Arsenal's title hopes were virtually extinguished in a 3-3 draw at West Ham United and Aston Villa's top-flight status is merely mathematical after an eighth successive defeat all but sealed its fate Saturday. In the late match, goals from Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri helped Manchester City cement its place in the top four of the Premier League but only after it had been given a fright at the Etihad Stadium. City, in fourth, is four points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United, which visits Tottenham Hotspur Sunday. Needing a storming finish to the Premier League season and a Leicester City wobble to have any chance of finishing top, Arsenal seemed on course for a third consecutive victory when it led 2-0 but the Gunners were rocked by Andy Carroll's quick-fire hat trick. Laurent Koscielny's equalizer against the Hammers spared third-placed Arsenal a defeat in the last London derby at Upton Park but it remained 10 points adrift of Leicester with six games left. "We have to keep going no matter what, and hope. You never know what can happen," said manager Arsene Wenger although his priority now seems to be about sealing a 19th straight season in the Champions League by finishing in the top four. The relegation trapdoor is not completely nailed down on bottom club Villa but after an eighth consecutive league defeat, 2-1 at home to Bournemouth, it can start making plans for life in the Championship. Villa is marooned on 16 points with five games left and the most it can now attain is 31, the haul that fourth from bottom Norwich City has after it went down 1-0 at Crystal Palace. The former European champion also has a minus-41 goal difference compared to Norwich's minus-22 so only a surreal set of circumstances can save it. Newcastle still has a modicum of hope but it is fading fast after it lost 3-1 at Southampton to leave Rafa Benitez's side second from bottom, six points behind Norwich and two adrift of Sunderland which hosts Leicester Sunday. Swansea City effectively secured its safety as Gylfi Sigurdsson's goal meant it became the first side to beat Chelsea in the league since Guus Hiddink took charge of the champion in December. Injury-hit Chelsea produced a lackluster display as its 15-match unbeaten spell under Dutchman Hiddink ended in disappointing fashion in Wales. Elsewhere, FA Cup semifinalist Watford and Everton drew 1-1. Second-placed Tottenham Hotspur faces Manchester United, which is fifth, Sunday. Bolton relegated, Burnley close in on promotion Bolton was relegated from the Championship after a 4-1 defeat against Derby, while second tier leader Burnley took another step toward the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Leeds Saturday. Rock bottom Bolton was already almost certain to slip into League One for the first time since 1993 and its fate was sealed at the iPro Stadium. Second placed Middlesbrough also boosted its automatic promotion hopes with a 1-0 win at home to Preston to lift it four points clear of third placed Brighton. Hull remains fourth thanks to a stoppage-time equalizer from Adama Diomande in a 2-2 draw at Huddersfield. Sheffield Wednesday dropped to sixth after a 4-1 defeat at Bristol City, but playoff hopefuls Cardiff and Ipswich could not take advantage as they were beaten.
