Soccer: Emphatic victory resurrects United

Manchester United crushed Derby County 5-0 at Old Trafford yesterday to dispel any lingering doubts about their intention of reclaiming their premier league title at the end of the season.

League leaders Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Fulham to open up a four-point lead at the top of the table.

Michael Owen went close to scoring, but remained on 99 goals in his Liverpool career.

Manchester United's victory moved them from ninth to fifth place on 24 points, nine behind Liverpool.

United, beaten in their last three premier league games and written off by many observers for a fourth successive title, raced into a 2-0 lead after only 10 minutes with goals from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, after six minutes, and skipper Roy Keane, four minutes later - his first of the season.

Solskjaer, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes completed United's scoring.

Scholes' goal was the 9999th in the premier league since the English league structure was reformed in 1992.

First division West Bromwich Albion kept alive their hopes of returning to the top flight for the first time since 1986 when they beat Midland rivals Coventry City 1-0.

Bosnian defender Mohammad Konjic put one through his own net 17 minutes from time to give West Brom all three points, which lifted them to fourth in the table.

Coventry's miserable night was completed when Marc Edworthy was sent off in the last minute for a second bookable offence.

Burnley top the table with 46 points from 23 games, followed by Manchester City (42), Wolverhampton Wanderers (42) and West Brom (41), with Norwich slipping back to fifth on 39.

Coventry are seventh on 37 points.

In the League Cup, Dutchman Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored in the last minute to give Chelsea a 1-0 win over Newcastle United and a place in the semifinals.

The result stretched to 29 matches Newcastle's hoodoo of failing to win in London, but there was delight for the Chelsea faithful, who saw their team join Tottenham Hotspur and Blackburn Rovers in the last four.

Either Watford or Sheffield Wednesday will accompany them when they play their quarter-final next Thursday.

Just minutes before Hasselbaink scored the winner, Newcastle had a great chance to win the match, but Andy O'Brien lifted the ball over the bar from close range with only goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini to beat.

In the FA Cup, Stoke City, second in the second division, beat Halifax Town, the 92nd and bottom-ranked team in the English league, 3-0 in their second-round replay to seal a third-round tie with premier league side Everton next month.

Across the border, Alex McLeish, named as Rangers manager on Wednesday, saw his new team draw 1-1 with his former club, Hibernian, in the premier league.

McLeish, who officially takes over at Rangers from Dutchman Dick Advocaat in time for Sunday's match against Motherwell, saw Rangers dominate the second half, but they could not take more than a point, which leaves them 11 behind arch-rivals Celtic in the race for the title.

The unmarked Francisco Luna headed Hibs in front after 22 minutes for his seventh goal of the season, but Fernando Ricksen equalised for Rangers after 58 minutes.

Celtic lead the table with 49 points from 17 games, followed by Rangers, who have 38 from 18.

Meanwhile, the possibility of Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers joining England's top flight was ruled out yesterday after a meeting of premier league clubs.

League chief executive Richard Scudamore said that although no vote was taken, the 20 premier clubs were unanimous that the two Scottish sides should not be allowed direct access to the premiership.

- AGENCIES