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Shooting 'Pool Spurs wreck Reds' challenge; United still in huntPosted: Saturday April 27, 2002 9:22 AMUpdated: Saturday April 27, 2002 10:54 PM LONDON (AP) -- Now it's down to Arsenal and Manchester United. Liverpool's title hopes virtually ended Saturday with a 1-0 loss at Tottenham, but United is still in the hunt after a 1-0 win at Ipswich. Arsenal leads with 78 points, followed by Manchester United with 76 and Liverpool 74. The Gunners return to action against Bolton on Monday before visiting Old Trafford in their penultimate match of the season. Arsenal has also reached the FA Cup final as it pursues a repeat of its 1998 league-cup double. It needs to win two of its last three games to end United's three-year reign as champions. United and Liverpool have two games remaining. Bookmakers William Hill quoted Arsenal at 1-7 favorite to win the Premier League title late Saturday, with 5-6 odds for the double. United is at 4-1 and Liverpool at 66-1 for the title. United fielded a virtual reserve side ahead of its Champions League semifinal second leg at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday but still overcame a determined Ipswich. Ruud van Nistelrooy won and converted his 45th minute penalty. The Dutchman fell over in the penalty box while being marked by Titus Bramble and John McGreal as they contested a cross from Roy Keane. Ipswich is third from bottom with 36 points, with Sunderland one place and three points above. Both clubs are battling to avoid joining Derby and Leicester as relegated clubs with two games left. At White Hart Lane Liverpool slumped to its first defeat in 16 league games. In its match, played five hours before United's, Liverpool fell behind to a Gustavo Poyet strike in the 41st minute. Darren Anderton's cross from the left was knocked on by Simon Davies for Poyet to strike past Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek's near post. "It has not been a good day for Liverpool Football Club," manager Gerard Houllier admitted. Asked if Liverpool's title hopes were over, Houllier replied: "No, you never know in football." "We can't fault our players for effort. To the end they fought to get back in the game," he said. "By halftime we should have been 2-0 up but we couldn't score. We were up for it but it was not a good day for Liverpool and I am disappointed for the players and for the fans." Michael Owen made his 150th league appearance for Liverpool, but his England teammate Steven Gerrard was missing with a minor groin strain. Tottenham, which had nothing to play for, was strong in defense, with its U.S goalkeeper Kasey Keller making several fine saves in the first half. Aston Villa 2 Southampton 1England striker Darius Vassell scored in the 8th and 42nd minute for Aston Villa. Vassell took his season's goal tally to 13 and earned Graham Taylor only his second win in 12 matches since he returned to Villa as manager in February. James Beattie pulled one back for Southampton in the 52nd minute.Charlton 2 Sunderland 2Jason Euell scored the fastest goal in English soccer Saturday when he sent Jonatan Johansson's cross past Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen from 10 yards (meters) after 1 minute and 4 seconds. Sunderland hit back in the next minute through Kevin Kilbane, with Kevin Phillips adding the second with a header in the 11th minute. But Charlton's Kevin Lisbie equalized in the 82nd minute with an overhead kick to deny relegation strugglers Sunderland three crucial points.Derby 0 Leeds 1Lee Bowyer put Leeds ahead in the 16th minute with his second goal of the year. Bowyer's initial through ball was chested by Alan Smith and flicked over his own head back into the path of the midfielder who chipped the ball over Derby 'keeper Mart Poom. Derby has already been relegated while a recent dip in form cost Leeds a possible Champions League place.Fulham 0 Leicester 0Leicester City boss Micky Adams returned to Fulham five years after being sacked as manager for the club's final match at Craven Cottage before it undergoes a 70 million pounds (dlrs 98 million) facelift. It was also Fulham manager Jean Tigana's 100th game in charge, but his strikers failed to impress against relegated Leicester.Middlesbrough 0 Chelsea 2Young striker Carlton Cole scored on his first senior start to put Chelsea on their way against Middlesbrough. Cole headed his goal in the 38th minute after connecting with an Emmanuel Petit free kick. Dutch midfielder Boudewijn Zenden doubled the score in the 43rd minute with a deflected shot following a run from his own half.Newcastle 3 West Ham 1West Ham went ahead after 20 minutes through Jermain Defoe. Frederic Kanoute flicked on David James' clearance and Defoe thumped a volley past the keeper and into the bottom corner. Defoe, Steve Lomas and Frederic Kanoute all went close to extending the Hammers' lead but Newcastle striker Alan Shearer equalized in the 41st minute after beating James one-on-one. In the second half, Newcastle upped the tempo with goals from Lomana LuaLua and Laurent Robert.
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