Newcastle are six points above the Premier League drop zone after Saturday's 2-0 victory over Fulham, while Reading and Sunderland also won.Goals from Mark Viduka and Michael Owen helped the Magpies to a crucial victory at St James' Park, giving Kevin Keegan his first win since he returned to Tyneside.

Viduka found space on the edge of the penalty area in the sixth minute and angled his shot past Cottagers goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

Newcastle missed a host of chances to take a two-goal advantage but Fulham offered little in attack to trouble the home defence before Owen made the points safe in the 83rd minute.

Midfielder Geremi picked out Owen with a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area and the striker was able evade his marker and direct his header past Keller.

It ended a run of eight league games without a win since Keegan took over and was the Magpies' first league victory since their 1-0 win over the same opposition at Craven Cottage in December.

Newcastle are 13th in the table, while Fulham stay 19th, four points from safety.

Andre Bikey scored twice to help Reading boost their survival hopes with a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Birmingham at the Madejski Stadium.

The Cameroon international nodded a John Oster free-kick past Blues goalkeeper Maik Taylor in the 31st minute.

Mauro Zarate equalised for Birmingham after he struck home Mikael Forssell's low cross in the 64th minute but Bikey got his head on a Nicky Shorey free-kick 15 minutes later to give his side the points.

Michael Chopra's 83rd-minute strike gave Sunderland's hopes of avoiding relegation a lift as they recorded a 1-0 victory at Aston Villa.

Roque Santa Cruz scored twice and set up the other to help Blackburn to a 3-1 victory over struggling Wigan at Ewood Park as both sides were reduced to 10 men.

Santa Cruz had opened the scoring in the 12th minute after David Bentley's 25-yard strike was parried by Latics goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, which left the Paraguay international to nod the ball into an empty net.

Rovers defender Christopher Samba was shown a red card five minutes later after he was harshly judged to have fouled Emile Heskey in the penalty area. Marlon King took the resulting spot-kick and calmly despatched the ball past Brad Friedel.

But Mark Hughes' side again took the lead when Santa Cruz knocked the ball down into the path of Roberts and he scored from 18 yards on the stroke of half-time.

Santa Cruz headed his second of the afternoon in the 63rd minute before Wilson Palacios was sent off for a second-bookable offence.

Tuncay Sanli gave Middlesbrough a 1-0 win at home to bottom side Derby with a superb individual goal from the edge of the penalty area in the 32nd minute.

Bolton lost further ground on their relegation rivals as they were held to a goalless draw by Manchester City at the Reebok Stadium.

The result means the Trotters stay 18th, a point behind Birmingham with seven games left to play.

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