BIRMINGHAM (England), Feb 5: Manchester United kept up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal with a hard-earned 1-0 win at Birmingham City on Tuesday, their ninth win in their last 10 matches.
A 56th-minute opportunist goal by Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy secured the victory that took United to 53 points - three behind Arsenal and five ahead of third-placed Newcastle United, who have a game in hand.
Birmingham, who face Chelsea and Liverpool in their next two games, worked hard throughout but barely threatened to score and remain only two places and six points above the relegation zone.
LEEDS: Leeds United survived a late scare as they put a bad week behind them with a 2-1 home win over first division Gillingham in their FA Cup fourth round replay on Tuesday.
Leeds, who sold defender Jonathan Woodgate and almost lost manager Terry Venables in a troubled January, won with goals by Mark Viduka and Eirik Bakke to earn a fifth-round visit to either Liverpool or first division Crystal Palace, who replay their fourth round tie at Anfield on Wednesday.
Leeds ended up hanging on for the win after they took their foot off the pedal and allowed Guy Ipoua to pull one back in a spirited late Gillingham rally.
Leeds had been on course to win the original tie until Viduka was sent off for elbowing, helping Gillingham to grab an equaliser.
BERLIN: Result of a German Cup quarterfinal match played on Tuesday
Bayern Munich 8 FC Cologne (II) 0
GLASGOW: Summary of a Scottish League Cup semifinal soccer match played on Tuesday:
Hearts 0 Rangers 1
Revised draw for the fifth round of the English FA Cup after Tuesday’s replay (kick-off times 1500 GMT unless stated):
Saturday, Feb 15:
Manchester United v Arsenal (1215); Southampton or Millwall v Norwich; Fulham v Burnley; Blackburn Rovers or Sunderland v Watford; Sheffield United v Walsall
Sunday, Feb 16: Crystal Palace or Liverpool v Leeds United (1300); Stoke v Chelsea (1600); Wolverhampton v Rochdale (1900).—Reuters