Manchester United are Premiership champions for the sixth time in eight seasons after a facile victory over Southampton at the Dell this afternoon. Goals from David Beckham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with an own goal from Francis Benali in between gave the champions a 3-0 half-time lead, which the home side could not assail despite grabbing a consolation. Elsewhere, in the midlands' derby at Villa Park, visitors Leicester held the home side to a 2-2 draw while Middlesbrough and Chelsea drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge. Sheffield Wednesday failed to continue their last minute dash away from relegation as they went down 1-0 to a Kevin Phillips goal for Sunderland at Hillsborough. Strugglers Wimbledon are more likely to take the plunge after a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, while at Upton Park West Ham United hammered Coventry City 2-0.
United's victory at the Dell takes Sir Alex Ferguson level with Bob Paisley Ferguson's side went in front in the eighth minute, thanks to another free-kick special from Beckham after Andy Cole was taken down. United were on target again in the 15th minute when sustained pressure resulted in a Southampton own goal from Francis Benali. After that the third only seemed a matter of time and it came in the 29th minute when Roy Keane and Beckham combined on the right and the latter pin-pointed a pass to Ole Gunnar Solksjaer who collected the pass and, in a flash, drilled it low into the opposite corner of the net with his left foot. Southampton clawed one back with a goal from the Latvian striker Marian Pahars on 84 minutes but it was too little too late to stop the United machine from clinching another title.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa were bidding to end a 13-year run without a win over Martin O'Neill's Leicester. A period of pressure by Villa paid off in the 31st minute when Alan Thompson put them in front with his second goal in three starts but Matt Elliott cashed in on a mistake to put Leicester level in the 36th minute. Villa needed only three minutes of the second period to regain the lead through a rare headed goal by Paul Merson but again Leicester equalised in the 67th minute with a strike from Neil Lennon. That was that and the matched finished two a piece.
Chris Armstrong's eighth goal in 10 matches added to Wimbledon's growing relegation fears at White Hart Lane, where they were beaten 2-0 by Tottenham. Wimbledon were under pressure for long periods of the first half and produced the minimum threat in attack, mostly with speculative long-range efforts that flew high and wide of the mark. Darren Anderton got his reward for unrelenting pressure with a second goal for Spurs in the 36th minute.
Chelsea began much the brighter of the two teams in today's clash with Middlesborough at Stamford Bridge. The hosts had the ball in the Middlesbrough net within four minutes, although the goal was disallowed for offside. However five minutes later they were on the mark again. This time Dennis Wise supplied the cross, direct from a corner, and Gustavo Poyet rose above the 'Boro defence to head home from a couple of yards for his 16th goal of the season. Middlesbrough awoke from their slumbers to equalise completely against the run of play on 37 minutes, and despite chances for both teams in the second half, the score remained 1-1.
Considering the importance of the match, it was surprising to see so many empty spaces around Hillsborough, where Sheffield Wednesday were taking on Sunderland. Wednesday, desperate for points, made a bright start but despite many chances on target they were still looking to make the breakthrough going into the second half. They stepped up the pace, but it was Sunderland who finally made a late breakthrough when Kevin Phillips scored a brace on 85 and 90 minutes to clinch the match for the away side.
Coventry were under pressure from the outset as they sought to end their horrendous away record this season at the expense of West Ham United. The first of five goals for West Ham arrived on seven minutes when Paolo Di Canio broke from defence on the right and laid the ball square to Michael Carrick who hammered it home. The Hammers' second was not long delayed and came when Javier Margas rose highest in the six-yard box to head home his first goal for the club, from Di Canio's corner from the right. Di Canio was the star for West Ham in the second half as the striker buried another candidate for goal of the month for West Ham's third on 48 minutes. He added his second when he sidestepped a tackle and calmly rolled the ball past Hedman for the rampant Hammers' fourth goal. The final nail in the Coventry coffin came from Kanoute after 80 minutes.
