Everton tighten grip on fourth

By Martyn Herman

LONDON (Reuters) - Everton tightened their grip on fourth place in the Premier League and the prospect of Champions League football with a 1-0 win over Reading on Saturday.

Phil Jagielka headed the winner at Goodison Park to condemn Reading to a seventh consecutive league defeat which left them in the relegation zone for the first time this season.

Everton have 47 points, three more than Aston Villa who moved into fifth after a John Carew hat-trick sealed a 4-1 hammering of Newcastle United, who had led at halftime.

The title race resumes on Sunday with the Manchester derby at Old Trafford and Chelsea's home match against Liverpool. Leaders Arsenal are not in action until Monday when they host Blackburn Rovers.

Sunderland improved their survival chances with a 2-0 home defeat of fellow strugglers Wigan Athletic while Birmingham City edged out of the bottom three, above Reading, with a 1-1 draw at West Ham United, who had Lee Bowyer sent off.

Improving Middlesbrough gave a debut to record signing Afonso Alves as they beat Fulham 1-0, the Brazilian coming on as a substitute in the second half.

Tottenham Hotspur beat bottom club Derby County 3-0 while Portsmouth moved into seventh place with a 1-0 win at Bolton Wanderers.