Football: Five-star United tame Wolves

Move four points clear in Premier League title-race.

LONDON: Manchester United ruthlessly ripped apart 10-man Wolverhampton Wanderers to stroll to a 5-0 victory and move four points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The champions scored early through defender Jonny Evans, his first goal for the club, and the floodgates opened following the sending-off of Wolves defender Ronald Zubar before half-time.

Winger Antonio Valencia netted the second and made the third for Danny Welbeck before the interval and striker Javier Hernandez struck twice from close range to seal United’s win with 30 minutes left at Molineux.

The visitors made three substitutions but continued to dominate possession against their dispirited opponents, who slipped to the bottom of the table on goal-difference.

United jumped further ahead of second-placed Manchester City, who play their game in hand over their local rivals against Chelsea on Wednesday.

However, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson refused to get carried away by the result.

“The performance was okay, I don’t think it was anything special,” Ferguson was quoted on The Sport Review. “I think we took our goals well.

“What’s significant today is it’s reduced the goal difference down to three now and that may make a difference at the end of the season,” he added. “I expect [the title race] to go to the wire.”

In other matches, Swansea beat Fulham 3-0, while Wigan were held to a 1-1 draw at home by West Bromwich Albion.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2012.