WednesdayAston Villa 2-2 QPRBlackburn 0-2 NewcastleBolton 0-0 ArsenalSunderland 3-0 NorwichLONDON – Arsenal missed a great chance to move within touching distance of the top four in the Premier League on Wednesday, drawing 0-0 at relegation-threatened Bolton to slip back to seventh place in the standings.Instead, it was Newcastle which breathed new life into its Champions League hopes by winning 2-0 at Blackburn to climb above Arsenal into fifth position— three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.Robin van Persie struck the goal frame twice in the second half for Arsenal, which is in danger of missing out on next season’s European competitions entirely if the team can’t turn around a run that has failed to yield a victory in four matches. “The belief is there, the desire is there and the confidence is there,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. “We have come through a difficult period and we have, of course, a fight in front of us—but we are ready for it.”Sunderland kept up its revival under Martin O’Neill by easing past Norwich 3-0 to jump to eighth, West Bromwich Albion grabbed a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Fulham, and Aston Villa rallied from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home to Queens Park Rangers.Chelsea’s 1-1 draw at Swansea on Tuesday left the door ajar for Arsenal and Newcastle to make inroads, but only Alan Pardew’s men took full advantage.An unfortunate own goal by Scott Dann gifted Newcastle the lead in the 12th minute at Ewood Park and French winger Gabriel Obertan made the game safe in second-half injury time, compounding the relegation worries of third-to-last Blackburn.
