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LONDON -- Steven Gerrard scored twice from the penalty spot as Liverpool stretched its Premier League winning streak to nine matches and returned to the top of the table with a 2-1 win at West Ham on Sunday, while Arsenal was dealt another blow by a top-five team in a 3-0 thrashing by Everton. For once, the free-scoring Reds had to battle hard to claim a hard-fought victory ahead of their much-anticipated clash against Manchester City in a meeting between the two main title contenders. "It is going to be a magnificent atmosphere at Anfield," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. "The supporters really urged us on today and we want to see if we can get 10 in a row." With five games remaining, Liverpool leads Chelsea by two points as it pursues a first league title since 1990. Manchester City is four points off the pace but has two games in hand. Earlier, Everton made Arsenal pay for their poor defending with strikes from Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku as well as an own goal from Mikel Arteta. "You could say there was a lack of fight," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "Its a massive worry. We have to come back with much more personality and much stronger challenges." Arsenal has secured only two points from its last four matches as the Gunners remain in fourth place in the standings, but only one point above Everton, which has a match in hand and a better goal difference. Gerrard put Liverpool ahead in the 44th minute after West Ham defender James Tomkins handled a flick by Luis Suarez in the area. But West Ham defender Guy Demel equalized on the stroke of halftime when Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet spilled a cross following a challenge from former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll. The assistant referee initially signalled for a foul on Carroll, but referee Anthony Taylor overruled him despite protests from the Liverpool players. Gerrard then scored his second in the 71st minute after Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan was brought down by West Ham goalkeeper Adrian. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger criticized his players for their poor display and admitted his side is now facing an uphill task. "Im 100 per cent determined to fight to make the top four but it will be difficult," said Wenger. "We have a run-in that is feasible but we must focus on the quality of our displays before dreaming of places." While Everton continued its superb attacking form to cut its deficit to the Gunners to one point in the battle for the fourth place, Arsenal stuttered again against a strong team. The Gunners have lost all their away league matches against the current top five, also losing 6-3 at Manchester City, 5-1 at Liverpool and 6-0 at Chelsea. Everton, which has scored 12 goals in its last four games, claimed a sixth consecutive league win. "It would mean everything," Naismith said about his teams possible top-four finish. "But we have believed from the start of the season and we have shown that in these recent performances." The defeat piled pressure on Wenger, who is chasing a first trophy with the Gunners since 2005 and has guided them to Champions League football in each of his 16 full seasons in charge. Everton had beaten Arsenal just once in their last 15 league meetings but looked the superior team on Sunday. Naismith opened the scoring in the 14th minute from inside the box after Leighton Baines picked Lukaku with a low ball. The Belgium international forced Wojciech Szczesny into a save but the Arsenal keeper could not hold the ball and Naismith fired home the rebound. Arsenals defence buckled again with Lukaku hardly challenged when he doubled the Merseyside teams lead in the 34th minute following a good collective move. The powerful forward collected a through ball from Kevin Mirallas then cut inside and fired a low shot past Szczesny. Wengers team improved after the interval, but Everton decided the game when Bacary Sagna lost the ball to allow Mirallas to launch a quick counterattack. The Belgian slipped the ball to Naismith who could not round Szczesny but the loose ball came into Mirallas path before rebounding into the net following a challenge from Arteta. Brett Anderson Jersey . The judge sternly instructed the prosecutor to restrain himself and he apologized -- then went right back to trying to pick holes in the testimony of the double-amputee runner. 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Curtis Granderson Jersey .com) - Jahlil Okafor had 21 points, Tyus Jones scored 16 with 10 assists and No.TORONTO -- The CFL and CFL Players Association resumed negotiations Friday on a new collective bargaining agreement. According to a league source requesting anonymity, the two sides began talking during the day and continued into early Saturday morning. The source added no deal was reached but the CFL and union would resume negotiations Saturday. And thats a good sign, considering the CFL and CFLPA last met face to face on May 29, the same day the previous CBA expired. While talks will resume Saturday, players with the Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders will also hold their first strike vote as well. Veterans on teams outside Alberta have already voted and are in a legal strike position but the Eskimos and Stampeders were unable to vote earlier due to provincial labour laws. If they vote in favour of a strike, the earliest they could do so is Wednesday night in accordance with the legislation. The CFL exhibition season is scheduled to begin Monday night with the Toronto Argonauts visiting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but with players on both teams in a legal strike position, that game could be threatened. CFL Players Association president Scott Flory didnt return a telephone message Friday while a league spokesman said commissioner Mark Cohon wasnt available for comment. The Eskimos and Stampeders will include their rookies in the vote because Alberta law requires all players to participate. Traditionally, first-year players dont vote because theyre not recognized as certified union members, but the players association is allowing them to do so to counter any potential legal challenge from the league. Some other teams in the league will also hold second votes Saturday to include their rookies. Thee two sides have been negotiating on a new contract since February but reached an impasse Monday when the league rejected the players latest offer.dddddddddddd. Despite turning down the players offer Monday, the CFL extended the ratification bonus deadline to midnight ET on Friday. Had the players accepted the leagues final offer in that timeframe, veterans wouldve received a $5,000 bonus while rookies would get $1,500. However, a league spokesman said the bonus clause would be taken off the table after the deadline, although the expectation is if the players and CFL do reach an agreement it will include signing bonuses for the players. There has only been one strike since the CFLPA was formed in 1965. Three weeks of training camp were lost in 1974 before a new agreement was reached. No regular-season games were affected. The 2014 regular season is scheduled to kick off June 26. The two sides dont appear to be far apart on financial issues. The CFLPA has requested a $5.2-million salary cap and $4.8-million minimum. The CFL has countered with a $5-million cap. The two sides have agreed on boosting the minimum salary $5,000 to $50,000. After demanding specific revenue-sharing percentages, the CFLPA offer called for a fixed cap for at least two years. After the second, if league revenues increased by more than $18 million -- excluding the Grey Cup -- the two sides would renegotiate the cap or the entire agreement. The CFL offer called for the cap to be renegotiated if its revenues increased by $27 million or more in the third year. Non-monetary issues, such as player safety, practice roster size, eliminating the option year on CFL contracts and practice times, are also sticking points. 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