Wins for Liverpool and Chelsea 24 hours earlier had encouraged thoughts of the title battle being opened up once more and Peter Lovenkrands 9th-minute opener for Newcastle would have triggered huge cheers on Merseyside and in West London.

But the stumble United’s rivals had hoped for failed to materialise on a night that saw Manchester City dent Aston Villa’s hopes of securing Uefa Champions League football next season with a 2-0 win at Eastlands.

United’s win restored their seven-point lead and the champions also have a game in hand to help them close out a third straight English title. Newcastle ended Edwin van der Sar’s record-breaking run without conceding a goal in a league match but were unable to defend their early lead.

The Magpies caused the visitors serious problems in an impressive 20-minute opening spell which yielded the strike from Danish winger Lovenkrands, the first league goal conceded by Dutch keeper van der Sar in 1 311 minutes of play.

Having weathered the storm, United equalised after Dimitar Berbatov set up Wayne Rooney for a 20th-minute strike and, ten minutes after the interval, the Bulgarian striker found the net himself with a tap-in from Park Ji-Sung’s cross.

Elano celebrated his return to Manchester City’s starting line-up by netting a first-half penalty as City ended Villa’s run of ten consecutive away victories in the league with a 2-0 win at Eastlands. With Robinho and Craig Bellamy sidelined by injury, City boss Mark Hughes opted to recall the out-of-favour Brazilian playmaker and he repaid the manager with a cool penalty conversion after James Milner had tripped Shaun Wright-Phillips.

England winger Wright-Phillips sealed City’s fifth successive home win two minutes from time to leave Villa with just a three-point cushion over Arsenal in the battle for fourth place and the final Champions League qualifying spot.

Stoke followed up last weekend’s fightback against Villa with a 2-0 win over Bolton that lifts them out of the relegation zone and dented their opponents’ hopes of staying clear of the survival dogfight. A well-taken early strike by James Beattie was followed by a late strike from Ricardo Fuller.

Tottenham bounced back from Sunday’s penalty shoot-out defeat by Manchester United in the League Cup final with a 4-0 win over Middlesbrough that significantly eases their survival concerns and leaves Gareth Southgate’s side mired in the relegation zone.

Robbie Keane opened the scoring with his first strike for Spurs since his January return from Liverpool. Roman Pavlyuchenko doubled the lead and a brace for Aaron Lennon saw Harry Redknapp’s side cruise towards safety.

West Ham’s push for European football next season received another boost with a hard-fought win at Wigan in a match that both sides ended with ten men.Carlton Cole gave West Ham the lead then got himself sent off before half-time for a second bookable offence. But the Hammers held on for all three points, with the help of Wigan being reduced to ten men themselves seven minutes after the restart as a result of Lee Cattermole’s reckless challenge on Scott Parker.

Blackburn earned a valuable point by holding Everton to a goalless draw but Sam Allardyce’s side still found themselves back in the bottom three because of Stoke’s win.

A stoppage time winner by substitute Manucho, the Angolan striker on loan from Manchester United, earned Hull an unlikely 1-0 win at Fulham and halted Phil Brown’s side’s slide towards trouble. It was scarcely deserved but Hull fans will not complain after a win that could look very important at the end of the season.

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

New Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink believes Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba can play in the same team – if they show defensive as well as attacking qualities.

Anelka marked Hiddink’s first game in charge by scoring the winner against Aston Villa – his 21st goal of the season. Victory pushed the Blues ahead of Villa into third spot in the Barclays Premier League.

Previous Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari had been reluctant to play Drogba and Anelka in the same team. However, Hiddink said: “You can only play good attacking football when everyone knows their job defensively.

“We have quality players like Anelka and Drogba and, when they have the spirit to work defensively for the team, then you can also the play the way we like tolay.

“They are the first defensive line and must join in with the midfield in having defensive responsibilities.

“If they are willing to do that there is no problem with using their strong qualities offensively.”

Hiddink also insisted he had seen no divisions amongst the players in the build-up to the game.

He said: “We have worked very hard physically and also strategically. Everyone has been very professional. I have not seen any division in the group.”

As regards Chelsea’s 1-0 victory, Hiddink said: “I am satisfied with the performance and the result, especially against a team like Villa who have had a very good record recently. They have not been beaten in the league for a long time.

“In the first half we were very dominant and the only criticism is that we did not finish the game off.

