopes of survival with a resilient 3-2 win at West Bromwich Albion.
Bale was this week named the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year, to go with his double success at the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year awards, and he proved his worth once again with his 25th goal of the campaign.
In a game delayed by half an hour due to a nearby motorway closure, Southampton looked set to claim a hard-earned point until Bale struck with four minutes to play.
Collecting possession wide on the right, the Welshman cut inside and shrugged off Luke Shaw before arrowing a crisp drive into the bottom-left corner from 25 yards.
Wigan Athletic’s striker Callum McManaman celebrates after their English Premier League football match against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns in West Bromwich, central England on May 4, 2013. Wigan won the game 3-2.
Spurs’ win knocked north London rivals Arsenal out of the Champions League places, but Arsene Wenger’s side can return to the top four if they win at relegated Queens Park Rangers later on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Callum McManaman scored a late winner as Wigan gave themselves renewed hope of avoiding relegation by twice coming from behind to win at West Brom.
The home side twice took the lead at the Hawthorns, through Shane Long and Gareth McAuley, only for Wigan to reply on each occasion through Arouna Kone and substitute James McArthur, who scored with his first touch.
McManaman then netted the decisive goal in the 80th minute, side-footing home from close range after a superb run down the left from Shaun Maloney.
“We have worked really hard for two months to get us in the position where, with two weeks of the season left, we are still involved in two competitions,” said Wigan manager Roberto Martinez.
Swansea City’s defender Ashley Williams (bottom) blocks a shot from Manchester City’s midfielder David Silva during their English Premier League football match in Swansea, south Wales, on May 4, 2013. The match ended in a 0-0 draw.
“If we stay up, it would be like winning the title.”
FA Cup finalists Wigan are now just two points below fourth-bottom Sunderland, who host Stoke City on Monday, and three points adrift of Newcastle United, who could only draw 0-0 at West Ham United.
Gabriel Agbonlahor may have secured Aston Villa’s top-flight status for another year after scoring an 89th-minute winner in a 2-1 success at Norwich City.
Villa, who thrashed Sunderland 6-1 on Monday, took a 55th-minute lead when Agbonlahor drove forward from the halfway line before planting a shot into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the 18-yard box.
Grant Holt equalised from the penalty spot with 16 minutes to play, but Agbonlahor struck again at the death to send Paul Lambert’s team five points clear of danger, albeit having played a game more than third-bottom Wigan.
Elsewhere, deposed champions Manchester City were held to a 0-0 draw at Swansea City in a forgettable game at the Liberty Stadium.
Aston Villa’s striker Gabriel Agbonlahor scores at Villa Park in Birmingham, in the West Midlands, England, on April 29, 2013. Agbonlahor boosted Aston Villa’s Premier League survival hopes as his late winner secured a vital 2-1 victory at Norwich Saturday.
The visitors’ best chance fell to Edin Dzeko, who somehow contrived to shoot wide from Pablo Zabaleta’s pass in the dying stages.
The result left Roberto Mancini’s men 13 points behind champions Manchester United, who could now move 16 points clear at the summit with victory at home to third-place Chelsea on Sunday.
Hal Robson-Kanu scored twice as relegated Reading secured only their second away win of the season with a 4-2 success at Fulham, who fell to 13th place.
The Welsh international opened the scoring with a 12th-minute penalty and curled in his second goal 17 minutes into the second half.
Bryan Ruiz hit back twice for Fulham, either side of a 75th-minute strike by Adam Le Fondre, but Jem Karacan made sure of victory with a low shot seven minutes from full-time.
Hull City secured a place in the Premier League for next season earlier on Saturday after drawing 2-2 at home to already-promoted Cardiff City on the final day of the Championship season.
Watford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and Leicester City will contest the play-offs.