LONDON: Captain Steven Gerrard scored four minutes into stoppage time to cap a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory for Liverpool over Middlesbrough in the Premier League yesterday.

A header by substitute Michael Owen earned Newcastle United a 1-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers in his first game of the season while Tottenham Hotspur went down to a shock 2-1 home defeat by Sunderland, debutant Djibril Cisse netting the winner. Owen, 28, missed Newcastle’s preseason preparations and their difficult Premier League opener at Manchester United due to the calf problem and a bout of mumps.

But the England star proved to boss Kevin Keegan he was ready to return to action after coming off the bench in the second half at St. James’ Park to score the only goal of the game. Owens came on for the injured Obafemi Martins and snatched victory when he sent a deft header past Jussi Jaaskelainen from Geremi’s cross in the 71st minute. Goalkeeper Shay Given also played a key part in Newcastle’s success after earlier keeping out a Kevin Nolan penalty. Nolan’s misery was compounded when he sent a late header wide of the post to leave Keegan and his players breathing a huge sigh of relief. Substitute Mido, who netted in Boro’s 2-1 victory over Spurs last weekend, put his team ahead at Anfield with a long-range strike 20 minutes from time. Liverpool kept their fans on tenterhooks until Jamie Carragher’s shot was deflected into his own net by defender Emanuel Pogatetz in the 86th minute.

Gerrard then produced a late angled strike to earn the home side a dramatic win. Former Liverpool striker Cisse, who has joined Sunderland on loan from Olympique Marseille, sent ambitious Spurs crashing to their second successive defeat when he nodded the winner from Daryl Murphy’s left-wing cross in the 82nd minute. Sunderland had gone ahead at White Hart Lane with a brilliant 25-meter drive from Kieran Richardson before Spurs, without want-away Bulgaria striker Dimitar Berbatov, equalized through Jermaine Jenas in the 73rd. Coach Juande Ramos left Berbatov, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United, out of his squad.

“I have not selected him as I do not think he is focused enough and I do not feel he will be good for the dressing room and the team effort,” Ramos told the Spurs website (www.tottenhamhotspur.com). “It doesn’t matter how good a player is, if he is not in the right frame of mind he will not perform well.” Mali striker Mamady Sidibe struck four minutes into stoppage time as promoted Stoke City defeated Aston Villa 3-2. Everton took more than an hour to break down West Bromwich Albion’s resistance before securing a 2-1 away win while Blackburn Rovers were held 1-1 at home by Hull City.

Samaras double steers

Celtic to emphatic win

In Glasgow, Greece striker Giorgos Samaras struck twice to lead champions Celtic to a 3-0 home win over bottom club Falkirk in the Scottish Premier League yesterday.

Stephen McManus grabbed the opener after 32 minutes following a free kick by Shunsuke Nakamura, the Japanese midfielder swinging the ball in from the right for the captain to knock the ball in at the back post. Samaras rounded the keeper to score the second after a pass from Shaun Maloney, who was playing his first game back at Celtic since leaving Aston Villa. Samaras then made it 3-0 from close range after 68 minutes after more good work from Maloney.

Celtic have seven points from three games, the same as Rangers who drew 1-1 at Aberdeen earlier in the day.

Rangers manager Walter Smith was frustrated at having a late goal ruled out for offside.

Television pictures showed American forward DaMarcus Beasley was onside as he ran through to fire a shot into the net.

“Even from the dugout I thought Beasley was onside and TV cameras show he was,” Smith told BBC radio.

“All the talk recently has been about how the Old Firm (Rangers and Celtic) get every decision going. People have to realize it doesn’t work that way, decisions do go against us.”

Scotland defender David Weir headed Rangers in front after 24 minutes but Aberdeen equalized in first-half stoppage time when Derek Young blasted a close-range shot into the roof of the net after Lee Miller’s header was parried by Allan McGregor.

Elsewhere, Hearts beat St. Mirren 2-1, Inverness Caledonian Thistle were held to a 1-1 home draw by Hibernian, Motherwell and Dundee United drew 1-1 while Kilmarnock overcame Hamilton Academical 1-0.