Everton salvages draw against Aston Villa
Not the result that QPR needed
Marouane Fellaini scored a last-minute equalizer as struggling Aston Villa drew 3-3 with Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Villa striker Christian Benteke got the visitors off to a flying start when he beat defender Jonny Heitinga and fired the ball low past Toffees keeper Tim Howard in the second minute before Victor Anichebe leveled the score at 1-1 following some poor defending.
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Seconds later, Paul Lambert's side was back in front though thanks to Gabriel Agbonlahor, who fired into the bottom corner to give Villa a 2-1 lead at the break.
Villa extended its lead when Benteke added his second after the break, again beating Heitinga, as he headed past Howard in a bid to seal a much-needed win.
Everton was not done, though, with Fellaini poking the ball home from Anichebe's lay-off before he leveled the score with a header at the near post in the 90th minute.
"I thought we deserved to win the game," said Lambert. "You are never going to get an easy game here but it is disappointing to only get a point."
Norwich goalkeeper Mark Bunn saved a penalty as big-spending QPR was held to a goalless draw at Loftus Road.
Adel Taarabt was denied by Bunn from the spot after the keeper gave away a spot kick when he brought down Jamie Mackie.
The 0-0 draw was the fourth consecutive stalemate for Harry Redknapp's Rs, who remained at the foot of the Premier League table before the rest of the weekend's action began.
"I felt if we had scored the penalty, we would have gone on and won the game," Redknapp said. "Of course we need wins, but we could not have tried any harder -- we gave everything we had."
After the match, Redknapp also revealed that their recent signing Loic Remy had strained a groin muscle in training Friday.
"I have no idea at the moment how long he will be out," said Redknapp. "It was in the last minute of training, and he just struck a ball, felt it go. We will have to see how he is tomorrow and Monday, then take it from there."
Reading beat Sunderland 2-1 at the Madejski Stadium to climb out of the relegation zone.
Jimmy Kebe gave Reading the lead when he fired the ball past Simon Mignolet before Pavel Pogrebnyak fouled John O'Shea to give Sunderland a penalty.
Craig Gardner stepped up to level the score at the break with a well-taken spot kick before Kebe scored a late winner to give Reading a vital win and continue its strong run of form.
"Jimmy Kebe is becoming phenomenal in the air," said Reading boss Brian McDermott. "I was so pleased for him because he such a brave player both physically and mentally. He wants to get on the ball and I think the first goal was fabulous. He wins headers and is good in the air, that was a great finish today."
Wigan threw away its lead to draw 2-2 against Southampton at the DW Stadium.
Rickie Lambert's close-range header canceled out Gary Caldwell's effort, before Morgan Schneiderlin's late score looked to have snatched the points for the Saints.
However, Shaun Maloney popped up with a late equalizer for the Latics, but it was not enough for Wigan to climb out of the relegation zone.
West Ham beat Swansea 1-0 at Upton Park thanks to Andy Carroll's second goal of the season, a header past Gerhard Tremmel.
Information from Press Association was used in this report.
