Manchester United go four clear

LONDON (AP): Javier Hernandez helped Manchester United re-establish a four-point lead over Arsenal in the Premier League title race by scoring twice in a 4-0 victory at Wigan yesterday.

The Mexico striker turned in Nani's low cross after 17 minutes and completed a one-two with Wayne Rooney in the 74th to take his tally for the season to 12 goals.

Late goals from Rooney and defender Fabio da Silva wrapped up a comprehensive victory ahead of United's matches against Chelsea on Tuesday and Liverpool the following Sunday.

"There are big games ahead and it's a good start," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "To win 4-0 away from home at a place like Wigan is very good ... it's an acid test going to Chelsea and Liverpool."

United have now played the same number of games as the rest of the top four. Second-place Arsenal contest the League Cup final against Birmingham today when Manchester City host Fulham in the league.

Tottenham and Chelsea, who occupy fourth and fifth, have the weekend off because they were due to play the League Cup finalists.

drop zone

In the battle against relegation, Wolverhampton Wanderers climbed off the bottom and out of the drop zone with a 4-0 victory over Blackpool.

Wigan are now only being kept off the bottom by West Ham, who are two points adrift and host Liverpool today.

At Wigan's DW Stadium, Hernandez justified Ferguson's decision to start him instead of Dimitar Berbatov by producing an early goal.

While at the other end of the pitch, United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar marked his 250th appearance for the 18-time English champions with a string of fine saves denying Victor Moses, Ben Watson and Maynor Figueroa.

Following Hernandez's opener, Rooney failed to head in a second for United before collecting the Mexican's knock-down and feeding his strike partner to score again.

Rooney did find the net in the 84th after meeting a square ball from Berbatov, who had replaced Hernandez. Substitute Fabio slotted home the fourth from Darren Fletcher's cross three minutes later after being left unmarked at the back post.

In the first half, Rooney avoided any action for catching midfielder James McCarthy on the back of the head with his elbow in an off-the-ball incident.

"(In the) second half, I thought we were excellent," Ferguson said. "We had to hang on a bit at times."

Wolverhampton's match was overshadowed by the death of former defender Dean Richards at the age of 36 yesterday morning. Richards, who made 145 appearances for Wolves between 1995 and 2001, died after a long illness.

Wolverhampton made the perfect start on the pitch, with Matt Jarvis finishing a four-man move in the second minute by dispatching a curling shot beyond goalkeeper Richard Kingson.

Blackpool's hopes of a comeback were hampered just before half-time when leading scorer D.J. Campbell was sent off after pushing defender Richard Stearman in the face.

Jamie O'Hara doubled Wolves' lead in the 54th by firing a low shot that bounced over the outstretched left hand of Kingson into the corner of the net.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake tapped in a third after meeting Kevin Doyle's cross and he found the net again in the 90th.

Victories for Aston Villa and Everton put them five points further clear of the relegation zone.

Following a scoreless first half, Ashley Young scored twice as Villa beat Blackburn 4-1.

Young's first came from the penalty spot after being hauled down by Keith Andrews and the Villa captain rounded off the victory in the 82nd from Stewart Downing's cross.

Before then, Marc Albrighton's cross went in off Blackburn defender Grant Hanley's knee and Downing also scored.

Blackburn had captain Ryan Nelsen sent off late for his second yellow card after fouling Young.

At Goodison Park, Jermaine Beckford emulated Young's double to secure Everton's 2-0 win over Sunderland.

The first goal was deflected into the net by Sunderland defender Titus Bramble and the Beckford added another before half-time with a scuffed finish from Mikel Arteta's cross.

Yesterday's results:

Premier League: Aston Villa 4 Blackburn 1; Everton 2 Sunderland 0; Newcastle 1 Bolton 1; Wigan 0 Manchester United 4; Wolver-hampton Wanderers 4 Blackpool 0.

League Championship: Barnsley 0 Norwich 2; Bristol City 2 Scunthorpe 0; Crystal Palace 3 Reading 3; Doncaster 1 Watford 1; Hull 0 Cardiff 2; Ipswich 0 Portsmouth 2; Leicester 1 Coventry 1; Middlesbrough 0 Queens Park Rangers 3; Millwall 0 Nottingham Forest 0; Preston 1 Burnley 2; Sheffield United 0 Derby 1; Swansea 3 Leeds 0.

League One: Brentford 1 Bristol Rovers 0; Carlisle 0 Sheffield Wednesday 1; Dagenham & Redbridge 1 Bournemouth 2; Exeter 1 Hartlepool 2; Huddersfield 2 Leyton Orient 2; MK Dons 1 Brighton 0; Oldham 0 Peterborough 5; Plymouth 2 Colchester 1; Southampton 4 Swindon 1; Tranmere 0 Yeovil 1; Walsall 0 Rochdale 0.

League Two: Accrington 1 Torquay 0; Aldershot 1 Port Vale 2; Barnet 4 Lincoln City 2; Bradford 3 Stockport 2; Burton Albion 2 Rotherham 4; Bury 3 Crewe 1; Chesterfield 0 Morecambe 2; Macclesfield 0 Wycombe 1; Oxford 0 Hereford 2; Shrewsbury 0 Gillingham 0; Southend 1 Northampton 1; Stevenage 4 Cheltenham 0.