Hernandez helps Man. United cement pole position

Manchester United moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League as Javier Hernandez’s double-strike inspired a 4-0 rout of struggling Wigan yesterday.

With second placed Arsenal preparing for today’s League Cup final against Birmingham, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were able to cement first place thanks to goals from Hernandez, Wayne Rooney and Fabio Da Silva at the DW Stadium.

Ferguson opted to leave Dimitar Berbatov on the bench as Hernandez started up front alongside Rooney and the Mexican striker repaid his manager’s faith with the opening goal in the 17th minute.

Nani raided down the left wing and curled over a cross that Hernandez poked in at the near-post for his 12th goal of the season.

Rooney had earlier angered Wigan when he caught James McCarthy with an elbow to the back of the midfielder’s head, but referee Mark Clattenburg decided not to punish the United forward.

United were indebted to goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar for several crucial saves before Hernandez killed off second bottom Wigan with a typically predatory strike in the 74th minute.

Rooney’s 84th minute goal and Fabio’s strike three minutes later ensured United head into this week’s crucial fixtures at Chelsea and Liverpool on a high.

Ferguson said: “In the first 20 minutes it was all Wigan, they had some great attempts. We had to hang on a bit at times but getting the first goal settled us down.

“Chicarito (Hernandez) is great in the penalty box and in the second half I thought we were excellent.”

Aston Villa eased their relegation worries by thrashing Blackburn 4-1 at Villa Park.

Gerard Houllier’s side went in front when Keith Andrews conceded possession to Ashley Young in the area and then hauled down the winger, who picked himself up to score the resulting penalty in the 49th minute.

An own goal from Blackburn youngster Grant Hanley in the 62nd minute put Villa in control and Stewart Downing sealed the win two minutes later as the hosts moved five points above the bottom three.

Nikola Kalinic got one back for Rovers in the 81st minute with a deflected effort, but it was little consolation for Steve Kean’s team as Young struck again a minute later.

Blackburn’s dismal day was complete when New Zealand defender Ryan Nelsen was sent off in the closing stages for a second booking.

Relegation zone

Wolves climbed out of the relegation zone with a 4-0 demoliton of 10-man Blackpool at Molineux.

Mick McCarthy’s side made a dream start as Adam Hammill’s surging run in the second minute ended with a pass to Matt Jarvis and the winger drove his shot past Richard Kingson.

Blackpool’s task was made even harder just before half-time when DJ Campbell was sent off for pushing Richard Stearman in the face.

Wolves took full advantage of their numerical superiority thanks to Jamie O’Hara’s finish in the 54th minute before two late goals from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake sealed Wolves’ biggest Premier League win.

McCarthy said: “We started well and scored a terrific goal. When they went down to 10 men they left holes for us to exploit and we were professional and finished it off.”

Everton’s Jermaine Beckford scored twice to seal a 2-0 win against Sunderland at Goodison Park.

David Moyes’ side took the lead in the eighth minute when Beckford pounced on Leon Osman’s pass and fired in a shot that deflected into the net off Sunderland defender Titus Bramble.

Beckford has endured a difficult time since his pre-season move from Leeds but he bagged his second in the 39th minute with a scuffed finish from Mikel Arteta’s cross as the Toffees leapt up to 10th.

Newcastle held on for a 1-1 draw against Bolton at St James’ Park despite the second half dismissal of Ryan Taylor.

Kevin Nolan netted against his former club in the 13th minute when the Newcastle captain headed in Cheik Tiote’s cross.

But Bolton forward Daniel Sturridge equalised in the 38th minute, lashing in his fourth goal in four games since his loan move from Chelsea.

Results

Aston Villa 4
Young 49 pen, 82; Hanley 62 og; Downing 64;
Blackburn 1
Kalinic 81;

HT: 0-0. Att: 34,309.
Red card: Nelsen (B) 90.

Everton 2
Beckford 8, 39;
Sunderland 0

HT: 2-0. Att: 37,776.

Newcastle 1
Nolan 13;
Bolton 1
Sturridge 38;

HT: 1-1. Att: 48,062.
Red card: Taylor (N) 54.

Wigan 0
Man. Utd 4
Hernandez 17, 74; Rooney 84; Fabio 87;

HT: 0-1. Att: 18,140.

