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Hammers frustrated by Rovers, City lose at Goodison

West Ham face a massive match at Wigan next week © Getty Images

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Blackpool surrendered yet another lead, as Tottenham fought back to claim a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane.

With Wigan also drawing 1-1, the results mean Blackpool remain out of the bottom three on goal difference.

There was plenty riding on the game at White Hart Lane, with both sides fighting at opposite ends of the table, and with so much at stake it was a tense affair.

Charlie Adam fired Blackpool ahead from the penalty spot, but it could be argued the Blackpool captain was fortunate to be on the field having committed a horror tackle that saw Gareth Bale leave the field on a stretcher.

Adam kept his cool to beat Heurelho Gomes on 76 minutes, as barely a minute earlier he had seen a first penalty saved by the Brazilian keeper.

Gomes summed up his season in a chaotic 30 seconds as, after plunging to his left to keep out a penalty from Adam after Michael Dawson had handled in the area, the keeper went walkabout from a corner and brought down Gary Taylor-Fletcher.

Adam had to rip the ball out of DJ Campbell's hands in order to take the spot kick and it was the right decision as he slammed home.

Blackpool have so often conceded leads and they were at it again, as Jermain Defoe drilled home from 20 yards.

West Ham remain in grave danger of slipping through the relegation trapdoor after being held to a 1-1 draw by Blackburn Rovers at Upton Park. The Hammers are rooted to the bottom of the table, three points from safety with two games remaining, while Blackburn have moved four points away from 18th place.

Avram Grant's side made a promising start to the match, with Manuel da Costa having a header cleared off the line, but it was Rovers who took the lead on 12 minutes, Jason Roberts sliding in from six yards following a fine low cross from Brett Emerton.

After taking a while to settle down following the early setback, the Hammers found themselves in charge at the start of the second period - although, for all their pressure, most of their efforts were fizzing wide from long range. A strike from distance did creep in on 78 minutes, however, as Thomas Hitzlsperger lashed the ball in from 18 yards with an unstoppable first-time shot that left Paul Robinson motionless.

The Hammers had a golden chance to snatch the points with three minutes remaining, Robbie Keane somehow sidefooting wide from four yards out. The Hammers avoided defeat for the first time in six matches, but it looks unlikely that it will be enough to keep them in the league.

Meanwhile, the door remains open for Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool to snatch a Champions League place after fourth-placed Manchester City fell to a 2-1 defeat at Everton.

Although City could have been forgiven for having one mind on next week's FA Cup final, there was no sign of distraction early on as they created a glut of chances - so it was no surprise when Yaya Toure put them ahead on 30 minutes, the Ivorian latching onto David Silva's fine through ball before coolly slotting past Tim Howard.

Yaya Toure gave Manchester City the lead, but they warned up for the FA Cup final with a defeat at Everton © PA Photos

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City continued to impress at the start of the second period, but it was Everton who struck next, as former City player Sylvain Distin hammered in a header from Mikel Arteta's delivery on 65 minutes, leaving Roberto Mancini irate on the touchline. And the Italian's mood worsened shortly after as Leon Osman, a diminuitive midfielder not known for his prowess in the air, climbed highest to nudge the Toffees ahead - and extend Mancini's record against Everton to zero points from four league games.

Wigan claimed a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa. The visitors, who had never lost at Villa Park in the league before kick-off, claimed a deserved lead on ten minutes as Charles N'Zogbia tapped in following fine approach work from Victor Moses. The hosts hit back almost immediately, however, with Ashley Young firing in a 25-yard free-kick that Ali Al-Habsi, diving low to his left, could not keep out.

Chances were at a premium during a tense second half, although Hugo Rodallega did go agonisingly close to seizing all three points for Wigan, who host West Ham next week in a relegation showdown.

Birmingham still have cause for concern at the bottom of the table following a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle. After an uneventful 35 minutes, Alex McLeish's side were plunged into chaos as half-time approached when Shola Ameobi found the back of the net from the spot, with the striker profiting from Liam Ridgewell's handball on the line - an offence which saw the Blues defender dismissed.

Before they could reach the sanctuary of the dressing room, Alex McLeish's side saw their plight deepen as Steven Taylor buried a header from a corner - but Lee Bowyer, formerly of Newcastle, halved the deficit prior to the interval with a deflected strike. In the second period, Sebastian Larsson spurned a golden chance to earn the visitors - who are four points away from the drop zone - a draw.

Sunderland claimed a rare triumph on the road © PA Photos

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A 90th-minute own goal from Zat Knight earned Sunderland a 2-1 victory at Bolton Wanderers. An injury-ravaged Sunderland outfit, who had taken four points from 33 prior to the fixture, claimed a shock advantage on 44 minutes thanks to Bolo Zenden, who beat the offside trap before rounding Jussi Jaaskelainen and rolling into the empty net. The strike was the Black Cats' first on their travels for three months.

The visitors looked to have had their hearts broken when Ivan Klasnic equalised with five minutes remaining, before Knight bundled into his own net.

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