Associated Press

London, January 4:

Liverpool beat Norwich 2-1 to move up to fifth in the Premier League, while struggling Blackburn and Crystal Palace earned much needed wins.

Liverpool won at the Canaries’ Carrow Road ground with two goals in six minutes of the second half from Spanish forward Luis Garcia and Norwegian midfielder John Arne Riise.

The Reds climbed one place above Middlesbrough to fifth with 37 points, 15 points behind league leader Chelsea. Norwich dropped to 18th with 16 points.

Andy Johnson scored twice as Crystal Palace climbed out of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa. Blackburn moved up to 15th, six points from safety, with a 1-0 win over Charlton on Brett Emerton’s 41st-minute goal.

West Bromwich Albion drew 0-0 with Newcastle but still stayed bottom. The point was the first that West Brom has earned at home since Bryan Robson took over as manager in mid-November but the Baggies are still five points from safety.

Newcastle, with its three main strikers injured, is in 13th position — 14 points from a Champions League placing.