Premiership, Manchester Uniuted 4-1 Blackburn

Scholes fires Manchester United closer to title

A moment of genius from Paul Scholes sparked a magnificent second-half revival from Manchester United which allowed them to move another mighty stride closer to completing their Premiership title dream with a 4-1 home win over Blackburn.

United central defender Nemanja Vidic was forced off with a broken collarbone and the home side then fell behind when Matt Derbyshire slotted home. But United dug deep and Paul Scholes slalomed into space and fired in before Michael Carrick sidefooted in.

Park Ji-Sung pounced to add a third and an Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer tap-in completed United's comeback to leave them needing five wins for the title.

Scholes' goal came from a rare Blackburn mistake as defender Christopher Samba dallied on the ball on the edge of the Rovers area and was stripped of it by Scholes. The former England midfield player still had much work to day but skipped past Ryan Nelsen and Stephen Warnock before beating the American keeper with a superbly-driven shot.

Manchester United, clearly sensing victory, pressed on. In the 66th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo might have edged United in front as David Dunn gifted him a chance only for Friedel to make a superb save as the Portuguese winger bore down on goal. Even more incredibly, Ryan Giggs had an open goal before him as he met Ronaldo's 67th minute left-wing cross but battered his shot against the cross-bar with such force that it rebounded to safety.

Cristiano Ronaldo once more caused panic inside the Rovers box, his cut-back ran to Carrick, who had enough composure virtually to pass the ball into the same corner Scholes had launched his shot into earlier. Even with victory within their grasp, United refused to relent and when Friedel failed to hold a stinging Ronaldo free-kick seven minutes from time, Park raced in to tap home.

There was still time for one more too as Park's cross evaded Rooney but fell nicely for substitute Solskjaer, who finished off with ease.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson:
"The intensity of our game was fantastic but so was the support - that put us over the line.

"The players were all talking about it in the dressing room - they couldn't believe the volume of noise.

"The great thing we showed was the composure to not lose our heads, keep our nerve and keep on playing and by doing that we kept on making chances."

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes:
"United will not be denied now, I think they will win the title comfortably.

"For 60 minutes we were really in the game. The crowd were anxious and I felt we were going to capitalise on it.

"But they were able to galvanise themselves and show why they are champions-elect. This year, they have played the best football."

Manchester United: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic (O'Shea 28), Heinze, Ronaldo (Solskjaer 84), Carrick, Scholes, Park, Giggs (Smith 84), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Richardson.

Booked: Heinze.

Goals: Scholes 61, Carrick 73, Park 83, Solskjaer 90.

Blackburn: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Dunn, Kerimoglu (Peter 74), Mokoena, Pedersen, Derbyshire, McCarthy (Roberts 69).
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Nonda, Henchoz.

Booked: Dunn, Pedersen, Emerton.

Goals: Derbyshire 29.

Premiership Manchester United 4-1 Blackburn highlights and goals:

Premiership Liverpool 4-1 Arsenal report.

Crouch's Hat-trick sinks Arsenal!

Peter Crouch's first hat-trick at club level saw Liverpool leap-frog Arsenal to go third in the Premiership.

The 4-1 victory sends the Liverpool above Arsenal into third spot in the Premiership and Crouch did his England cause no harm with a fine trio - two in the first half and a quality finish for his third after the break. Daniel Agger scored Liverpool's other goal, but a William Gallas effort for Arsenal failed to destroy the feelgood factor at Anfield as new American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett watched from the directors' box.

Having been knocked out of both the FA Cup and League Cup by Arsenal in the space of a few days in January, Liverpool were looking to prevent Wenger's side from becoming the first club to beat them at home three times in one season.

Liverpool had failed to score in their previous three outings yet found themselves ahead as early as the fourth minute as Crouch made a memorable return from injury.

Crouch side-footed home from close range after good work from former Arsenal winger Jermaine Pennant allowed Spanish full-back Alvaro Arbeloa to fire in a low cross to the near post.

Jose Reina did not have a save to make before half time although the Liverpool keeper was relieved to see Emmanuel Adebayor's powerful 17th minute header land on the roof of the net moments after Jamie Carragher's crucial challenge had denied Julio Baptista a chance to equalise.

Liverpool's slick passing and eagerness to press forward at every opportunity had Arsenal pinned inside their own half for long periods and it required a superb stop by Lens Lehmann to prevent the excellent Crouch from making it 2-0 in the 22nd minute. Crouch did not have to wait long for his 15th goal of the season, the seven-million-pound signing from Southampton leaping high to nod Fabio Aurelio's cross beyond the reach of Lehmann to seal the points in the 35th minute.

Arsenal pulled one back on 73 minutes when Fabregas' corner was flicked on by Toure for Gallas to turn over the line from a yard at the far post.But any doubt about the result was ended when Crouch produced nimble footwork to find some space in the box on 81 minutes and fire past Lehmann after excellent work from Pennant and Kuyt set him up.

Liverpool striker Peter Crouch:
"It was pleasing for us to get four goals and beat a class side.

"The manager let us know beforehand we've had some disappointing results against Arsenal this season.

"You don't care how they come but it was a nice hat-trick, I'm pleased with it. It is a special moment."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:
"We are not certain of being in the top four.

"There is not a big enough gap even if maybe my players felt they had done enough.

