Aston Villa bolstered their chances of avoiding the drop as Christian Benteke took his tally to 11 goals in nine games with a brace in a 3-2 win over Everton.

Tom Cleverley also scored for Villa, with Romelu Lukaku and Phil Jagielka hitting back for Everton, as Tim Sherwood’s side preserved their two-point cushion over the bottom three.

Leicester had earlier enhanced their survival hopes with a one-sided 3-0 home win over flatlining Newcastle United.

Argentine striker Leonardo Ulloa put Leicester in front with a header after only 36 seconds at the King Power Stadium and skipper Wes Morgan made it 2-0 with another header in the 17th minute.

Ulloa added a third goal with a penalty early in the second half and Newcastle finished the game with nine men after defenders Mike Williamson and Daryl Janmaat were both sent off for two bookable offences.

“We have to give our supporters something to believe in,” said Leicester manager Nigel Pearson, who hit the headlines for branding a journalist “an ostrich” after his side’s 3-1 loss to Chelsea on Wednesday.

“They (Newcastle) still have more points than us. They’ve still got work to do, but so do we.”

It was Leicester’s fifth win in six league games and took them to within a point of John Carver’s Newcastle, who have lost eighth consecutive league games.

Elsewhere, Jefferson Montero and Ki Sung-yeung scored late goals as Swansea City won 2-0 at home to Stoke City, who had Marc Wilson sent off.

Manchester United can provisionally claim second place with a home win over West Bromwich Albion later on Saturday.

Long-time leaders Chelsea will look to secure the title on Sunday when they host Crystal Palace needing three points to become champions.