London, April 27:

Liverpool’s slim chances of overhauling Arsenal to finish third were hit by a 2-2 draw against

Birmingham in the Premier League on Saturday, a result that also had ramifications at the other end of the standings.

Birmingham stayed in the three-team relegation zone and their failure to win boosted Fulham’s faint chances of avoiding demotion. Fulham’s hopes are still alive after they scored three goals in the last 20 minutes to rally from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Manchester City.

Chelsea and Manchester United have 81 points each after the Blues won 2-1 on Saturday

but United stand atop the standing on superior goal difference. Liverpool are 11 points back after they draw at Birmingham. Mikael Forssell and Sebastian Larsson put Birmingham 2-0 ahead, but Peter Crouch and Yossi Benayoun scored for the visitors.

Fulham looked like they were going to be relegated on Saturday when they trailed to goals from Stephen Ireland and Benjani Mwaruwari in the first 21 minutes, but Diomansy Kamara scored and Danny Murphy then levelled the scores from a rebound after his penalty was saved. Kamara then scored in the last minute from 12 yards to complete an improbable comeback.

Despite the win, Fulham remained deep in trouble on 30 points, two fewer than Birmingham. Reading are just a point further ahead after a 0-0 draw at Wigan, and Bolton stayed above Reading only on goal difference after a 1-1 draw at Tottenham. Middlesbrough could still go down after they lost 3-2 at local rival Sunderland, who are now certain to stay in the top division next season.

Spanish La Liga

MADRID: Juan Rodriguez and Pablo Amo scored second-half goals on Saturday to give Deportivo La Coruna a 2-0 win over a depleted FC Barcelona, increasing Real Madrid’s chance of clinching the Spanish league championship this weekend.

Madrid will retain their title on Sunday with a win over Athletic Bilbao at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium provided second-place Villarreal fail to win at Real Betis. Barca’s loss was a blow to their hopes of finishing runner-up, which would provide them with a direct berth into the group stage of next season’s European Champions League.

It was Deportivo’s fifth straight win, a run which has lifted the team from the lower half of the standings into seventh place with 49 points. Also Saturday, Sevilla suffered a blow to their hopes of a Champions League place next season with a 0-0 draw at relegation-threatened Murcia.

Madrid have 72 points, 10 more than Villarreal and 11 more than Barcelona with four rounds remaining after Sunday.

Rijkaard omitted forwards Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o, midfielders Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, defender Gabriel Milito and goalkeeper Victor Valdes with a view to Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final return leg at Manchester United. The teams drew the first leg 0-0 on Wednesday.