Tottenham stay fourth

LONDON (AP):

Roman Pavlyuchenko and Luka Modric fired Tottenham to a 2-1 victory over Everton yesterday to keep Spurs in fourth place in the Premier League.

Russian striker Pavlyuchenko scored the first in the 11th minute and Croatian midfielder Modric added the second in the 28th as Tottenham cruised into a comfortable lead at White Hart Lane.

But Ayegbeni Yakubu hit back for Everton in the 55th minute and substitute, Landon Donovan, missed an easy chance near the end which would have earned the visitors a point.

Unbeaten home run

The victory gave Tottenham 49 points from 28 games and kept Harry Redknapp's team above Manchester City on goal difference.

City won 4-2 at Chelsea on Saturday to end the leader's 38-game unbeaten home run in all competitions.

Tottenham's first goal came after a low cross by Jermain Defoe found Pavlyuchenko unmarked and he tapped the ball home for his sixth goal in his last four games.

Modric added the second with an audacious chip from the edge of the area with goalkeeper Tim Howard off his line, the ball going in off the underside of the crossbar.

A header

Yakubu forced the ball home after Jack Rodwell headed a corner into the goalmouth.

Donovan went on as a substitute for Victor Anichebe and the American star should have equalised. He was left unmarked at the far post from Rodwell's cross but shot into the side of the net.

The game kicked off ahead of the rest of yesterday's schedule.

Liverpool, who are also chasing fourth spot, moved to 48 points after beating hosts Blackburn Rovers 2-1 on goals from Steven Gerrard (20th) and Fernando Torres (44th). Keith Andrews, who had equalised, netted a 40th-minute penalty for Blackburn.

The other match yesterday bretween Sunderland and Fulham ended goalless.