“In the second half they came at us with their big strong guys in the air but we were also a bit too static when we had the ball in possession.

“We can improve a little bit but I am very pleased and satisfied to get that game in our pocket.”

Villa boss Martin O’Neill felt a third game in six days after cup ties with Everton and CSKA Moscow had taken its toll on his side.

He said: “It sounds like an excuse but I do believe the three games in quick succession took their toll. At the beginning, we looked leggy and Chelsea got into their stride very quickly.

“We got a bit of momentum before half-time and had a lot of possession in the second half without creating too many chances.

“I am disappointed with the setback but we are far from finished. I suppose it is a sign of how far we have come that we are disappointed at being fourth in the table.

“We have some quality players. You get disappointments but we will bounce back and there is not a dent in our belief.

“I thought we could win today. I still thought that at half-time. In terms of effort and determination they have given everything.

“The top four teams have the squads to cope with hectic schedules and it is something we will have to learn as well. But we are still in there fighting.”

Meanwhile match-winner Anelka hopes Chelsea’s win can kick-start a winning run under Hiddink.

He told Sky Sports 1: “We showed it last week and again, today, we showed a lot of character because it was a hard game.

“It is good for all the players and for the new coach as well because we can continue this winning way and we hope we can win more games.

“It is going to be difficult but we think it is possible. We hope we are back in the race.”

Source: www.football365.com

In a cagey game of few chances Giggs jinked past two West Ham players after 61 minutes before skimming a low shot inside the far post to put the champions two points clear of Liverpool.

United have 55 points from 24 games while Liverpool, who beat Portsmouth 3-2 on Saturday, have 54 from 25.

United’s miserly defence was never unduly troubled as they registered a 13th consecutive clean sheet in the league.

Arsenal remain a distant fifth after drawing 0-0 at north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur despite playing for nearly an hour with ten men after Emmanuel Eboue was sent off.

Source: supersport.co.za

Goals from Dimitar Berbatov, Carlos Tevez, Nemanja Vidic and two from Cristiano Ronaldo completed an emphatic rout of bottom club West Brom, whose flickering hopes were snuffed out with the 40th minute dismissal of captain Paul Robinson for a late challenge on South Korean midfielder Park Ji-Sung.

But with United now clear of the pack and with goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar breaking his Chelsea counterpart Petr Cech’s shut-out record by taking his run without conceding a goal to 1,032 minutes, Ferguson insisted that his team are now back to their destructive best.

He said: “We have shown a real ruthless streak tonight which has maybe not been there this season.

“We always expected it to come simply because of the forwards we have, but tonight was the first indication that it is there. Hopefully we will start to motor now. We have good form, which is important, but March and April are the key months.

“Even Cristiano scored in the league again and I actually said to him, ‘Oh, you’re scoring again. That’s very good of you!’ But he is delighted to have got himself back on the scoresheet.”

United’s recent surge up the table, on the back of eleven successive clean sheets and seven league wins on the bounce, has been largely down to their defensive record.

And Ferguson paid tribute to Dutch keeper Van der Sar, who can break the all-time Football League record, currently held by former Reading goalkeeper Steve De’Ath, if he surpasses the 1,103 minute record set by De’Ath in 1978-79, when United face Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Ferguson said: “Edwin has achieved everything in the game, but he is as delighted in the dressing room as he was after his penalty save against Chelsea in the Champions League final in Moscow last season.

“Despite his achievements and experience, he still has that competitive streak and it shows with his record.”

Ferguson insisted that Robinson was ‘careless and reckless’ with the challenge that resulted in his dismissal and West Brom manager Tony Mowbray refused to criticise referee Rob Styles for his decision to send his player off five minutes before half-time following his challenge on Park.

It appeared a debatable decision and Albion could yet appeal, but Mowbray insisted it would be futile to criticise the referee.

Mowbray said: “I’d prefer not to talk about the referee. Managers get in trouble talking about the referees, so what’s the point? He has given the decision and we have to abide by it.

“Did it change the game? We might not have lost by so many, but I don’t think it would have changed the result because they have got so much quality all over the pitch.

“It’s all about opinions. Some people will say it was a red, others say it was a disgraceful challenge. If it was just an honest collision between two players, then I’m sure we will appeal it, but that’s something we will decide on Wednesday.”

Source: soccernews.com

Pic: yimg.com