United roared back from a goal down for a 2-1 victory over Chelsea, courtesy of Uruguayan substitute Diego Forlan's stoppage-time winner, that keeps the pressure on league leaders Arsenal.
Iceland striker Eidur Gudjohnsen chilled Old Trafford when he ran on to French midfielder Emmanuel Petit's deft pass through the United defense and gently flicked the ball over the advancing Fabien Barthez.
But United were level before the break when a woeful clearance from Chelsea's Italian keeper Carlo Cudicini found David Beckham on the right wing and Paul Scholes rose to head home his England team mate's booming cross.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Forlan smashed in his winner deep in stoppage time, pouncing on a long ball into the box from fellow substitute Juan Sebastian Veron of Argentina.
Aston Villa 0, Tottenham 1
Glenn Hoddle's men chalked up a second consecutive league win thanks to a second-half strike from skipper Teddy Sheringham.
Travelling Spurs fans thought their side were in front just before the break when Robbie Keane poked home a knock-down from Sheringham -- only for the strike to be ruled offside.
Keane, who scored a hat-trick in their 4-3 victory over Everton last weekend, looked set to beat Villa's offside trap on several occasions before the breakthrough finally came -- the unmarked Sheringham volleying in Steve Carr's cross from the right after 69 minutes for Spurs first away league win over Villa since 1986.
Rovers 1, Birmingham City 1
Ten-man Rovers thought they had held on for all three points until Stern John came off the substitutes' bench to score a late, but fully deserved, equalizer for City.
Ireland midfielder Damien Duff fired Rovers in front after 19 minutes, collecting Andy Cole's pass before beating City keeper Ian Bennett. But Rovers were down to 10 men within 10 minutes when defender Andy Todd was dismissed for lashing out at City's new French forward Christophe Dugarry.
Birmingham piled on the pressure in the second half and got their just rewards when John headed home a cross from Stan Lazaridis in the 83rd minute.
Charlton 1, Bolton Wanderers 1
Alan Curbishley's men looked to have bounced back from their 4-1 defeat by Chelsea on the sand dunes of Stamford Bridge last weekend -- only to be suckered by a superb equalizer from French playmaker Youri Djorkaeff five minutes from time.
Charlton's Claus Jensen had the best of the scoring chances in the first half against Sam Allardyce's relegation strugglers but he had better luck after the re-start. His probing free-kick into the area led to a goalmouth melee and South African defender Mark Fish lashed home his first goal since April 2001.
Charlton were all set for victory -- only for a bicycle kick from Djorkaeff, with his back to goal, to earn Allardyce's side a valuable point.
Everton 2, Sunderland 1
American striker Brian McBride, who scored on his debut in last weekend's 4-3 defeat at Tottenham, hit both goals as Everton came back for a rousing victory at Goodison Park.
Buoyed by their midweek FA Cup win over Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland took a 34th minute lead through Ireland midfielder Kevin Kilbane's first goal of the season, following a pass by striker Kevin Phillips.
But two goals in six minutes from McBride, meeting Scot Gemmill's cross with an overhead kick in the 51st minute and then shooting home after collecting the ball from Canadian striker Tomasz Radzinski, gave David Moyes's side all three points.
Leeds United 0, West Bromwich 0
Leeds, with Robbie Fowler on the bench after calling off his widely-expected move to Manchester City, failed to break down a determined defensive performance by West Brom -- who had Andy Johnson dismissed in the 74th minute.
A fine effort by Alan Smith was the best Leeds had to show for a workmanlike first half performance and manager Terry Venables sent on Fowler after West Brom were reduced to 10 men in a vain bid to break the deadlock.
But the visitors clung on to their point in a season-long battle to avoid a swift return to the first division.
Newcastle United 2, Man. City 0
Skipper Alan Shearer scored within 10 seconds -- matching the record set by Spurs defender Ledley King -- and Wales striker Craig Bellamy sealed the win in the second half.
Shearer struck when an upfield clearance by City keeper Carlo Nash hit the Newcastle skipper and he quickly recovered to send the ball into an empty net. Ali Benarbia was denied a prompt equalizer by the woodwork, while Shearer had another effort cleared off the line in a hectic first half.
But Newcastle continued to create chances after the re-start and their efforts were finally rewarded when French winger Laurent Robert crossed from the left and Bellamy, at full stretch, stuck out a leg to guide the ball home in the 64th minute.
Southampton 0, Liverpool 1
Liverpool ended their 11-match league run with a win -- their worst spell for half-a-century -- with a well-deserved 1-0 win at South-ampton where the home team lost for the first time this season.
The only goal came after 14 minutes when Emile Heskey headed home a cross from John Arne Riise -- his first in the league for 18 matches since September.
Michael Owen wasted a great scoring chance midway through the second half to wrap-up the points, but Liverpool held firm to secure a long-overdue victory.
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Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli yesterday vowed to “keep raising the bar” after winning the Japanese Grand Prix to become the youngest driver in Formula One history to lead the championship standings. The 19-year-old Italian took advantage of a mid-race safety car to jump into the lead after a dreadful start from pole position, crossing the line ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Antonelli’s Suzuka victory came two weeks after the first grand prix win of his career in China, and sent him top of the championship standings after three races, nine points ahead of team-mate George Russell. Mercedes are struggling to
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