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MANCHESTER, England -- Arsenal climbed to the top of the English Premier League on its managers 67th birthday.Arsene Wenger was in no mood to celebrate, though.A 0-0 home draw against struggling Middlesbrough brought an end to Arsenals six-game winning run in the league, just when Wengers team was being talked up as the real deal in the title race.Many will describe a slip-up of this kind as being typical of Arsenal, which has stumbled when expectations are at their highest in recent years. Its last league title came in 2004.It could have been worse, too, with Middlesbrough creating the better chances at Emirates Stadium and drawing three excellent saves out of Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech in the first half. Wenger said his team was flat because the game came just three days after an intense Champions League match against Ludogorets, which Arsenal won 6-0.At least you can have a drink on your birthday, a glum Wenger said. When you win, you deserve it. When you dont, you need it.Arsenal is in first place on goal difference from Liverpool, which beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 at Anfield for a sixth win in nine league matches. Manchester City needs only a point against Southampton on Sunday to reclaim the lead.Heres a look at the rest of the action on a low-scoring day in the Premier League:LIVERPOOL 2, WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1Neutralized by Manchester United in a goalless draw on Monday, Liverpool found things much easier five days later against another opponent that came to Anfield to defend.Liverpool had 21 shots and 68 percent possession, scoring goals through Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho from sweeping attacks in a one-sided first half.Gareth McAuleys close-range goal for West Brom, predictably following a corner kick, ensured a tense finish and denied Liverpool top spot on goal difference.BOURNEMOUTH 0, TOTTENHAM 0Harry Kane cant return quick enough for Tottenham.This stalemate came at the end of a week when Spurs squandered many chances in a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion last weekend in the Premier League, and then drew 0-0 at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday.Kane, the Premier Leagues top scorer last season, has just returned to training after five weeks out with an ankle injury.Spurs remain the only unbeaten team in the league but missed the chance to go top overnight.LEICESTER 3, CRYSTAL PALACE 1Leicester finally managed to transfer its Champions League form to the Premier League.Ahmed Musa, Shinji Okazaki, and Christian Fuchs scored for Leicester in only a third win of its disappointing title defense.Its been a different story in the teams first-ever Champions League campaign: With three straight group-stage victories, Leicester is on the brink of qualifying for the last 16.Leicesters unbeaten run at its King Power stadium stretched to 20 league games. Its away from home where the champions have struggled this season.ALSOThings are looking bleak for Sunderland and its manager David Moyes. A 1-0 loss at West Ham, courtesy of a goal by Winsten Reid in the fourth minute of stoppage time, was the latest tough blow for a side that is winless and in last place on just two points from nine games.Swansea is next to last after drawing 0-0 at home to Watford, meaning new manager Bob Bradley is still awaiting his first win since taking charge. That was one of three goalless draws on Saturday, when there were just 13 goals in eight games.Also, Burnley beat Everton 2-1 thanks to Scott Arfields 90th-minute winner, and Xherdan Shaqiri scored twice for Stoke in a 2-0 win at Hull, which slipped into the bottom three. Cheap Air Max Nz Sale . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Cheap Air Max Nz Shoes . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. 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DALLAS -- Houston followed its first loss of the season to Navy with a narrow victory against Tulsa, a three-touchdown underdog that fell inches short of tying the score in the final seconds on the road.If the 11th-ranked Cougars want to regain the dominance that carried them into the top 10, coach Tom Herman figures they have to recognize that they will get the opponents best effort. And that includes SMU on Saturday night.We are learning to be the overdog instead of the underdog, Herman said. It is interesting, you are drawing on different senses to motivate yourself. Its all pride when you are the underdog that is disrespected. There is the pride of the, `Hey, Im going to prove all of you wrong. Now its the pride of, `Hey, we have to prove everybody right.The realistic playoff chances for Houston (6-1, 3-1 American) ended with the loss to Navy. If quarterback Greg Ward Jr. and the Cougars want to rekindle those hopes, theyll need some convincing victories leading into a late-season nonconference showdown with Louisville.And SMU (2-4, 0-2) is another three-touchdown underdog.There is a little rivalry being that we are the only two teams in our conference in the state of Texas, Herman said. Theyre going to give us their best shot, and their best shot is good enough to beat us if were not hitting all our cylinders.Things to consider in the resumption of a series that Houston leads 15-3-1 since the Mustangs returned from the so-called death penalty in 1989 and lost to the Cougars 95-21:FORGET ABOUT IT: Herman says he had zero interest in news this week that the Big 12 rejected Houston and 10 other schools for possible expansion. The anti-Big 12 reaction in the state was swiift, including a rebuke from Gov.ddddddddddddGreg Abbott . Im dead serious when I tell you it consumes zero amount of my time, energy, effort or thought at all, said Herman, whose name will be prominent in high-profile coaching searches this offseason.WORKING WARD: The senior standout has more than twice as many rushing attempts as any of the Houston running backs, leading to questions of whether he is being overused. He has 105 carries for 414 yards with six touchdowns. Ward is ninth nationally at 323 yards passing per game. He has 224 attempts and a 70 percent completion rate with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Ive had the conversation with the offensive staff about can we win with less read plays maybe, Herman said. But if we need to win the game, well use him.SPEAKING OF OVERWORKED: The Cougars still havent had a bye, and wont until after hosting Central Florida next week. The Louisville showdown comes a Thursday after playing Tulane the preceding Saturday. And SMU is coming off a bye. Were playing football for 12 1/2 weeks straight, so its going to take its toll on their bodies, Herman said.THE FADE ROUTE: SMU stayed close for a half as a double-digit underdog against high-scoring Texas rivals Baylor and TCU. The Mustangs were even with the Bears on the road at 6-6, and trailed the Horned Frogs 6-3 at home. But Baylor, now ranked ninth, outscored SMU 34-7 after halftime for a 40-13 win. TCU pulled away for a 33-3 win after a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second half.---College Football: http://collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '