Chelsea’s chance of top 4 EPL finish hit by 1-0 defeat at West Brom Arsenal’s 2-1 comeback win at Liverpool at West Brom

West Bromwich Albion's defender Gareth McAuley  celebrates scoring his goal 

Robin van Persie's last-gasp winner saw Arsenal cement their grip on fourth place

LONDON — Chelsea lost to West Bromwich Albion for the first time since 1979 on Saturday when a 1-0 defeat left the Premier League powerhouse in danger of missing out on next season’s Champions League.Gareth McAuley’s 82nd-minute goal and Arsenal’s 2-1 comeback win at Liverpool left Chelsea three points behind fourth place with one win in its last seven away matches.“It was very poor in all senses of the word — in the first half and the second half,” coach Andre Villas-Boas said. “We have to do much, much better.”Robin van Persie scored his second goal in injury time to give Arsenal a win at Liverpool, while leader Manchester City tied a team recod with 19 straight home wins by beating Bolton 2-0.Mario Balotelli added to a first-half own-goal to help take City 20 points clear of a Chelsea side in danger of missing out on the Champions League for the first time since Roman Abramovich bought the west London club in 2003.Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge all started for Chelsea but the Blues created little and West Brom could have scored before McAuley’s goal.Liam Ridgewell drove Keith Andrews’ chip across the area and McAuley diverted the ball past goalkeeper Petr Cech.“Everyone must do their job better: players, staff and manager,” Villas Boas said. “We have responsibility toward the fans of the club.”Sixth-place Newcastle could now draw level with Chelsea at 46 points if it beats local rival Sunderland in one of three games Sunday.Liverpool’s slim hopes of qualifying for the Champions League look to be over after Van Persie’s 30th and 31st goals of the season moved Arsenal to within just four points of third-place Tottenham and 10 ahead of the Reds.Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny saved a penalty and rebound effort from Dirk Kuyt before Liverpool took a 23rd-minute lead through an own-goal by Laurent Koscielny. Van Persie headed in Bacary Sagna’s right-wing cross in the 31st and, in the third of eight minutes of injury time, shot past goalkeeper Jose Reina at the near post to end Liverpool’s unbeaten home record.The Gunners’ chances of a top-four finish could get another boost Sunday if Tottenham loses to defending champion Manchester United.United needs a win to stay within two points of City at the top of the table and has not lost any of its last 25 meetings with Spurs.Also Saturday, last-place Wigan lost 2-0 to Swansea and two goals by Gylfi Sigurdsson. Everton drew 1-1 at Queens Park Rangers and Stoke beat Norwich 1-0.