"That is not the case. We will have to give our best in every game now, we must win all our home matches and pick up some away wins too.

"My players are now concerned. They did not produce what was expected."

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Pennant, Alonso, Mascherano (Riise 82), Gonzalez (Zenden 69), Gerrard (Kuyt 56), Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Dudek, Fowler.

Booked: Alonso.

Goals: Crouch 4, 35, Agger 60, Crouch 81.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Eboue (Hoyte 82), Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Hleb, Fabregas, Diaby (Rosicky 65), Denilson, Julio Baptista (Ljungberg 65), Adebayor.
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Senderos.

Booked: Diaby, Lehmann, Fabregas.

Goals: Gallas 73.

Liverpool 4-1 Arsenal goals video:

Premiership, Manchester Utd 4-1 Bolton

Rooney and Park on song

Manchester United signalled their intention not to let anything as trivial as a mounting injury list derail their treble drive as they smashed four past Bolton for the second time this season to triumph 4-1 at Old Trafford. Park Ji-Sung and Wayne Rooney both scored twice as Sir Alex Ferguson's men surged to a victory which leaves them requiring a maximum 18 points from their last eight games to end a four-year title drought.

After half an hour of the onslaught it would have been difficult to know who was sitting most uncomfortably, Sam Allardyce or Steve McClaren - who had taken the opportunity to survey the start of a crucial weekend for him in the Old Trafford directors' box.

The game was only 10 minutes old when the England head coach's day took a serious downturn as Neville lay on the ground in agony after his left ankle crumpled under a challenge from Gary Speed. Neville could put no weight on his leg as he was helped to the touchline and the word swiftly came out that he could not continue.

Already the chances of the United skipper being fit for international duty in Israel next Saturday appear slim to non-existent, so McClaren, who had spoken of the need for experience in Tel Aviv, may end up turning to 18-year-old rookie Micah Richards.

If there is any comfort for McClaren, it is that England are not facing Portugal next week because, with Ronaldo in this mood, they would be virtually unbeatable. Having already suffered heavily at United's hands once this season, Allardyce was keen to avoid a repeat.Yet, after Bolton had received a major let-off when Park skied over from three yards, the visitors were well and truly flattened by a big red steamroller driven mercilessly by Ronaldo.

The opener came from an innocuous beginning as Wayne Rooney won a header with Tal Ben Haim close to halfway. Ronaldo was onto the loose ball in a flash, darted not just to the by-line but down it, then picked out Park with a fine cut-back which invited the South Korean's precise finish.A capacity crowd was still catching its breath when United scored one of those breakaway goals which have been such a hallmark of their success down the years.

Breaking out of their own area as they half-cleared Ivan Campo's long throw, the Red Devils streamed forward.In the end only Ronaldo and Rooney were required to make contributions as the pair exchanged passes twice in a run which took them 80 yards downfield before Rooney beat Jaaskelainen with an impudent chip to register the 50th goal of his United career.

For a while it seemed Bolton would be humiliated in a manner seldom seen since Allardyce took charge seven years ago. It was almost as if the visitors were so fearful of Ronaldo they dare not go near him, offering the winger a suicidal amount of space to run into every time he got the ball.

Jaaskelainen was spooked enough by his presence to allow a relatively weak shot to slip from his grasp just before the half hour, the rebound rolling kindly for Park to tap home his second.From that point on it was a damage limitation exercise for Bolton, with Ferguson feeling sufficiently comfortable about his side's position to remove Giggs and - to a standing ovation - Ronaldo from the fray long before the end.

Only Jaaskelainen's save prevented Ronaldo getting his own name on the scoresheet for the 18th time this season, but the winger's exit at least allowed Alan Smith to experience Premiership combat for the first time since he suffered those horrific injuries at Liverpool in February last year.

He was soon celebrating too after setting Rooney free with a lobbed pass which allowed the United forward to outpace Ben Haim before belting an unstoppable volley past Jaaskelainen.The goal involved precisely five touches from the moment the ball left the United area to it entering the Bolton net.

It took Rooney's tally for the season to 15, five of which have come against Allardyce's team, who bagged a late consolation when Gary Speed slotted home from the spot after Nemanja Vidic had harshly been ruled to have fouled Abdoulaye Faye.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson:

"The resilience of this team is not going to be put back at all. "I'm very pleased. It is a terrific result for us against a Bolton team which is a very good team and make you work all day. "Four goals at home this time of year is great."

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce:
"I can't understand how we have conceded three goals from our dead-ball situations.

"We have to get the basics right and play the percentage game as we have not the same quality as them United.

"We have gifted Manchester United three goal. I am angry with us not doing those things right."

Man Utd: Kuszczak, Neville (Brown 11), Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo (Smith 70), Carrick, O'Shea, Park, Rooney, Giggs (Richardson 56).
Subs Not Used: Heaton, Evra.

Booked: Richardson.

Goals: Park 14, Rooney 17, Park 25, Rooney 74.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Ben Haim, Faye, Gardner, Nolan, Campo (Thompson 78), Speed, Davies (Teymourian 52), Anelka, Pedersen (Diouf 28).
Subs Not Used: Walker, Giannakopoulos.

Booked: Campo, Gardner.

Goals: Speed 87 pen.

Premiership, Manchester Utd 4-1 Bolton highlights and goals: