Scholes leaves it late to put United back in race

Next Saturday Manchester United tackle Spurs knowing victory at Old Trafford will take them back to the top of the Premier League — and leave Chelsea stewing for over 24 hours, fretting about their fate in a title race they had once controlled.

“If we had drawn against City it was probably all over. But the result has given us a little glimmer of hope,” said United’s Paul Scholes.

His 149th Manchester United goal secured one of those jaw–dropping victories that will live long in the memory — whether or not United complete a fourth successive championship triumph.

Paul Scholes headed home Patrice Evra’s left–wing cross to take the game to united with just 20 seconds remaining at Eastlands.

“We just keep going,” said Scholes.

“Some teams play for a draw, whether City were doing that I don’t know. But we are not a team that ever plays for a draw.

“We want to win. That guarantees we go right to the end.”

The suspicion was that, having started with an admirably attacking formation, that featured Adam Johnson and Craig Bellamy in wide positions to supplement Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor, Mancini got nervous around the 70–minute mark of a game in which his team had been second best without ever being outplayed.

Now Ferguson and his troops must regather themselves for a three–match tilt at the top they could not have expected last week as they trooped off at Blackburn, having ended an awful fortnight with a tame draw that nearly had their manager throwing in the towel.