Nani's first-half strike beat Sunderland, weekend's final game of the season must be fight

MANCHESTER UNITED 1
- Nani 28

SUNDERLAND 0

**Nani's first-half strike at the Stadium of Light kept Manchester United's slim Premier League title chances alive following a 1-0 victory over Sunderland.

With Chelsea having moved four points clear at the top of the table following a 2-0 victory at Liverpool earlier in the day, Sir Alex Ferguson's side needed to win on Wearside to keep the title race alive heading into the final weekend of the season. But while the Red Devils were far from at their best despite the return to the starting line-up of Wayne Rooney, they picked up the required three points to maintain their pursuit of a fourth successive league title heading into next weekend's final game of the season at home to Stoke City.

United were rarely threatened at the back but were indebted to Nani after his 28th minute incisive finish proved decisive.

Rooney tested home goalkeeper Craig Gordon inside five minutes while Ryan Giggs' follow-up was blocked by Phil Bardsley. Giggs rattled the corner of post and crossbar soon after as the visitors pressed for an early advantage, but Steed Malbranque sent out a warning with a rising shot which Edwin van der Sar in the United goal did well to tip over.

The warning appeared to be heeded when United surged ahead midway through the period. Giggs, Rooney Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Fletcher were all involved in the move, which ended with the Portuguese winger curling a low, right-foot drive into the far corner of the net with the outside of his boot.

Nani was thwarted by Gordon in the early stages of the second half after being set-up by Fletcher. Berbatov was next to waste a golden chance when he snatched at a volley before seeing a header hit the woodwork after deflecting off United old-boy Kieran Richardson.

Michael Turner cleared an effort from substitute Michael Carrick off the line before the Red Devils - helped by fit-again England captain Rio Ferdinand coming off the bench - held firm in the face of some late home pressure.

United must now hope that Chelsea slip up at home to Wigan Athletic next Sunday and they can overcome Stoke City if the Premier League trophy is to remain at Old Trafford for another season.

Squads :

Sunderland: Gordon, Bardsley, Turner, Mensah (Kilgallon 18 '), Richardson, Henderson (Jones 73'), Meyler (Cattermole 36 '), Cana, Malbranque, Campbell, Bent

Manchester United: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Jonathan Evans, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher (Ferdinand 87 '), Giggs, Berbatov (Carrick 70'), Rooney

Lampard and Drogba scored, stay one step farther to claim the crown against Wigan

LIVERPOOL 0

CHELSEA 2
- Drogba 33,
- Lampard 54

**Chelsea moved to the brink of the Premier League title as they cruised to a comfortable victory against Liverpool at Anfield.

Carlo Ancelotti's side knew the win would leave them with the task of beating Wigan Athletic at home on the final day of the season to claim the crown - irrespective of Manchester United's result at Sunderland.

And, after a slow start, they were put on the path towards the title by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who gifted Didier Drogba the opening goal after 33 minutes with a dreadful back pass that left the striker with an easy job of scoring in front of goal.

The goal, and the manner in which it was conceded, ended Liverpool's fleeting resistance and Chelsea cantered to victory.

Frank Lampard added the second from Nicolas Anelka's cross nine minutes after the interval, with only Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina preventing a more emphatic victory margin.

Much had been made of the potentially unpalatable prospect - for Liverpool fans at least - of a victory for their team opening the door for United to eclipse the Anfield club's tally of 18 titles. But suggestions that Rafael Benitez's side would stand aside to avoid this eventuality proved incorrect.

Liverpool were not betrayed by a lack of effort, it was a lack of energy after playing through 120 minutes against Atletico Madrid on Thursday to no avail that was part of their downfall. And more crucially, in a condemnation of a managerial reign that may well be coming to a close, it was a lack of quality and squad strength assembled by Benitez that was brutally exposed by Chelsea.

As Chelsea ruthlessly closed in on the points, Liverpool saw their last faint hopes of Champions League football extinguished with one game left of a season that started with so much optimism but is ending awash with uncertainty surrounding the future of Benitez, and the ownership of the club.

Benitez joined Liverpool's squad and their families as they made their way around Anfield as a "thank you" to their supporters after the final whistle - but the response to the manager was relatively muted and there is a growing sense that this is likely to turn out to be his final game at Anfield in charge after a six-year reign.

In contrast to Liverpool's despair, Chelsea know the title is almost in their grasp - with the possibility of claiming an historic double with the FA Cup final against Portsmouth still to come.

