was back in front when Lampard went down under a challenge by Erik Lamela and Aguero sent g

LIVERPOOL, England -- Title-chasing Liverpool overcame an attack of nerves to squeeze to a 2-1 win over Sunderland and move to within a point of leader Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday. Steven Gerrards free kick and Daniel Sturridges deflected shot put Liverpool two goals clear by the 48th minute, but the pressure of being a serious challenger for the title for the first time since 2009 showed in the final half-hour. Ki Sung-yeungs 76th-minute header came amid a dominant spell for the relegation-threatened visitors and Liverpool survived some hair-raising moments in the last minutes to seal a seventh straight league win. Hope has turned into expectation at Anfield these past few weeks as Liverpool -- the dominant side in England in the late 1970s and 1980s -- revives its glory days to launch a title challenge against all the odds. Its players loss of composure in the latter stages was telling, and it is set to get even more nervy over the next few weeks with seven games left. "We have had a wonderful season until now, but there is still a way to go and the message to the supporters is to keep believing," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. "As the season goes on, we will embrace the pressure and enjoy it." The victory lifted Liverpool into second place -- two points above Manchester City, which has two games in hand over the sides above them. But this was not as convincing as the Reds previous six victories, when they scored at least three goals every game to cement their status as the Premier League entertainers. "The game was set up for a big party, four or five goals," said Sunderland manager Gus Poyet, who added: "My friends in Uruguay didnt send me one text before the game ... they thought wed be destroyed." The game certainly looked like it would go that way when Sturridge found the net, via a deflection off Wes Brown, for his 20th goal of the campaign. That ensured two Liverpool players have scored at least 20 times in the same season for the first time in 50 years, when Roger Hunt and Ian St. John were prolific in leading the line for the Reds. Luis Suarezs current haul stands at 28 goals and although the Uruguay international didnt add to his tally against Sunderland, he played a key role in the opener. Santiago Vergini escaped with just a yellow card when he hauled down Suarez when last man. Sunderland hadnt escaped, though, as Gerrard curled the resulting free kick in the 39th into the top corner for his ninth goal in 2014. Relief spread around Anfield but the nerves were to return midway through the second half, when Liverpool sat back and started to get sloppy in possession. The deficit was halved when Adam Johnson whipped in a corner that crept through a crowded area for fellow substitute Ki to stoop and head in at the far post. And Sunderland should have returned to the north east with a point as John OShea headed a gilt-edged chance wide just before injury time. Its another win chalked up by Liverpool as it seeks a first league title since 1990 and the clubs fans are starting to believe again. The way they cheered Liverpools players into Anfield before the game got Rodgers heart beating. "Our game started on the coach on the way in here," Rodgers said. "Any guys who watched Liverpool in the 70s and 80s coming in, it filled me with great pride being the manager of the club as we were driving in." Liverpool, which is unbeaten in 2014, has home games remaining against City and Chelsea. "We are in fantastic position," Gerrard said, "but we havent won anything yet." In Wednesdays other game, West Ham ended a three-game losing streak as an own-goal by James Chester secured a 2-1 win over 10-man Hull in a match between two mid-table teams. Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor was shown a straight red card after charging into Mo Diame midway through the first half and Mark Noble dispatched the resulting penalty to give West Ham the lead. Nikica Jelavic equalized in the 48th. Kyle Schwarber Cubs Jersey . The Mavericks avoided a season sweep by the Nuggets, who ran away with a win in Denver two weeks ago to hand Dallas its longest losing streak at three games. Dallas (42-28) got a boost in the playoff race when Miami rallied from seven down in the last 3 1/2 minutes to beat Memphis 91-86 Friday night. Willson Contreras Cubs Jersey .Y. - Lou Williams scored 21 points and the Toronto Raptors beat New York 81-76 on Monday night in the Knicks preseason home opener. http://www.cubsauthentic.com/cubs-ben-zobrist-jersey/ . 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Ernie Banks Cubs Jersey .com) - Tony Parker scored 17 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a comfortable 99-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.MANCHESTER, England - Sergio Aguero guided Manchester City to another hammering of Tottenham on Saturday, scoring all of the champions goals in a 4-1 victory to back up the Spurs coach assertion that the striker is the Mozart of football.Aguero scored twice in each half in a dazzling performance at Etihad Stadium to move level with Chelsea striker Diego Costa as the Premier Leagues top scorer with nine goals.I think he demonstrated why people say he is one of the best strikers in the world, City manager Manuel Pellegrini said.One of those people is Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, who also said on the eve of the game that watching his Argentine compatriot Aguero play is like classical music in my head . its like Mozart.Pochettinos defence also seemed mesmerized by Aguero, who could have scored many more but missed a first-half penalty and squandered a slew of other chances in an end-to-end game that featured four penalties and a red card to Spurs centre back Federico Fazio.City beat Tottenham 6-0 and 5-1 last season, so has scored 15 goals against the north Londoners in their last three meetings.Aguero opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a low drive and restored Citys lead from the penalty spot in the 20th after Christian Eriksen had equalized.City goalkeeper Joe Hart saved a penalty from Roberto Soldado in the 62nd before Aguero scored in the 68th — from the spot after Fazio was red-carded for pulling back the striker — and the 75th.Aguero had his best day, Pochettino said.The hosts moved two points behind league leader Chelsea, which visits Crystal Palace later Saturday.The only negative for City at the Etihad was the sight of midfielder Frank Lampard being carried off on a stretcher in the first half with an apparent left thigh injury.Aguero has scorred 61 goals in 95 league games for City, making him the clubs all-time top scorer in the Premier League era.dddddddddddd.He started on his own up front and tormented Spurs centre backs Fazio and Younes Kaboul, opening the scoring when he peeled away to receive a short pass from Lampard, created some space for himself and blasted a low, angle shot into the corner.Within two minutes, Spurs were level after capitalizing on a mistake from holding midfielder Fernando, who was dispossessed in his own half. Soldado picked up the loose ball and fed Eriksen, whose rising shot clipped the foot of Hart and went in off the crossbar.City was back in front when Lampard went down under a challenge by Erik Lamela and Aguero sent goalkeeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way from the spot. Lloris guessed right 11 minutes later, though, to pat away Agueros penalty that was awarded when David Silva was tripped by Kaboul.By then, Lampard had been carried off after getting hurt in a sliding challenge and looked in real pain as he disappeared down the tunnel on a stretcher. Pellegrini said Lampard had a muscle injury and would be assessed.Despite Citys dominance, Tottenham remained dangerous going forward and could have pulled level when Soldado was tripped by Martin Demichelis as he surged into the area. The Spanish striker took the penalty himself but it was weak and Hart tipped the ball aside.Aguero continued to torment Spurs defence and Fazio, making his league debut, was dismissed after pulling back the striker as he bore down on a cross from Jesus Navas.Aguero converted his penalty into the corner and capped a brilliant performance by running onto a quick free kick from Fernandinho, cutting inside substitute Jan Vertonghen and curling a low, left-foot shot into the corner. ' ' '