October 23, 2006	Monday	Ramazan 29, 1427

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LONDON, Oct 22: Manchester United stormed back to the top of the Premier League on Sunday after Paul Scholes marked his 500th game for the club with the opening goal in a comfortable 2-0 win over Liverpool.

Scholes prodded the ball home six minutes before halftime and England defender Rio Ferdinand added only the fourth goal of his four-year United career in the 66th minute, expertly rifling into the top corner.

Victory put United top on 22 points, just ahead of champions Chelsea on goal difference, while Arsenal moved up to fourth with a classy 4-0 demolition of Reading in the late kickoff.

Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni got a late winner as Middlesbrough beat Newcastle United 1-0, while Tottenham Hotspur edged West Ham United by the same score in a London derby thanks to Egyptian forward Mido.

There was a thrilling finale at Blackburn Rovers, who lost 1-0 to third-placed Bolton Wanderers despite being awarded two penalties in the final minutes. Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen saved both, taken by Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts, while his captain Kevin Nolan was red-carded for dissent.

The weekend's showcase game was at Old Trafford, where United ran out convincing winners over a Liverpool side who are now 11 points off the pace, their title hopes pretty well in ruins.

Scholes, who became only the ninth player to reach the 500-game mark with United, opened the scoring after being left completely unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box.

His first effort from Ryan Giggs's cross was parried by Spanish keeper Jose Reina but the 31-year-old midfielder made sure by bundling the ball home as Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia tried to hook it clear.

Ferdinand arrowed in the second in the 66th minute after deftly bringing the ball down with his right foot and firing home with his left after Jamie Carragher's botched clearance.

Results:

Played on Sunday:

Blackburn Rovers 0 Bolton Wanderers 1

Manchester United 2 Liverpool 0

Middlesbrough 1 Newcastle United 0

Reading 0 Arsenal 4

Tottenham Hotspur 1 West Ham United 0

Played on Saturday:

Aston Villa 1 Fulham 1

Charlton Athletic 0 Watford 0

Chelsea 2 Portsmouth 1

Everton 2 Sheffield United 0

Wigan Athletic 4 Manchester City 0

—Reuters