Premier League: Latest news from Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Stoke, West Ham, West Brom, Newcastle, Wolves, Bolton, Everton, Birmingham, Aston Villa

Torres was left on the bench by boss Carlo Ancelotti and despite being brought on for the final half-hour, he failed to make an impact as the home side came closest to grabbing all three points.

The visitors were stunned after just eight minutes when Jonathan Walters ended a run from the half-way line by blasting the opener past Petr Cech.

But after near-misses from Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard, Ancelotti’s brave team selection looked set to pay off when Nicolas Anelka floated in a cross and Didier Drogba headed a 33rd-minute equaliser.

Drogba hit the post in the second half but Stoke had the best chances with Cech saving brilliantly from Marc Wilson and Robert Huth, before Ricardo Fuller missed a sitter in injury time.

Chelsea’s failure to take the points leaves them 11 points behind leaders Manchester United in third place after Sir Alex Ferguson’s men stormed back from a two-goal deficit to win 4-2 at West Ham.

Ferguson’s men looked set to hand their rivals a title life-line when two penalties from Mark Noble gave the relegation-threatened Hammers the half-time advantage.

But Wayne Rooney turned the game on its head after the break with a stunning 14-minute hat-trick, his third from the third penalty of the game, before Javier Hernandez sealed the points.

Roy Hodgson exacted delicious revenge over the side that sacked him three months ago as West Bromwich Albion gave their survival hopes a massive boost with a 2-1 win over Liverpool.

Martin Skrtel headed the visitors into the lead five minutes into the second half, but Baggies captain Chris Brunt equalised with a 62nd-minute penalty after Sotirios Kyrgiakos pulled down Peter Odemwingie.

Brunt grabbed the dramatic winner two minutes from time with his second spot-kick, firing home low after Odemwingie had fallen under the challenge of Pepe Reina.

Gerard Houllier remains under pressure as Aston Villa boss after Leighton Baines’ late penalty denied his side all three points in a controversial game at Goodison Park.

Leon Osman hit a 38th-minute opener for the home side, but Darren Bent equalised two minutes into the second half after converting a Stewart Downing cross.

Jermaine Beckford thought he had put the home side back in front on 68 when his shot hit the under-side of the bar and appeared to bounce down over the goal line.

But referee Mike Jones waved away home protests and Villa promptly raced up the other end where Bent slotted home his second. Baines’ late spot-kick secured a 2-2 draw.

Tottenham failed to close in on a Champions League place after Harry Redknapp’s below-par side were held to a goalless draw at Wigan.

The home side had the best chances with Hugo Rodallega and Charles N’Zogbia having the best first-half opportunities, and substitute Conor Sammon bringing a fine save out of Heurelho Gomez late on.

Kevin Phillips scored his first Premier League goal in a year and Craig Gardner added a second as Birmingham eased their relegation fears with a 2-1 home win over Bolton.

Phillips took just four minutes to get on the scoresheet in his first league start of the year, and Gardner slid home a 59th-minute second after being set up by Cameron Jerome. Johan Elmander scored Bolton’s consolation.

More dismal defending cost Wolves dear as they slipped to a 4-1 defeat at Newcastle, who all but secured their own Premier League survival in the process.

Captain Kevin Nolan opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and Shola Amoebi added the second on the stroke of half-time.

Peter Lovenkrands made it 3-0 five minutes after the break and despite Sylvain Ebanks Blake giving Wolves a glimmer of hope eight minutes later, Jonas Gutierrez hit the home side’s fourth in injury time.

end 021712 APR 11