Benitez resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes after Liverpool's Europa League exit. Injured Glen Johnson was replaced by Sotirios Kyrgiakos, while Maxi Rodriguez, ineligible against Atletico, came in for Ryan Babel.

Lampard was just off target from long-range inside the first minute, but Liverpool emerged as the better side in what was admittedly a desperately mediocre opening half hour.

Alberto Aquilani came closest in that spell with a drive from outside the penalty area that glanced off the bar with Chelsea keeper Petr Cech beaten.

As the opening half threatened to drift aimlessly to its conclusion, a shocking error from Gerrard presented Chelsea with a lead their lacklustre efforts barely deserved. Under no pressure, Liverpool's captain sent a backpass straight to Drogba, who could barely believe his luck as he rounded Reina to score in an unguarded net.

Chelsea believed they should have had the opportunity to double their advantage in the dying moments of the half when Salomon Kalou fell as he raced into the box accompanied by Lucas. Referee Alan Wiley appeared to put the whistle his lips in readiness to award a penalty, but then waved away Chelsea's claims.

Ancelotti's side started with real purpose after the break, with Anelka somehow failing to convert Kalou's cross from almost on the goalline - but they did not have to wait long for the goal their fans clearly believed claimed the title.

Anelka made amends for his earlier miss by beating Liverpool's attempts to play the offside trap before crossing for Lampard to slide in a simple finish.

The fight visibly drained out of Liverpool, who had to replace the injured Jamie Carragher with Daniel Ayala, and Reina had to produce an outstanding save low to his left to turn away Florent Malouda's volley.

Reina was keeping the score within respectable proportions for a Liverpool side who had barely raised a gallop after Drogba's goal, and he was forced to save twice from Anelka in the space of seconds as Chelsea went in for the kill.

All that was left was for Chelsea to play out time without any mishaps - which they were able to do without alarm as they moved to the brink of reclaiming the Premier League.

Source : BBC

Squads:

Liverpool: Reina, Mascherano, Kyrgiakos, Carragher (Ayala 57th), Agger, Gerrard, Lucas, Maxi (Babylon 42nd), Aquilani (Ngog 77th), Benayoun, Kuyt

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Ashley Cole, Lampard, Ballack, Malouda, Kalou (Zhirkov 88), Drogba, Anelka (J. Cole 90)

Clint Dempsey's inspiring a victory, Stefano Okaka complement

Fulham 3
- Dempsey 45,
- Cole (og) 58,
- Okaka 79

West Ham United 2
- Cole 61,
- Guillermo Franco 90

**The opening exchanges at Craven Cottage were pretty dull; the home side looking unsurprisingly drained after their mid-week exploits while the visitors looked as toothless and bereft of ideas as they have looked since mid-week last August!

Schwarzer pulled off a good save to stop a Mark Noble shot on the turn after 23 minutes while Dempsey came close three minutes later when his shot grazed the bar. Da Costa produced another good save from the Fulham keeper after 40 minutes when he struck hard from range but these were rare moments in a game that looked locked on stalemate until Dempsey hit home on the stroke of half-time following Davies' fine through ball.

In the second period, a Riise cross was volleyed over his own crossbar by Matthew Upson when it might have gone anywhere and from the resulting corner, Fulham went 2-0. The ball was cleared by Faubert but only to Baird whose shot - if you can call it that - was headed for the hoardings on the other side of the pitch until it struck Carlton Cole and flew into the net.

The Hammers immediately made changes with Faubert and IIan coming off for Diamanti and Franco and the move was rewarded within seconds when Noble's cross from a free-kick was headed in by Cole for his first goal in ten games. It could have been a chance for the visitors to pressure the home side but the game was gifted to Fulham ten minutes after when Spector was easily dispossessed by Nevland who passed in front of the goal for an unmarked Okaka to slide home easily. It was a moment that summed up West Ham's season.

Franco scored a 90th minute consolation after exceptional work by Scott Parker to make it 3-2 but it was all too little and all too late.

