United unstoppable

LONDON, APRIL 16. Manchester United streaked on towards its sixth Premiership crown in eight years with a 4-0 win over Sunderland on the day league clubs marked the 11th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy.

At Hillsborough, fans from both Sheffield Wednesday and Chelsea paid their respects as matches kicked off at 3.06 p.m., the time the ill-fated 1989 FA Cup semifinal between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest began.

A Liverpool, shirt and scarf lay across the top of a stone memorial outside the stadium, while there was also a Wednesday scarf draped in front of the monument in memory of the 96 fans who were crushed to death on April 15, 1989.

United, which now needs only four points from five games to retain the championship, made the perfect start - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer putting it firmly in the driver's seat with his 11th goal of the season after only two minutes, capitalising on a poor back-pass from Darren Williams.

And the Norwegian, preferred to Andy Cole, knocked in the second with a smart left-footed finish after a surging run in the 51st minute, enabling United to equal Newcastle's record of 82 Premiership goals in a season.

Nicky Butt promptly smashed home a third after 66 minutes to set a new record and Henning Berg headed in the fourth from a tantalising David Beckham cross.

United replaced Mark Bosnich in goal with Raimond van der Gouw after the break - but neither man had much to do.

The win leaves United with 76 points from 33 games - 14 ahead of Liverpool, which plays Wimbledon on Sunday, and a mammoth 16 clear of third-placed Leeds, which hosts fifth-placed Arsenal.

There were goals galore at White Hart Lane, where Tottenham Hotspur, missing hospitalised coach George Graham, squandered a two-goal lead to go down 4-2 at home to Aston Villa, which cemented its sixth place with four goals in 12 mad minutes.

Spurs took the lead early on when David Ginola slung over a cross for Steffen Iverson to score and Chris Armstrong added a second after the break.

But Villa came storming back and Dion Dublin scored a penalty on the hour before producing a superb overhead kick to level for 2-2 before Benito Carbone and Alan Wright stuck the knife further into Spurs with two more for the visitors.

Mark Pembridge fired Everton ahead against struggling Bradford after just 83 seconds and David Unsworth netted the second from the spot after a foul by visiting 'keeper Matt Clark in the 15th minute.

Nick Barmby made it 3-0 and John Collins netted a fourth in the second half to hand Bradford its sixth straight defeat and all but consign it to the drop.

Derby was undone at home by West Ham's Paulo Wanchope, who left Derby for the Hammers last summer. The Costa Rican headed the Londoners into a 15th minute lead from a Scott Minto cross and netted again for his 15th goal of the season and fourth goal of the week after 32 minutes.

In between Derby's Dean Sturridge had an effort ruled out for an infringement before eventually netting a consolation in the 84th minute.

Newcastle's post FA Cup blues continued as it went down 2-0 at home to Leicester, which took the lead after just seven minutes when Andy Impey sent in a low, curling cross which was despatched by veteran forward Tony Cottee. Robbie Savage scored the second in the 52nd minute.

Southampton breathes easy

Southampton ensured safety after beating Watford 2-0 with goals in either half from Kevin Davies and Latvian striker Marian Pahars. The defeat leaves Graham Taylor's Hornets on the brink of relegation, 12 points from safety with only five games remaining.

Sheffield Wednesday is still just about alive after beating Chelsea 1-0 through a Wim Jonk penalty. Gilles de Bilde made a clean run before Blues 'keeper Ed de Goey brought the Belgian striker down. Jonk smacked the penalty into the back of the net as de Goey went the wrong way.

Coventry beat Middlesbrough at Highfield Road after Paul Ince put through his own goal after 32 minutes and Robbie Keane netted the second on the hour before Christian Ziege pulled one back from the penalty spot.

- AFP

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