Soccer: Race for crown springs back to life

Tottenham Hotspur and Paul Scholes have breathed new life into a tortuous title race.

As yesterday's first major match dawdled towards a close, the Premier League crown looked as good as Chelsea's as a drab Manchester derby seemed destined to end goalless. But then up popped Paul Scholes, yet again, to score yet another injury-time goal and give Manchester United a 1-0 win at Eastlands. Then, astonishingly, Tottenham romped to a 2-1 win at White Hart Lane in the later game.

Jermain Defoe thrashed home a penalty after John Terry had been penalised for handball - the former England captain not getting the benefit of the doubt as he had done in midweek against Bolton. Then, just before half-time, the in-form Gareth Bale hammered in a superb second.

The night got worse for Terry, who was sent off for a second booking after a clumsy foul on Bale. Frank Lampard scored a late consolation but Spurs managed to hang on.

The Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini, admitted he was "angry and disappointed" by his side's third injury-time defeat to United this season but insisted that City's pursuit of a Champions' League spot is alive. It now hangs on Tottenham's visit in two weeks' time.

Mancini found it difficult to put his feelings into words after Scholes' goal, 17 seconds from time, capped a fine display in which the midfielder dominated and curbed the attacking instincts which had seen City score 11 times in their two previous games.

"I don't think we deserved to lose. We didn't have many chances, like United," he said. "When Scholes scores in the last minute it's lucky. But this is football. I'm angry and disappointed because we've lost in the last second.

"I'm sorry for my players and the supporters but that doesn't change anything because we have chances to get fourth position and I think we will."

Mancini admitted his side might have concentrated more in the closing seconds of the game. "We had the ball and lost the ball," he said.

But the Italian did believe that City had improved since January, when Wayne Rooney's added-time goal at Old Trafford saw United edge the Carling Cup semifinal 4-3 on aggregate.

Sir Alex Ferguson said the title race would probably have been over, without Scholes' goal. "It would have been very difficult," he said. "That's the quality that's part of the history of this club. It's fantastic to have. We deserved to win but I didn't see a goal coming." United captain Gary Neville paid tribute to Scholes' all-round contribution. "He has just passed them to death all day and has popped up in the box and scored," he said. "It's given us a bit of life."

- INDEPENDENT