Squads :

Fulham : Schwarzer, Konchesky, Pantsil, Baird, Smalling, Riise, Dempsey (Elm 85), Greening, Davies (Okaka Chuka 70), Dikgacoi, Nevland

West Ham : Green, Upson, Spector, Faubert (Alessandro Diamanti 61), Da Costa, Parker, Kovac, Noble, Behrami (Stanislas 82), Ilan (Franco 61), Cole

Benitez scored when beat Burnley 2-1

BIRMINGHAM CITY 2
- Jensen (og) 29,
- Benitez 41

BURNLEY 1
- Thompson 87

**Birmingham profited from shambolic Burnley defending as they cruised to a comfortable 2-1 win in their final home game of the season.
There was an end of season feeling about the game from the very first whistle, but the Birmingham players almost provided the perfect start as Lee Bowyer missed a glorious chance inside the opening minute.

It took almost half an hour for the deadlock to be broken, as Sebastian Larsson cut the ball back from the byline but as Christian Benitez missed the ball at the near post it hit Tyrone Mears before bobbling into the back of the net off Brian Jensen.

If the scruffy nature of the opening goal did not sum up Burnley's season then the second, just before the break, most definitely did as Roger Johnson jogged to the far post unattended to head the ball across goal, where Benitez pounced unmarked to chest into the back of the net.

Brian Laws must have had something to say to his players at the break because Burnley emerged with renewed vigour and Steven Fletcher looked like a man on a mission as he sought to get his side back in the game.

In the end though it was his replacement Steven Thompson who grabbed an 87th minute consolation for the Clarets, but Birmingham should have been well clear by that point and the victory never looked in doubt.

A fine end to the campaign at home for Alex McLeish's side, who have cemented ninth place in the Premier League, but for Burnley it's a 17th away defeat of the season - a new Premier League record.

Squads:

Burnley: Jensen, Mears, Cort, Caldwell, Fox, Cork, Alexander, Nugent, Steven Fletcher, Paterson, Elliott. Subs: Weaver, Duff, MacDonald, Rodriguez, Blake, Bikey, Thompson

Birmingham: Hart, Parnaby, Johnson, Ridgewell, Vignal, Larsson, Bowyer, Ferguson, McFadden, Jerome, Benitez. Subs: Taylor, Murphy, Michel, Fahey, Carsley, Tainio, Redmond

Beautiful Pompey last game 3-1 win over Wolves.

PORTSMOUTH 3
- Dindane 20,
- Utaka 39,
- Brown 67

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 1
- Doyle 35

**The only story from a game that meant sweet Football Association unless a supporter of either team was the form of David James, so close to the World Cup.

The 39-year-old's reflexes appear razor sharp on this showing, as was his sense of humour when taking his position in front of the Wolves faithful for the second half.

James had styled his hair for this encounter as if 10,000 watts were being channelled through it, causing the travelling faithful to regale him with: "There's only one Tina Turner"; "Tina for England"; and, finally, "Tina is a Wolves fan", when the keeper finally took up the offer to give them a wave.

It will be his saves, though, particularly in the opening half, that should reach Fabio Capello, the England manager, on the bush telegraph. Fifteen minutes were required for James to open his display, when he was forced to dive to his left to palm away a curving David Jones free-kick.

Moments later Portsmouth had engineered the lead. Michael Brown's free-kick was chipped to an unmarked Aruna Dindane, who ran beyond a slumbering Wolves defence to head past Marcus Hahnemann.

The chances of the FA Cup finalists taking up a Europa League berth next season are, of course, slim, due to the Premier League and FA refusing them a late application.

James, though, is guaranteed the trip to South Africa for the World Cup and by the close of the half he again illustrated why.

First Geoffrey Mujangi Bia drew a sharp close-range save, before the keeper saved superbly from Ronald Zubar and then Kevin Doyle, though the latter did manage to force the ball home.

Wolves' parity lasted just four minutes. To John Utaka's sliding finish, and Brown's 67th-minute strike, Mick McCarthy's insipid team had no reply.

Squads:

Wolverhampton: Hahnemann, Zubar, Berra, Craddock, Elokobi, Foley, Henry, Mancienne, David Jones, Mujangi Bia, Doyle. Subs: Ikeme, Edwards, Stearman, Ebanks-Blake, Iwelumo, Milijas, Guedioura

Portsmouth: James, Vanden Borre, Mokoena, Finnan, Sowah, Dindane, Brown, Hughes, Boateng, Utaka, Piquionne. Subs: Ashdown, Mullins, Diop, Smith, Kanu, Ward, Ritchie

City scored twice in two minutes from Adebayor and Bellamy, Tevez penalty inspiring victory.

