TT keeper Shaka Hislop stars as Portsmouth edge Man Utd 1-0

STEVE STONE bagged the winner as Portsmouth boosted their survival hopes and dented Manchester United’s chances of finishing second in the Premiership. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw a shot well saved by Shaka Hislop before Pompey went ahead, Stone firing in after Lomano LuaLua’s cross was not cleared. Yakubu should have twice doubled the lead but he first blazed over, then slammed another effort narrowly wide. United pressed but Paul Scholes and Solskjaer saw goalbound shots blocked. Both sides started brightly in the Fratton Park sunshine and United striker Louis Saha looked menacing with his pace a constant threat.

It was the Frenchman who had the first two openings, but he first saw a shot blocked by Dejan Stefanovic then flicked a header over from Nicky Butt’s centre after Hislop had flapped at the cross. United had to be patient in their build-up, and Scholes played a lovely through ball for Solskjaer who saw his low shot brilliantly saved by Hislop. Portsmouth soon had their first real opportunity and they converted it. LuaLua sent in a cross from the right and Yakubu’s touch directed the ball into Stone’s path, the midfielder firing into the roof of the net. Hislop tipped another Saha header over as United sought an equaliser, while John O’Shea struck Gary Neville’s cross straight at the Trinidadian. Manchester City were edged closer to the relegation zone by a 3-1 defeat at home to Southampton on a day when attention shifted to the painful end of the Barclaycard Premiership table. With Blackburn and Portsmouth both winning, City — who welcomed Kevin Keegan back to the dug-out after a four-match absence with a back complaint — emerged as the side the bottom three will hope to catch.

James Beattie put the Saints in front after 34 minutes, the England international heading home a cross from Marian Pahars, newly returned to the line-up after two months out injured. And the visitors doubled their lead ten minutes into the second half when Kevin Phillips headed in. Nicolas Anelka pulled a goal back after 78 minutes but Phillips netted his second to restore Southampton’s two-goal lead. Basement side Wolves, who started the day nine points from safety, proved they were still alive and kicking as they beat Middlesbrough 2-0. Carl Cort put them ahead in the 28th minute, heading in Mark Clyde’s cross from the right and Henri Camara netted a second after 62 minutes.

There was also good news for Blackburn, who inflicted a 1-0 defeat on fellow relegation-battlers Leicester thanks to a first-half own-goal from Foxes defender Nikos Dabizas. Chelsea were held to a goalless draw by Everton despite dominating the second half. Edwin van der Sar saved a Steven Gerrard penalty in the second half of Fulham’s 0-0 draw at Liverpool, a result which will do little to help the Anfield side’s Champions League bid. However, Birmingham and Charlton — two other sides with ambitions to play in Europe’s premier club competition — played out a 1-1 draw at the Valley. Clinton Morrison gave the visitors an 84th-minute lead but Matt Holland equalised for Charlton two minutes later. Ivan Campo swept home Jay-Jay Okocha’s cross to give Bolton a seventh-minute lead over Tottenham which was doubled by Henrik Pedersen in the 65th minute in the only Premiership game to have little riding on the outcome.