Manchester United were given an early scare at Newcastle United before coming back for a 2-1 victory that restored their seven-point lead at the top of the English football Premier League.
Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov scored United's goals after Peter Lovenkrands had ended keeper Edwin van der Sar's 14-match run of league clean sheets with an early strike.
United have 65 points with chasing Chelsea and Liverpool, who have both played a game more, back on 58.
Fourth-placed Aston Villa's Champions League ambitions were dealt a blow with a 2-nil loss at Manchester City while Stoke City climbed out of the bottom three with a 2-nil home victory over Bolton Wanderers.
West Ham United won 1-nil at Wigan Athletic... Hull beat Fulham 1-nil.... Blackburn slip back into the relegation zone despite picking up a point in a nil-all home draw with Everton and Tottenham beat Middlesbrough 4-nil.
