Manchester needs 5 points to win Premiership title

By Vic Mills

LONDON (JP): After a series of favorable results on the weekend, Manchester United needs just five points from its remaining four games to win a fourth Premiership title in five years.

In the match of the day at Anfield on Saturday, two mistakes by Liverpool's goalkeeper David James gave United a 3-1 win to ease its worries over fixture congestion.

Missing Ryan Giggs and David May through injury, and expecting Liverpool to lay siege to its goal, United deployed Roy Keane in front of the back four to thwart the runs of Steve McManaman.

But the tactic took no account of life in the Liverpool area which is fast resembling high farce the longer the season runs.

Defenders were left marking space rather than players as early as the 13th minute when Gary Pallister beat both Mark Wright and David James to a in-swinging corner from David Beckham to put United ahead.

Liverpool replied through a John Barnes header six minutes later, but United was not to be denied. With halftime beckoning, Pallister again exposed the home defense to deflect home a driven Beckham corner.

A third for United was inevitable as was the likelihood of another error by James. Both came in the 62nd minute as the now shell-shocked goalkeeper totally misjudged a high hanging cross from Gary Neville to present Andy Cole with a simple header.

The talking point at Highbury, where second place Arsenal drew 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers, was not the dropping of vital points in its quest for a place in next season's Champions League, but the manner of the visitors' equalizer.

With Stephen Hughes downed by cramp in the closing minutes, Patrik Vieira kicked the ball out of play so that his teammate could be treated. By the game's conventions, Rovers should have thrown it back unopposed. Instead Chris Sutton hustled Nigel Winterburn into conceding a corner from which Gary Flitcroft equalized.

Earlier Arsenal had taken a deserved lead when David Platt slotted in his third goal in successive games. But, as manager Arsene Wenger would later concede, his players had coasted for much of the second half.

There was more disappointment for the Highbury club Monday evening as it drew for the second time in three days, 1-1 at Coventry City. The result leaves Arsenal a point clear of Liverpool, but having played a game more.

Potent team

As an attacking force, fourth place Newcastle United remains the most potent team, apart from Manchester United, in the Premiership. In an exhilarating Faustino Asprilla inspired display at St James' Park, the Teesiders beat Derby County 3-1 with goals from Robbie Elliott, Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer.

With Newcastle strengthening its UEFA Cup claim for next season, the remaining two places look set to be a three-way fight. Fifth place Aston Villa did itself no favors at the weekend with a 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Dwight Yorke spared home blushes by equalizing an earlier strike by Ramon Vega. The inability of Villa to stay the Premiership pace, while initially leveled at the lack of support for Yorke, has much to do with midfielders Andy Townsend, Ian Taylor and Mark Draper who have scored just four league goals between them this campaign.

The shrewd mid-season purchase of Benito Carbone has been instrumental in keeping Sheffield Wednesday in the race for Europe. The Italian has added a touch of class to this hard working, tactically astute Yorkshire side.

Carbone played a part in all Wednesday's goals, two from Orlando Trustfull and another from O'Neill Donaldson, as it beat a weary Wimbledon side 3-1. Chelsea, a 2-1 winner over Leicester City, remains the outsider for a UEFA Cup spot.

While results may have clarified matters at the top, this was not the case at the bottom where Nottingham Forest, Southampton, West Ham United, Coventry City and Blackburn Rovers all drew. The big loser, however, was Middlesbrough which went down 1-0 at home to Sunderland and has again dropped into the bottom three.

On the continent, a superb 41st minute solo effort from Juventus striker Alen Boksic was enough to beat Bologna and extend the Turin club's lead at the top of the Italian Serie A to six points.

Having rocked Juventus last week, Udinese again took toll of the front-runners by beating second place Parma 2-0 with goals from Alessandro Pierini and Oliver Bierhof. Internazionale is now just a point behind Parma after beating Cagliari 2-1 thanks to goals from Ivan Zamorano and Paul Ince.

In Germany, Bayern Munich remains on course for a 14th Bundesliga title after drawing 1-1 at third place Borussia Dortmund when a second-minute lead was equalized by Ruggiero Rizzitelli within a minute.

Bayern Leverkusen kept up the pressure on Bayern with a 2-1 win at fourth place VfB Stuttgart. Goals from Sergio and Ulf Kirtsen move Leverkusen to within three points of the top with six matches to play.

The title race in Holland is even closer, although PSV Eindhoven opened up a two point lead on the weekend. With defenses seemingly non-existent, PSV hit five against Graafschap Doetinchem, while second-place Feyenoord played an amazing 4-4 draw at home to Fortuna Sittard.

Barcelona kept up its challenge for Spain's second Champions League place, Real Madrid having all but won the title, thanks to goals from Ronaldo and Abelardo Fernandez in a comfortable 2-0 home win over Athletic Bilbao. The win took it one point clear of Real Betis which beat Tenerife 1-0 and three ahead of Deportivo de la Coruna, a 2-1 winner against Logrones.