London, April 19:

Chelsea cut their deficit from Premier League leaders Manchester United back to three points by beating West Ham United 4-1 on Wednesday.

Shaun Wright-Phillips scored two goals, and Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba added the others for the two-time defending champions. Carlos Tevez scored one for West Ham.

Liverpool got two goals from Steven Gerrard to move back into third place with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough, and Blackburn beat last-place Watford 3-1. Blackburn got goals from Christopher Samba, Jason Roberts and Benni McCarthy, while Douglas Rinaldi scored for Watford.

United are trying to win three major trophies this season, while Chelsea are aiming for four. Besides fighting for the Premier League title, both teams have reached the English FA Cup final and the Champions League semi-finals. Chelsea already have won the English League Cup.

Man United have 81 points. Liverpool are third with 64 points, two ahead of Arsenal. West Ham (29) are fighting to avoid relegation.

Copa del Rey

BARCELONA: Lionel Messi scored two goals to help FC Barcelona beat Getafe 5-2 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Messi’s first goal in the 29th minute was reminiscent of Diego Maradona’s against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals. The Argentine beat four opponents in a run from his own half before rounding goalkeeper Luis Garcia and scoring from a narrow angle.

Messi added another in the 45th. Midfielder Xavi Hernandez also scored, and strikers Eidur Gudjohnsen and Samuel Eto’o added the others. Daniel Guiza and Nacho Perez scored for Getefa.

Italian Serie A

ROME: AS Roma beat Inter Milan 3-1 to prevent the Serie A leaders from clinching the league title. Roma captain Francesco Totti scored in the 88th minute and Marco Cassetti added another in injury time. Roma’s Simone Perrotta had opened the scoring in the 44th and Marco Materazzi equalised for Inter in the 52nd. AC Milan beat Ascoli 5-2 in another match. Inter lead the table with 81 points, followed by Roma with 68.