LONDON, 16 March 2003 — Manchester United and Newcastle took advantage of a surprise defeat for Arsenal to slash the champions’ lead at the top of the Premier League yesterday.
Arsenal stayed on 63 points after losing 2-0 at Blackburn Rovers, allowing second-placed Manchester United to cut their advantage to two points thanks to a 1-0 win at Aston Villa. With eight games to go Newcastle (58) are only five points behind Arsenal following their 2-0 victory at Charlton Athletic.
Well-struck goals in each half by Blackburn midfielders Damien Duff and Tugay condemned Arsenal to their first defeat in 13 league games, dating back to Dec. 7. Blackburn completed a rare double, having won 2-1 at Highbury in October.
David Beckham scored United’s winner at Villa in an early kickoff, while Alan Shearer, with a penalty, and Nolberto Solano secured Newcastle the points in a bruising game at The Valley.
Mick McCarthy suffered a damaging home defeat — 2-0 by Bolton Wanderers — in his first game as manager of bottom club Sunderland, who are now 10 points from safety and seemingly doomed.
Blackburn deserved their second league success of the season over Arsenal with a determined performance.
Irishman Duff, back after seven weeks out with a hamstring injury, volleyed home on 21 minutes after the ball ricocheted around the penalty area, and Turkish international Tugay doubled the lead seven minutes into the second half.
Arsenal, who face a do-or-die Champions League trip to Valencia on Wednesday, seldom looked like getting back into the game as strikers Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp drew a rare blank.
England captain Beckham tucked home a cross by Ryan Giggs after 12 minutes to settle an even contest at Villa Park.
Villa had their chances, notably through Mustapha Hadji and Dion Dublin, but United went closest to scoring again when Giggs curled a second-half free kick against the goal frame.
Dundee Extend
Unbeaten Run to Nine
Dundee, meanwhile, extended their unbeaten run to nine matches in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Aberdeen yesterday. Lee Wilkie grabbed the point with an equalizer nine minutes from the end after Aberdeen had overturned a two-goal deficit to take the lead.
Steve Lovell had scored a 16th-minute penalty and then set up Fabian Caballero to put the on-form visitors in the driving seat. But a double from Paul Sheerin in the space of seven minutes around the hour mark got the Dons level and then Phil McGuire headed them into the lead.
But Wilkie broke clear immediately after the restart to ensure Dundee’s point.
Hibernian gave their chances of a top-six finish a boost with a 1-0 win at Partick Thistle, secured by Tom McManus’ 15th minute goal. A superb solo effort by Marvin Andrews earned Livington the three points at Dundee United three minutes from the end at Tannadice.
Bayern Keep Cruising
With 4-1 Away Win
In Berlin, runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich stayed comfortably on course for another league crown with an impressive 4-1 victory at modest VfL Bochum yesterday.
Bayern built their victory before the break with headed goals from Peru striker Claudio Pizarro and Brazilian forward Elber and stayed on top after the interval with Croatia midfielder Niko Kovac and France defender Willy Sagnol doubling their advantage.
The Munich club, who have not lost in Bochum for 18 years, did not seem to suffer too much from the absence of injured playmaker Michael Ballack, outplaying their hosts to close in on an 18th German title.
Bochum, who dropped two spots down to 12th in the 18-strong table, reduced the arrears in stoppage time through striker Thomas Christiansen. Bayern, reduced to chasing domestic silverware since bowing out of Europe, remained 13 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.
Defending champions Dortmund beat Hanover 96 2-0 courtesy of a first-half goal from Germany midfielder Torsten Frings and one from substitute Leandro after the interval. The title race looks almost decided but the battle against relegation remains exciting. Four-times German champions Kaiserslautern suggested they could survive it with a brave 3-1 win over bottom club Energie Cottbus.
Goals from Germany striker Miroslav Klose, Bulgaria midfielder Marian Hristov and Czech forward Vratislav Lokvenc presented the southwesterners with their first away victory of the season. Kaiserslautern, who have now gone seven matches without defeat, leave the relegation zone by moving two spots up to 14th.
Bayer Leverkusen, who have collapsed after narrowly missing out on three titles last season, face a struggle after a 1-1 draw with VfL Wolfsburg that left them in 15th place.
