LONDON, March 30: Manchester United consolidated second place in the Premier League on Wednesday, the recalled Ruud van Nistelrooy scoring in a 1-0 home win over West Ham United.

The Dutch striker, back in the starting line-up after three substitute appearances, struck a typical close-range goal in first-half injury-time to secure a deserved victory.

The win gave United 69 points from 31 matches, nine points behind leaders Chelsea and five ahead of third-placed Liverpool, the Merseysiders having played one game more than Alex Ferguson’s men.

West Ham remain ninth, with their hopes of making next season’s UEFA Cup now looking reliant on FA Cup success rather than a top-six finish.

On a night when former Old Trafford employees Juan Sebastian Veron and Diego Forlan were going head to head in the Champions League quarter-final between Inter Milan and Villarreal, United’s fans had to settle for less exciting fare.

Ferguson, absent from the knockout phase of Europe’s top competition for the first time in 10 years, recalled Van Nistelrooy to a below-strength team and left the prolific Louis Saha on the bench.

Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Gerard Pique also started as Ferguson rotated his squad with an eye on forthcoming games against Bolton Wanderers and Arsenal.

However, the players on duty were good enough to see off a West Ham side who had picked up 2-1 away wins from their last two games.

The Londoners made a positive start and had plenty of possession but United looked dangerous on the break.

West Ham goalkeeper Shaka Hislop saved well from Pique and Van Nistelrooy hit a post before United got the breakthrough.

South Korean midfielder Park Ji-sung did well to find Van Nistelrooy in the box and the Dutchman finished cleanly.

West Ham appeared to run out of ideas in the second half and Van Nistelrooy set up a good chance for Saha in the last minute that the French substitute missed.—Reuters