MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City rode its luck in beating Crystal Palace 1-0 to move provisionally top of the English Premier League, while Manchester United won by the same score at Norwich to stay in the title picture on Saturday. The Manchester giants dipped into their reserves for a second game in three days and produced disjointed displays that were rescued by second-half winners. Edin Dzekos 66th-minute goal maintained Citys record of scoring in every home game in more than three years -- a run of 60 matches -- and lifted the team two points above Arsenal, which plays Newcastle on Sunday. Danny Welbeck came off the bench to score a fortuitous winning goal for United in the 57th minute at Carrow Road, earning the champions -- missing injured striker Wayne Rooney -- a fourth straight league win. Hull thrashed third-to-bottom Fulham 6-0 and last-place Sunderland scored twice in the final seven minutes to draw 2-2 at Cardiff, which fired manager Malky Mackay on Friday. West Ham will also be in the bottom three going into 2014 after twice squandering a lead in a 3-3 draw with West Bromwich Albion, and Aston Villa drew 1-1 with Swansea. Citys 10th league win from 10 matches at Etihad Stadium in this campaign was far from straightforward, with Manuel Pellegrinis decision to make six changes from the 2-1 victory over Liverpool on Thursday disrupting Citys attacking rhythm. Most pundits title favourites relied on Dzekos finish from Jesus Navas cut-back to eke out three points against a Palace side that has tightened up since the appointment of defensive-minded Tony Pulis as manager in November. "It was a hard game, maybe the toughest at this stadium in the Premier League this season," said Dzeko, who scored his 50th City goal. "It was the last game of 2013 and we wanted to finish with a win." City goalkeeper Joe Hart played with a gash under his left eye after a collision with Palace striker Cameron Jerome in the first half, but that didnt stop him producing some fine saves after the break to preserve Citys perfect home record. "I think the team that wants to win the title must have different faces," said Pellegrini, whose team is unbeaten in its last 11 games in all competitions. United was without Rooney and Robin van Persie for the first time this season, and manager David Moyes started Welbeck as a substitute for his and the teams third game in eight days. The England strikers halftime introduction energized United and he pounced when a clearance from Ryan Bennett deflected into his path, rounding goalkeeper John Ruddy to slot home. "He changed the game when he came on," Moyes said. "He is doing very well, and we need everybody to chip in with goals when Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are out." United is provisionally sixth in the standings, two points off the top four. Hulls thrashing of sorry Fulham was notable for the eye-catching celebration by Tom Huddlestone, who marked his first goal since 2011 by letting club physio Rob Price cut off a piece of his hair on the sideline. The midfielder had pledged not to cut his hair until he scored again. Fulham has looked an improved side under new manager Rene Meulensteen but this defeat -- its worst in the Premier League era -- was a major setback against a team which has often struggled for goals this season. "Im shocked," Meulensteen said. "I dont know if there was something in the tea. I did not see that coming and the players did not see that coming." All of Hulls goals came in the second half, with captain Robert Koren scoring twice and Ahmed El Mohamady, George Boyd and Matt Fryatt also netting. West Ham was denied victory by Saido Berahinos 69th-minute goal at Upton Park. Former France striker Nicolas Anelka scored twice for West Brom and appeared to celebrate his first by performing an anti-Semitic salute used by French comedian Dieudonne Mbala Mbala. Jewish groups in France have linked the "la quenelle" gesture -- which they claim is a Nazi salute in reverse -- to anti-Semitic incidents in the country. "It is dedicated to a French comedian he knows very, very well," West Bromwich Albion coach Keith Downing said of Anelkas celebration. "He uses it in his act and I think speculation (that it is anti-Semitic) can be stopped now, it is absolute rubbish really." Allen Crabbe Jersey . Winning more at home probably should be on the list. The Flames look to avoid a fifth defeat in six home games by winning a sixth straight meeting with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. Pete Maravich Jersey .com) - Tonight will go a long way in determining the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. https://www.cheaphawks.com/1014r-maurice...rsey-hawks.html. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a one-year contract. Tree Rollins Jersey . TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie tweeted that its believed the Flames are working towards a new contract with the defenceman. Fake Hawks Jerseys . Cleary also had two assists and Patrick Eaves added two goals for the Red Wings, who also ousted Phoenix in seven games during the first round of the 2010 postseason. Todd Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist for Detroit, which got a goal apiece from Tomas Holmstrom and Niklas Kronwall and suffered no shortage of offense despite the absences of Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen.NEWARK, N.J. -- The NHL reduced its penalty against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday for signing Ilya Kovalchuk in 2010. The Devils will keep the first-round draft pick they were scheduled to forfeit this year, and the league will reduce the $3 million fine assessed against the team for circumventing the NHL-NHLPA collective bargaining agreement The Devils recently applied to the league for reconsideration and relief from a portion of the original penalty, citing primarily changes in circumstances which, in the clubs view, changed the appropriateness of the sanctions. The NHL did not spell out what changed, but Kovalchuk retired after last season and returned to Russia to play there. Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said the franchises new ownership asked the league to reconsider the penalty, and a hearing was held this year. "Were pleased," said Lamoriello, who said several factors other than Kovalchuks retirement went into the leagues decision, without elaborating. Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur felt the original NHL penalty was harsh. "I thought it was a bad judgment by them when they penalized with a first-round pick and all the money," Brodeur said. "I thought they hit our organization preetty hard at the time.dddddddddddd It will be nice for the future to count on an extra No. 1 pick." The league said the Devils will be entitled to the 30th selection overall -- the last pick in the first round -- in the 2014 draft. They will not be permitted to trade or transfer its right to that pick. Kovalchuk, who had been acquired by the Devils in February 2010, became a free agent at the end of that season. New Jersey signed him to a 17-year, $102 million deal but the league ruled what would have been the longest contract in NHL circumvented the salary cap and rejected it. Arbitrator Richard Bloch heard the unions appeal and nullified the deal. The Devils eventually signed the Russian to a 15-year, $100 million contract deal. However, the NHL ruled the original contact tried to get around the salary cap and penalized the three-time Stanley Cup champions. The Devils had already forfeited a third-round draft pick in 2011. The team also had a first-round draft pick taken from them in the ruling handed down by an independent arbiter, but they had the right to defer until 2014. The Devils kept deferring the loss of the first-round pick, which they were due to lose in June. The NHL said it would not comment further on the decision. ' ' '