Edwin van der Sar's howler gifted Arsenal a 1-0 win at Fulham and kept alive their dream of completing an unbeaten season in the Premiership.

The Fulham goalkeeper was left horribly embarrassed after eight minutes when he struggled to control Martin Djetou's routine back-pass and was tackled by Jose Antonio Reyes, who then clipped his shot into the empty net.

Fulham hit back through Luis Boa Morte, who drew a smart save from Jens Lehmann, and Steed Malbranque, whose curling effort hit the side netting.

But Arsenal could have doubled their lead 10 minutes from half-time when Ashley Cole headed straight at van der Sar.

Fulham had enjoyed the better of the game and nearly equalised on 56 minutes when Malbranque's brilliant overhead kick went just over.

Reyes nearly got his second on 70 minutes when he dragged a shot wide and he was nearly made to paid for that miss when Sylvain Legwinski's powerful drive was deflected wide by Cole.

Moritz Volz also went close for Fulham, while Thierry Henry's free-kick, saved by van der Sar, nearly gave him his 30th Premiership goal as time ran out.

Earlier Alan Shearer missed a late penalty as Newcastle's Champions League challenge unravelled as they were held to a 1-1 draw by relegated Wolves.

The 33-year-old was handed a chance to claim a priceless victory eight minutes from time after Paul Ince had pushed Gary Speed in the box, but keeper Paul Jones pulled off a fine save to deny him.

United looked to be coasting when Lee Bowyer fired home his first United goal seven minutes before the break, but substitute Vio Ganea levelled with 20 minutes remaining to badly damage the home side's hopes of clinching fourth place.

Ten-man Chelsea secured the second automatic Champions League spot at Manchester United's expense after a thrilling 1-1 encounter in the early kick-off at Old Trafford.

Jesper Gronkjaer put the visitors in front with a superb curling first-half strike which looked like proving to be the winner when Ruud van Nistelrooy had his spot-kick saved by Carlo Cudicini.

But, after Robert Huth had been dismissed 17 minutes from time, Cudicini blotted his copybook by failing to collect Mikael Silvestre's lofted cross and Van Nistelrooy netted his 27th goal of the campaign and his first in the league since February 11.

Liverpool moved closer to the final Champions League spot after an emphatic 3-0 win at Birmingham.

Emile Heskey set up Michael Owen for the opening goal jjust before the half hour mark and Heskey himself, a possible Blues transfer target this summer, sealed the points with a neat finish to a sweeping move six minutes after the interval.

The home side then had Kenny Cunningham red-carded for a professional foul on Steven Gerrard.

And the 10 men could not stop Gerrard adding a late third which effectively ended Aston Villa's hopes of claiming fourth place after their 1-1 draw with Southampton.

Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel had slotted home a 39th-minute penalty but Kevin Phillips popped up with a slick right-footed finish to level matters just before the break.

Peter Crouch had a great chance to score a winner for Villa 14 minutes from time but he headed straight into the arms of Antti Niemi.

French striker Youri Djorkaeff kept alive Bolton's faint European hopes with a brace to earn a 2-1 victory over Everton at Goodison Park

The former Inter Milan forward held off the attentions of several defenders before producing a deft finish on 14 minutes to set Sam Allardyce's men on course for their fifth consecutive victory.

But Duncan Ferguson (68) hauled Everton level from just inside the penalty area and the game was heading towards a draw before Djorkaeff converted Simon Charlton's cross three minutes from time.

Alan Smith capped what could be his last home appearance in a Leeds shirt by netting his side's third goal in a hugely-entertaining 3-3 draw with Charlton at Elland Road.

The result confirmed Leeds' relegation to the Nationwide First Division.

Smith, who is expected to leave the club in the summer, was named captain for the day and scored a 69th-minute penalty as the Whites showed the fighting spirit absent for much of the season in coming back from a goal down.

Republic of Ireland midfielder Matt Holland gave the visitors the lead with a stunning 30-yard goal in the 11th minute at Elland Road but the hosts responded through young defender Matthew Kilgallon.

Kilgallon arrived at the far post to meet Stephen McPhail's inswinging 29th-minute free-kick and Jermaine Pennant then finished a slick move to put the Whites in front three minutes before the break.

Charlton's Jason Euell scored from the spot 14 minutes from time and three minutes later he grabbed his second, pouncing from close range.

Tottenham's Jermain Defoe scored the only goal of the game against fellow strugglers Blackburn at White Hart Lane.

The former West Ham striker latched onto a long punt forward and turned neatly before cracking the ball into the top corner in the 18th minute.

Already-relegated Leicester stunned in-form Portsmouth with a 3-1 win at the Walkers Stadium.

Pompey defender Matthew Taylor put through his own goal in the sixth minute as the Foxes went in search of their third win on home soil.

And striker Paul Dickov curled a fine 27th-minute effort beyond Shaka Hislop to double his side's advantage.

The visitors rallied after the break and reduced the deficit through Nigel Quashie (66) but James Scowcroft replied five minutes later to extend Leicester's lead.

Middlesbrough dominated matters against Manchester City and earned a deserved 2-1 victory at the Riverside.

The hosts took a 2-0 lead through Massimo Maccarone and Szilard Nemeth although Kevin Keegan's men got themselves back in it courtesy of Paulo Wanchope.

Maccarone broke down the left and beat England keeper David James with what appeared to be an intended cross but it gave Boro an eight-minute lead nevertheless.

Nemeth scored another 13 minutes before half-time but Wanchope netted three minutes later.