MANCHESTER CITY 3
- Tevez (pen) 41,
- Adebayor 43,
- Bellamy 89

ASTON VILLA 1
- Carew 16

**Manchester City mengambil langkah besar untuk mengalahkan Aston Villa dan tetap hidup harapan mereka mengklaim posisi keempat di Liga Premier.

John Carew opened the scoring for visitors before Carlos Tevez’s equalizer from the penalty spot was followed up by a goal from Emmanuel Adebayor a minute later and a Craig Bellamy strike late on.

And City enjoyed the bulk of possession after conceding, although they struggled at times to break down Villa's well-drilled defence.

Friedel cleared a cross with Adebayor lurking, while City were frustrated in penalty appeals after Stiliyan Petrov tangled with Pablo Zabaleta and Stephen Warnock appeared to handle a shot from Tevez.

But the match turned on its head late in the opening half as City scored twice in two minutes.

Squads:

Manchester City: Fulop, Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany, Bridge, Adam Johnson (Wright-Phillips, '78), De Jong, Vieira, Bellamy, Adebayor, Tevez (Richards, '88).

Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Collins, Dunne, Warnock (Heskey '74), Downing, Petrov, Milner, Ashley Young, Carew (Delfouneso '74), Agbonlahor.

Tom Huddlestone's brilliant scored in pole position to take fourth place.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1
- Huddlestone 38

BOLTON WANDERERS 0

**TOM HUDDLESTONE'S screamer kept Tottenham in pole position to take fourth place.

Spurs stay a point clear in the last Champions League spot after Huddlestone's goal saw off Bolton. The midfield man lashed past Jussi Jaaskelainen in the 38th minute.

And Harry Redknapp's men stay ahead Manchester City despite their win over fellow hopefuls Aston Villa. Spurs' wing kings Gareth Bale and David Bentley, preferred to Aaron Lennon on the right, hit their straps early on. And Tottenham's first chance came when Bentley freed Luka Modric, who fired a poor shot wide.

Younes Kaboul, filling in for Vedran Corluka at right back, then skinned Matt Taylor before crossing to Roman Pavlyuchenko. But the Russian hotshot fluffed his lines and mis-kicked his shot in the box.

In the 16th minute, White Hart Lane erupted — after a goal 200 miles away.

The Spurs fans roared their approval when news filtered through that Villa had gone 1-0 up at Eastlands.

After weathering the early storm, Bolton had a brief spell of possession and Heurelho Gomes did well to punch away a dangerous inswinging corner from Taylor. A series of booming tackles angered the crowd as Bolton's physical approach roughed up the hosts. Gretar Steinsson then shot wide before Vladimir Weiss was cut out by Ledley King in the box.

The Trotters defence foolishly backed off Bale on the half hour as he cut inside and leathered a dangerous shot.

Huddlestone's brilliant strike broke the deadlock seven minutes before half time. Benoit Assou-Ekotto cut inside from the left, laid the ball off and the midfield star gunned into the top corner. Modric found Jermain Defoe in the box after the break, but the hitman saw his shot blocked by Fabrice Muamba.

At the other end, two corners put Spurs under pressure but Gomes came out to clear. Taylor went into ref Chris Foy's book on the hour before Huddlestone fired a 25-yarder inches wide. Bolton's defence then backed off Defoe, who sent a curling shot just wide of the post. And Pavlyuchenko nodded a free-header wide as Spurs set up shop in the Trotters half.

Peter Crouch then replaced Defoe before Lennon received a standing ovation as he came on for Bentley to make only his second appearance of 2010. Jack Wilshere, on loan from Spurs' rivals Arsenal, threatened with a 25-yard effort but Michael Dawson courageously blocked.

And Gomes pulled off a stunning save to deny the youngster from the edge of the box with four minutes left. Crouch almost grabbed a second in the dying minutes after beating three Bolton defenders before forcing Jaaskelainen into a diving save.

Wilshere received a booking for hacking down Kaboul in added time before substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen fired wide at the death.

Squads:

Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Weiss, Muamba, Wilshere, Taylor, Kevin Davies, Klasnic. Subs: Al Habsi, Samuel, Elmander, Gardner, Mark Davies, Ricketts, Lee

Tottenham Hotspur: Gomes, Kaboul, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Bentley, Huddlestone, Modric, Bale, Pavlyuchenko, Defoe. Subs: Alnwick, Lennon, Jenas, Palacios, Crouch, Gudjohnsen, Bassong