Resurgent Manchester United roared up to second place in the premier league tonight with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United at Old Trafford, their sixth straight win.
The champions, who had slipped to ninth in the table after their 1-0 home defeat by West Ham on December 8, now trail leaders Leeds United by only two points.
Two Paul Scholes goals and Ruud van Nistelrooy's first-half strike gave Alex Ferguson's side victory against a Newcastle team who would have gone top had they won. Alan Shearer's scored the visitors' consolation.
In the night's other game a Horacio Carbonari own goal gave Fulham a 1-0 win at struggling Derby County, who stay third from bottom.