LONDON, England (Reuters) – Manchester United surged two points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League yesterday with captain Ryan Giggs calmly slotting home two penalties in a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite losing England striker Wayne Rooney to a groin injury that may have ended his season, United piled the pressure on Chelsea ahead of the west Londoners’ home game with Stoke City today.
Arsenal were mathematically ruled out of the title chase after drawing 0-0 with fifth-placed Manchester City in the late kickoff at the Emirates Stadium.
United, who have two games left (at Sunderland and home to Stoke City) and are chasing an unprecedented fourth successive championship, have 79 points to Chelsea’s 77 in what is now a two-team contest. Arsenal remained third with 72 points.
Chelsea must also play Liverpool and Wigan Athletic.
After a goalless first half on a sunlit afternoon in Manchester, United brought the game to life with Giggs’s first penalty in the 58th minute.
Patrice Evra, who was sick on the pitch at one stage in the heat, was brought down by a rash tackle from Cameroon defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto. Giggs stepped up and, with all the composure of his 36 years, slotted home from the spot.
Spurs, who beat Chelsea and Arsenal last week, levelled with a 70th-minute header from Ledley King that threatened to derail United’s hopes of retaining their title.
Nani, though, restored the home team’s lead in the 81st minute after being set up by substitute Federico Macheda. The Portuguese winger was also brought down by Wilson Palacios for the 86th-minute penalty converted by Giggs.
Tottenham, who have not won in the league at Old Trafford for 21 years, remain fourth and a point clear of Manchester City in the battle for the final Champions League qualifying berth.
At the other end of the table, Hull City were resigned to relegation after a bad-tempered 1-0 home defeat by Sunderland while West Ham United beat Wigan Athletic 3-2 to move to the brink of safety.
West Ham are 17th with 34 points while 18th-placed Hull remain on 28 with two matches left and a vastly inferior goal difference which leaves their survival only the slimmest of mathematical possibilities.
Burnley, on 27 points with a game in hand, will be relegated if they lose at home to Liverpool today.