The Hindu : Sport / Football : Manchester United moves closer to title

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Manchester United moves closer to title

LONDON: Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-sung scored the goals as Manchester United moved closer to a third consecutive Premier League title on Saturday with a 2-0 victory at relegation-threatened Middlesbrough.

Voted player of the year by his fellow pros on Sunday and in his club record 801st appearance for United, Giggs scored with a low left-foot shot into the bottom corner in the 25th minute after the Boro defence allowed him too much room on the edge of the area.

Park added the second in the 51st minute, also with a low left-footer after Wayne Rooney had set up the opening with a run and diagonal pass to the Korean winger.

The victory gave United 80 points from 34 games. Second placed Liverpool has 74 from 34.

Chelsea downs Fulham

Nicolas Anelka scored in the first minute as Chelsea moved level on points with Liverpool after a 3-1 victory over Fulham. Although Erik Nevland equalized in the fourth minute, Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba added further goals for the Blues as Fulham slipped two places to ninth.

A blunder by England goalkeeper David James, who fumbled Nicklas Bendtner’s header into the net, helped Arsenal on to 3-0 victory at Portsmouth. Bendtner and Carlos Vela added more goals and Pompey had Noe Pamarot sent off.

Diego Tristan fired home a 32nd-minute free kick as West Ham won 1-0 at Stoke to move up to seventh place, and Manchester City’s Felipe Caicedo, Robinho and Elano all scored in the first half on the way to a 3-1 victory over Blackburn.

The results: Chelsea 3 (Nicolas Anelka (1), Florent Malouda (10), Didier Drogba (53) bt Fulham 1 (Erik Nevland (4).

Manchester City 3 (Felipe Caicedo (27), Robinho (34), Elano (45-penalty) bt Blackburn 1 (Keith Andrews (66).

Middlesbrough 0 lost to Manchester United 2 (Ryan Giggs (25), Park Ji-sung (51).

Portsmouth 0 lost to Arsenal 3 (Nicklas Bendtner (13, 41-penalty), Carlos Vela (56).

Stoke 0 lost to West Ham 1 (Diego Tristan (33); Tottenham 1 (Jermain Jenas (43)) bt West Bromwich Albion 0.

Tottenham: Wigan 0 drew with Bolton 0. — Agencies

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