Wolves 4
Jarvis 2; O’Hara 54; Ebanks-Blake 79, 90;
Blackpool 0

HT: 1-0. Att: 29,086.

Today
West Ham vs Liverpool - 14.30
Man. City vs Fulham - 16.00

League Cup final (Wembley, today)
Arsenal-Birmingham - 17:00

Tomorrow
Stoke-West Brom - 21:00

Leading scorers
19 goals: Berbatov (Man. United)
18 goals: Tevez (Man. City)
11 goals: Carroll (Liverpool)
10 goals: Bent (Aston Villa); Nolan (Newcastle); Van der Vaart (Tottenham); Van Persie (Arsenal)

Next fixtures
Tuesday: Premier League 20.45 Chelsea vs Manchester United. FA Cup fifth round: 20.30 Everton vs Reading.
Wednesday: FA Cup fifth round 20.45 Arsenal vs Leyton Orient; Manchester City vs Aston Villa.
Saturday: Premier League 13.45 Birmingham vs West Brom. 16.00 Arsenal vs Sunderland; Bolton vs Aston Villa; Fulham vs Blackburn; Newcastle vs Everton; West Ham vs Stoke. 18.30 Man. City vs Wigan.
Sunday: Premier League 14.30 Liverpool vs Manchester United; 17.00 Wolves vs Tottenham.
Monday, March 7: Premier League 21.00 Blackpool vs Chelsea.

The Championship
Barnsley 0 - Norwich 2
Bristol City 2 - Scunthorpe 0
C. Palace 3 - Reading 3
Doncaster 1 - Watford 1
Hull 0 - Cardiff 2
Ipswich 0 - Portsmouth 2
Leicester 1 - Coventry 1
Middlesbrough 0 - QPR 3
Millwall 0 - Nottm Forest 0
Preston 1 - Burnley 2
Sheff. Utd 0 - Derby 1
Swansea 3 - Leeds 0

Standings: QPR 67; Swansea 62; Cardiff 61; Norwich 59; Nottm Forest 58; Leeds 54; Leicester 52; Burnley 50; Hull 49; Reading 48; Millwall 47; Watford 46; Portsmouth 44; Ipswich, Barnsley 42; Bristol City 41; Coventry 40; Derby, Doncaster 39; M’Boro 36; C. Palace 35; Scunthorpe 31; Sheffield United 29; Preston 24.

League One
Brentford 1 - Bristol Rovers 0
Carlisle 0 - Sheff. Wed. 1
Dagenham 1 - Bournemouth 2
Exeter 1 - Hartlepool 2
Huddersfield 2 - Leyton Orient 2
MK Dons 1 - Brighton 0
Oldham 0 - Peterborough 5
Plymouth 2 - Colchester 1
Southampton 4 - Swindon 1
Tranmere 0 - Yeovil 1
Walsall 0 - Rochdale 0

Standings: Brighton 59; Bournemouth 58; Huddersfield, Peterborough 53; Southampton, MK Dons 52; Charlton 47; Oldham 46; Rochdale, Colchester 45; Leyton Orient, Hartlepool 44; Carlisle, Brentford, Exeter 42; Sheffield Wed. 40; Notts County 38; Tranmere 37; Yeovil 36; Swindon, Walsall 31; Bristol Rovers 30; Dagenham 29; Plymouth (-10) 26.

League Two
Accrington 1 - Torquay 0
Aldershot 1 - Port Vale 2
Barnet 4 - Lincoln City 2
Bradford 3 - Stockport 2
Burton Albion 2 - Rotherham 4
Bury 3 - Crewe 1
Chesterfield 0 - Morecambe 2
Macclesfield 0 - Wycombe 1
Oxford 0 - Hereford 2
Shrewsbury 0 - Gillingham 0
Southend 1 - Northampton 1
Stevenage 4 - Cheltenham 0

Standings: Chesterfield 62; Wycombe 56; Rotherham 53; Shrewsbury 52; Bury, Port Vale 51; Gilligham 48; Southend, Oxford 47; Stevenage 45; Torquay 44; Crewe, Accrington 42; Cheltenham 41; Northampton 40; Lincoln 38; Hereford, Aldershot, Morecambe, Bradford 37; Macclesfield 35; Barnet 30; Burton 39; Stockport 28.