Fernando Torres came off the bench to keep Liverpool's Premier League title bid on track by inspiring the Reds to a last-gasp win over Fulham on Saturday.

Rafael Benitez's side had laboured for over eighty minutes to break down the Cottagers at Anfield. But after Torres brilliantly breached their defence nine minutes from time, they finally ran out 2-0 winners thanks to an 85th-minute penalty from skipper Steven Gerrard.

The win lifted Liverpool into fourth place in the table, three points adrift of joint leaders Arsenal, who travel to Reading on Monday, and Manchester United, who host Blackburn Rovers 24 hours earlier.

Earlier on Saturday, Sunderland's derby clash with local rivals Newcastle United ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw for the Wearside outfit after a performance that could and should have secured three badly needed points.

The day's only other match in the top flight saw West Ham United inflict a demoralising 5-0 defeat on bottom side Derby County in front of their own supporters.

Sunderland looked set to claim local bragging rights when Danny Higginbotham headed them into a 52nd-minute lead at the Stadium Light. But they allowed Newcastle to equalise when James Milner's cross crept in at the far post and they are slipping dangerously close to the relegation zone after going seven games without a win.

Trinidad striker Kenwyne Jones missed a glorious chance and former Newcastle player Michael Chopra hit the bar as Sunderland pushed for victory in the closing stages, and manager Roy Keane said the missed opportunities should serve as a lesson for his struggling squad. "The beauty of the Premiership is if you don't take your chances it will come back to haunt you and that's what happened," said the Irishman.

"We can talk all day about luck but the players had the chances. We keep getting these lessons in the Premiership."

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce admitted he was relieved to have avoided defeat in his first derby in charge of the Magpies. "It's a little bit more acceptable if you come back from a goal down away from home in a derby game and get a draw. It's a big local derby and we haven't lost. That's very important for the fans.

"Up until the goal Sunderland had out-muscled us and we couldn't get our passing game going. Their goal was disappointing. We can't afford to keep giving silly mistakes away."