Shearer scores twice as Blackburn beat United

Shearer scores twice as Blackburn beat United

LONDON (Reuter): Alan Shearer blasted open the English championship race on Saturday with two goals as Blackburn beat leader Manchester United 2-0 in a fierce top-of-the-table clash.

Blackburn moved to within three points of the defending champions after inflicting only the third defeat of the season on United.

England striker Shearer, back in top scoring form after a lean spell, showed all his renowned guile and pace as he took his personal goal tally for the season to 32 and ensured a thrilling run-in to the premier league title battle.

Blackburn cast aside their disappointment of a midweek 4-1 defeat at Wimbledon to forge the victory vital to maintaining their championship challenge.

And it was top striker Shearer who sent a clear message to Old Trafford that United's second successive championship was anything but secure.

After a tense first half which produced no shots on goal from either side and 31 free-kicks, Shearer struck instantly after the interval.

He slipped his marker at the far post to send a powerful header past Peter Schmeichel from captain Tim Sherwood's cross.

United roared back at Blackburn, who had won their 11 previous home league games, and went close twice in three minutes.

Blackburn 'keeper Tim Flowers saved instinctively as Andrei Kanchelskis volleyed Lee Sharpe's cross at him from close-range in the 62nd minute, and then Paul Ince hit the post as he struggled to control a bouncing ball.

Blackburn, who had not beaten United at Ewood Park in 32 years, continued to go forward and Shearer wrapped up the game in the 77th minute when he ran onto a long ball, outpaced England defender Gary Pallister and fired past a flat-footed Schmeichel.

Driving seat

With only seven games remaining, United is still in the driving seat three points ahead and with a far superior goal difference, although they have won only twice in their last seven games.

Shearer said: "People wrote us off after losing at Wimbledon, but we came back in style. There's a hell of a long way to go still and United have to slip up for us to catch them."

Teddy Sheringham returned like a lucky charm after five months on the sidelines to lift Tottenham's relegation worries with a goal in their 2-1 victory at Norwich on Saturday.

Within three minutes of coming on as a substitute for his first game since October following three knee operations, Sheringham put Tottenham ahead in the 56th minute.

But it took an heroic penalty save from Ian Walker and a Norwich own goal to secure Tottenham's second victory in 12 games.

Six minutes after Sheringham's goal, Chris Sutton had a penalty saved by Walker, before he equalised in the 71st minute with his 26th goal of the season.

But five minutes later Norwich defender Colin Woodthorpe handed all three points to Spurs when he diverted Darren Anderton's hopeful cross past a wrong-footed Bryan Gunn.

Everton slipped closer to the relegation zone with a crushing 5-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday - its fourth in five games.

Its plight was made worse as Oldham, Manchester City and Sheffield United below them all won.

Norwegian striker Jostein Flo ended a personal goal drought with two in Sheffield United's shock 2-1 win at Liverpool, while Manchester City crushed League Cup winners Aston Villa 3-0.

F.A. Cup semifinalist Oldham also weighed in with a big win, coming from behind to thrash Queen's Park Rangers 4-1 and pull level on points with Everton, who are now only three points above the relegation zone.

Bottom-placed Swindon Town drew 1-1 at Arsenal, with Paul Bodin's 29th minute penalty cancelling out Alan Smith's fourth- minute opener.

Southampton slipped to second bottom after losing 2-0 at Chelsea with John Spencer scoring his sixth goal in nine games and Norwegian defender Erland Johnsen his first in four years at the club. Results Premier League Arsenal 1, Swindon 1 Chelsea 2, Southampton 0 Coventry 1, Wimbledon 2 Liverpool 1, Sheffield United 2 Manchester City 3, Aston Villa 0 Norwich 1, Tottenham 2 Oldham 4, Queens Park Rangers 1 Sheffield Wednesday 5, Everton 1 West Ham 2, Ipswich 1 Leeds 1, Newcastle 1 (Played Friday) Blackburn 2, Manchester United 0