LONDON (AP):Leaders Liverpool dropped two valuable points yesterday at lowly Stoke, stumbling to a 0-0 draw, a day after manager Rafa Benitez angrily dismissed Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson's assertion that the Reds' title bid will falter due to nerves.

Captain Steven Gerrard hit the crossbar and the post in the last six minutes as Stoke held the 18-time champions for a second time this season, raising further doubts about their ability to win a first English title since 1990.

Both United and Chelsea have won at Stoke this season and last season's top two will be looking to take advantage of the slip-up when they meet today.

A victory will take second-place Chelsea within a point of the Premier League leaders, while the defending champions would overtake Liverpool by winning the Old Trafford clash and their two games in hand.

Late goals enabled fifth-place Arsenal to stay in sight of the Champions League places with a 1-0 victory over Bolton and Sunderland to earn at 1-1 draw at local rivals Middlesbrough.

Everton swept aside Hull 2-0 and Newcastle drew 2-2 with West Ham.

Postponement

Frozen pitches forced the postponement of two top-flight matches - Portsmouth-Manchester City and Fulham-Blackburn - while much of the lower-league programme was wiped out.

Benitez's astonishing attack on Ferguson came after the Scot said Liverpool would "make mistakes ... and get punished" in the second half of the season.

And Stoke, who climbed out of the relegation zone with the point, could have been ahead in the 12th when Rory Delap, who began the attack with one of his long throw-ins, hit the crossbar from six metres and Richard Cresswell was unable to react to the rebound.

Liverpool struggled to break down Stoke for much of the game. A rare shot came in the 22nd when Dirk Kuyt was denied by Thomas Sorensen at the near post.

"We are not happy," Benitez said. "I think it was a difficult game that we couldn't control."

Aston Villa leapfrogged United into third place with a 2-1 win over local rivals West Bromwich Albion after a costly blunder by goalkeeper Scott Carson.

Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell had two headers cleared off the line before the ball eventually fell to Gareth Barry, who whipped in a cross for Curtis Davies to head in his first goal of the season.

Despite being jeered all afternoon, Davies barely celebrated the goal against his former side.

"I know they hate me but I've got no intention of letting them hate me even more," the English defender said.

Villa looked more dangerous after gaining the advantage and the error by Carson added another goal before the break.

Barry released Gabriel Agbon-lahor down the left and the forward cut into the penalty area unchal-lenged, despite five West Brom players in proximity and not a single attacking man in support.

From a narrow angle, the England striker struck the ball across the goalmouth, but it was going wide until Carson managed to deflect it under his left arm and over the line.

The Baggies pulled one back after the break when substitute Roman Bednar headed down to James Morrison and the Scotland midfielder turned Martin Laursen before sending a shot past Brad Friedel, helped by a slight deflection off Davies.