Manchester United took a huge step towards retaining their Premier League title yesterday, beating West Ham United 4-1 despite playing more than half the match with 10 men.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice at Old Trafford and Carlos Tevez and Michael Carrick netted against their old club as Manchester United moved to 84 points with one match to play. If the leaders win at Wigan Athletic on May 11 they will be champions of England for the 17th time.
Second-placed Chelsea, who visit Newcastle United tomorrow, have 81 points but a vastly inferior goal difference.
At the other end of the table Bolton Wanderers virtually guaranteed their safety while Fulham continued their revival to earn a fighting chance of avoiding the drop.
Bolton beat Sunderland 2-0 at the Reebok Stadium, El Hadji Diouf's effort and an own goal by Daryl Murphy giving them 36 points ahead of their game at Chelsea this week.
Wanderers remain 16th, three points clear of Fulham after Roy Hodgson's men overcame relegation rivals Birmingham City 2-0 at Craven Cottage to rise from 19th to 17th.
Goals from Brian McBride and Erik Nevland helped Fulham climb above Birmingham and Reading, who dropped into the relegation zone after losing 1-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur in their sixth successive match without a goal.
Robbie Keane sealed Spurs's win with his 23rd goal of the season after 16 minutes.
Reading have 33 points, one ahead of Birmingham. Reading's final match is at Derby next weekend while Birmingham are at home to Blackburn Rovers.
"That was an important game today and I'm very pleased because there was a bit of tiredness in the second half," Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports News.
"The plan in the second half was to kill the game off and get the fourth goal and we did that. It's been a great day for us, we have a big chance (for the title)."
If Chelsea are beaten tomorrow, the title will be United's unless Ferguson's team lose at Wigan and Chelsea beat Bolton with a winning margin well into double figures.
Ronaldo, named England's Footballer of the Year for the second successive season on Friday, gave Manchester United a third-minute lead and added another when he turned the ball in off his thigh after 24 minutes to take his season's tally in all competitions to 40 goals. Tevez made it 3-0 with a stunning 30-yard shot two minutes later before Dean Ashton replied with an overhead bicycle kick.
United were reduced to 10 men when Nani was dismissed eight minutes before half-time for a headbutt on Lucas Neill.
Carrick put the game beyond West Ham with a well-struck shot that took a deflection off Neill after 59 minutes.
Aston Villa's hopes of pipping Everton for fifth place and an automatic spot in next season's UEFA Cup were hit by a 2-0 defeat by Wigan, Antonio Valencia scoring twice.
Blackburn beat relegated Derby County 3-1 to extend the bottom team's run without a league victory to 31 matches.
Remaining Premier League fixtures
Playing today
Arsenal vs Everton 14.30
Liverpool vs Man. City 17.00
Tomorrow
Newcastle vs Chelsea 17.00
Sunday, May 11: 16.00 - Birmingham vs Blackburn Rovers; Chelsea vs Bolton Wanderers; Derby County vs Reading; Everton vs Newcastle United; Middlesbrough vs Manchester City; Portsmouth vs Fulham; Sunderland vs Arsenal; Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool; West Ham United vs Aston Villa; Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United.
Top Scorers
30 goals Ronaldo (Man. United)
24 goals Adebayor (Arsenal)
22 goals Torres (Liverpool)
19 goals Santa Cruz (Blackburn)
15 goals Berbatov (Tottenham), Mwaruwari (Man. City), Keane (Tottenham)
14 goals Tevez (Man. United)