United reclaim top spot thanks to Giggs
Arsenal hang on at Spurs
Ryan Giggs scored a sublime goal to seal a 1-0 win for Manchester United at West Ham United yesterday that sent them back to the top of the Premier League.
In a cagey game of few chances, Giggs jinked past two West Ham players after 61 minutes before skimming a low shot inside the far post to put the champions two points clear of Liverpool.
United have 56 points from 24 games while Liverpool have 54 from 25.
United's miserly defence was never unduly troubled as they registered a 13th consecutive league clean sheet while goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar made it over 20 hours since he last had to pick the ball out of his net in the league.
For all their attacking flair, United's surge towards a hat-trick of Premier League titles has been built on rock-like defending. Yesterday's victory was their sixth by 1-0 in an eight-match winning sequence in the league.
West Ham had not lost until before Christmas and started confidently against United.
Carlton Cole had the game's first chance when he found a rare gap in United's defence before trying to chip Van der Sar.
At the other end, a Paul Scholes shot was re-directed by Cristiano Ronaldo, forcing a fingertip save from West Ham keeper Robert Green.
United were comfortable after the break without really threatening until two of their most experienced players combined to unlock West Ham's defence.
Scholes drilled a perfect crossfield pass to pick out Giggs and the Welsh winger cut in, side-stepped past two static West Ham players and threaded a shot into the net.
Both Scholes and Giggs, along with captain Gary Neville, will be in Malta today with manager Alex Ferguson.
They will meet the press and attend some activities in connection with the celebrations marking the Manchester United Supporters Club (Malta) 50th anniversary.
In yesterday's other match, Arsenal fell in danger of losing touch with the Premier League's top four after they hung on for a 0-0 draw away at Tottenham despite Emmanuel Eboue's first-half red card.
The Gunners had midfielder Eboue sent off in the 36th minute for a petulant kick at Luca Modric, shortly after striker Emmanuel Adebayor went off injured.
Arsenal remain in fifth place, five points behind Chelsea while Spurs are 15th, just two points above the relegation places.
Tottenham, with Robbie Keane starting as captain following his return to the north London club from Liverpool, had two good chances in the second half while Modric wasted the home side's best opportunity in injury time.
Arsenal's new club record signing Andrei Arshavin got no further to the action than the substitutes bench where he was also joined by Croatia striker Eduardo, back in the squad after a year out with a serious leg injury.