Camara rescues Saints against Norwich

Southampton climbed off the bottom of the Premiership table following a 4-3 rollercoaster win at home to relegation rivals Norwich at St Mary's Stadium.

After the teams shared six goals in a see-saw first half and wasted numerous chances after the break, Henri Camara's 25-yard half-volley two minutes from full-time settled the match in favour of Southampton.

The result left Saints outside the relegation zone on 31 points with Norwich on 30 points, bottom of the table.

West Brom, who face second-placed Arsenal on Monday, were second bottom, also on 30 points.

Crystal Palace, who gained a point from a goalless draw away to Newcastle, dropped back into the bottom three on goal difference.

In the race for the fourth Champions League place Liverpool narrowed the gap between themselves and local rivals Everton to three points following a 1-1 draw at home to Middlesbrough.

Everton meanwhile went down to a 2-0 defeat away to Fulham.

In other matches Birmingham came from behind to beat Blackburn 2-1 and Manchester City defeated Portsmouth 2-0.

Meanwhile at the top of the table Premiership leaders Chelsea, 11 points ahead of Arsenal, will win their first top-flight title in 50 years if they win away to Bolton in Saturday's late kick-off game.

Southampton, just as they had done in last week's 4-1 defeat away to arch-rivals Portsmouth, conceded an early goal.

David Bentley put the Canaries ahead in the third minute when he volleyed in Leon McKenzie's cross.

But four minutes later the hosts were level when Matt Oakley fired low beyond Norwich's England keeper Robert Green after a pass from striker Peter Crouch.

The giant forward, who missed the Pompey match through injury, then got on the scoresheet himself when he connected with a cross from Rory Delap in the 20th minute.

However, in a match featuring abysmal defending by both teams, more goals were always likely and so it proved when Saints defender Danny Higginbotham put through his own net in the 31st minute following a centre from Norwich striker Darren Huckerby to make it 2-2.

And the match took another twist when Saints's former England full-back Graeme Le Saux volleyed home in the 39th minute.

But once more they could not hold on to a lead and McKenzie equalised on half-time when he slotted home to level the game at 3-3 before Camara's brilliant winner.

Everton fell behind to a 15th minute strike from Collins John, 14 yards out, at Craven Cottage.

United States striker Brian McBride then doubled the Cottagers lead six minutes before half-time with a powerful header.

But Fulham were reduced to 10 men when Papa Bouba Diof was sent-off for a second yellow card following a foul on James McFadden with 14 minutes left.

Liverpool, who could be allowed by the FA to compete in next season's Champions League if they win this term's trophy (they face Chelsea in the second leg of the semi-finals on Tuesday with the tie still goalless) if they don't finish among the leading quartet, fell behind in the fourth minute when Boro striker Szilard Nemeth struck.

But in the 52nd minute Liverpool's captain fantastic Steven Gerrard equalised with a stunning 30-yard volley.

Portsmouth, who needed a point to be mathematically certain of Premiership survival, found themselves 2-0 down at the City of Manchester Stadium inside 17 minutes.

Manchester City strengthened caretaker boss Stuart Pearce's claim for the job on a permanent basis as early as the fourth minute when, from a Robbie Fowler corner, Richard Dunne's header was nodded in by Sylvain Distin.

Fowler himself made it 2-0 when he beat Pompey goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown with a 25-yard free-kick in the 16th minute.

Before kick-off at St Andrews former Birmingham midfielder Robbie Savage was left out by Blackburn because of a 'gentleman's agreement' between the two clubs that the Wales international, controversially transfered to Rovers earlier in the season, would not play in this match.

In the 13th minute Savage's current club took the lead when Rovers striker Jon Stead headed in a cross from Brett Emerton before Birmingham substitute Robbie Blake equalised on the hour mark, moments after coming on.

And in the 80th minute Emile Heskey completed the Blues's fightback.

Sunday sees Manchester United, third and four points behind Arsenal, away to Charlton with mid-table duo Tottenham and Aston Villa meeting at White Hart Lane.