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| January 15, 2007 | Monday | Zilhaj 24, 1427 |
Fergie plays down title talk
LONDON, Jan 14: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said it was critical the Premiership leaders did not become distracted by title talk after a 3-1 win against Aston Villa on Saturday saw them stay six points clear at the top of the table.
Reigning champions Chelsea remained second with a 4-0 home victory over Wigan to end a modest run of three successive league draws but Ferguson, whose side now travel to fourth-place Arsenal said it was vital United kept their eye on the task in hand. “We want to go to Arsenal and get the result we want. That is the only thing we can think about,” Ferguson said.
First-half goals from Park Ji-Sung, Michael Carrick and Cristiano Ronaldo put United in an impregnable position.
It was United's third win over the Birmingham club in as many weeks after a 3-0 success in the league at Villa Park and a 2-1 third round FA Cup victory the previous weekend.
Reigning champions Chelsea stayed second with a 4-0 home victory over Wigan while Liverpool remained third after a 3-0 win away to basement club Watford.
Arsenal belied their reputation for being a soft touch in the north with a 2-0 win away to Blackburn despite playing most of the match with 10 men.
They lost Gilberto Silva in the 13th minute after the Brazil midfielder was sent-off for kicking out at Robbie Savage.
Struggling Charlton went down 3-1 against Middlesbrough while West Ham also stayed in the relegation zone after a 3-3 draw against London rivals Fulham.
Bolton remained fifth with a goalless draw at home to Manchester City while Euro rivals Portsmouth, in sixth, drew 1-1 away to Sheffield United.
South Korea international Park followed up his own blocked shot to give Manchester United an 11th minute lead against Villa.
Two minutes later Park turned provider for Carrick before the England midfielder supplied the cross for Ronaldo to head home in the 35th minute.
Gabriel Agbonlahor pulled a goal back for Villa early in the second-half.
Frank Lampard ignored the speculation surrounding manager Jose Mourinho's future to fire Chelsea into an early lead with a long-range free-kick.
But a first win in four league games wasn't secured until Arjen Robben made it 2-0 on the hour before the Dutch international's 70th minute cross was turned into his own net by Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland.
Didier Drogba added a fourth in the final minute at Stamford Bridge.
Tomasz Radzinski gave Fulham a 16th-minute lead before striker Bobby Zamora, sent off late-on for a second yellow-card, levelled.
Yossi Benayoun put the Hammers ahead early in the second-half but Fulham's United States striker Brian McBride tied the game at 2-2. However, Israel's Benayoun restored West Ham's lead before French defender Philippe Christanval drew Fulham level in the last minute.
Charlton went ahead through former Boro striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at The Valley.
But Boro bounced back through Lee Cattermole's equaliser on the stroke of half-time before goals from Julio Arca and Aiyegbeni Yakubu completed the recovery.
Craig Bellamy's strike and a double from fellow striker Peter Crouch gave Liverpool a much-needed victory at Watford.
Bolton were fortunate to gain a goalless draw after City's Joey Barton missed an excellent chance.—AFP
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