Premier League Scores Week 9: Key Results from Sunday's Matches

Matchday 9 of the Premier League came to a close with a quadrant of contests on Sunday. While the second day of action could not match Saturday's high-scoring clashes, the day consisted of four tightly contested bouts decided by no more than a goal.

Many marquee squads showcased their stature on Saturday, thus placing a heavier onus on the remaining squads to maintain positioning with three points of their own.

Which clubs answered the call? Who fell short, and who received a one-point consolation prize in the EPL standings? Here's a look at Sunday's Premier League results.

Sunderland 2, Newcastle 1

Fabio Borini just earned himself more playing time.

The 22-year-old Italian, inserted into the match as a substitute, scored the decisive goal during the 85th minute to propel Sunderland to a late victory over Newcastle. The victory ends a winless drought for Sunderland, who became the last Premier League squad to enter the win column.

Sunderland has not scored more than one goal in any of their previous eight matches, so two goals is an offensive outburst for the struggling squad.

It was also only the second time since 1980 that Sunderland defeated their geographical rivals at home.

Newcastle drops to 11th after dropping their fourth match of the campaign.

Chelsea 2, Manchester City 1

With Arsenal, Everton and Liverpool claiming victories on Saturday, the pressure was high for Chelsea and Manchester City to keep up with the pack.

Chelsea maintained a tie with Liverpool for second place, but Manchester City dropped to seventh after suffering a 2-1 loss.

The match looked poised to end in a 1-1 draw, but then a bizarre chain of events led to a game-winning goal in the 90th minute. Then a defender blunder between Joe Hart and Matija Nastasic scorched the ball down the wrong side of the field, allowing Fernando Torres to capitalize with a game-winning goal 

Early in the second half Sergio Aguero appeared to have at least salvaged a draw with his ninth goal of the season, but the stunning conclusion sent City home empty-handed as Chelsea remains undefeated at Stamford Bridge.

Swansea City 0, West Ham 0

Nobody could locate the net in Swansea City's contest with West Ham, leading to a draw between two squads that could have certainly used more points.

Swansea dominated the time of possession at 67 percent, but they were only able to muster 10 shots on goal compared to West Ham's 15. Neither club could capitalize on early opportunities to get get on the board.

The soggy conditions did not help matters, as everyone struggled to function at full capacity on the wet surface. The Premier League's Twitter page provided a snapshot of the playing atmosphere:

While Swansea would still sit in ninth place had they won, they'd stand in closer striking distance of Tottenham for the fourth slot. West Ham at least created a little distance from the bottom of the table, as they now reside in 15th with nine points.

Tottenham 1, Hull City 0

Tottenham snatched their top-four spot back from Everton with their third straight win. While Hull City took them to the brink, Tottenham escaped with three points on the strength of a Roberto Soldado penalty kick in the 80th minute.

Hull City played a gutsy match on the road, stopping a free-kick attempt earlier in the 22nd minute. But referee Michael Oliver provided Tottenham with an escape path that they happily took to save a victory.

Ahmed Elmohamady was whistled for a harsh penalty late in the match. The defender stretched his leg out while attempting to block a cross, but it deflected off his leg and his arm, leading to Soldado breaking the ice with the match's only goal.

Although Tottenham is fourth on the table, they have struggled mightily to score throughout the year. They have orchestrated just nine goals in as many matches, relying on their stout defense to save the day.

That formula could become tougher to sustain against the league's tougher offensive units.