Premiership round-up
A hat-trick from Ruud van Nistelrooy ensured Manchester United's BarclaycardPremiership title defence continued to run smoothly with a 4-1 win overLeicester.
Two quickfire goals put them in early command at the Walkers Stadium. RoyKeane grabbed the first for third-placed United when he ghosted behind the Foxesdefence on to a Paul Scholes pass and slotted home.
Within a minute van Nistelrooy made it two as Scholes' shot ran into his pathand he finished in typically ruthless fashion.
The Dutchman notched his second just before the break when he displayedstunning control before driving his shot in to give his side a 3-0 lead andcompleted his treble seven minutes into the second half. Frank Sinclair's73rd-minute header was mere consolation for City.
Chelsea's own Dutch hotshot Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was on hand to give hisside a 1-0 win over Aston Villa as Claudio Ranieri's side cut the gap to leadersArsenal to one point, with a game in hand on the Gunners.
Villa, with Dion Dublin playing as a makeshift defender, were the better sidebut the Blues scored against the run of play in the 43rd minute as FrankLampard's shot was spilled by Thomas Sorensen and Hasselbaink pounced on therebound for his sixth club goal of the season.
Southampton's unbeaten start to the season at St Mary's Stadium was ended by a1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough.
Malcolm Christie struck his first Premiership goal of the season in the 13thminute as Boro broke forward quickly and the former Derby striker cut insideGraeme Le Saux and found the corner with his shot. It was Boro's first away winof the season, and the home side's frustration was exemplified by KevinPhillips, who was sent off for lashing out at Franck Queudrue late on.
Birmingham moved up to fourth in the table and are now unbeaten in their firstsix Premiership games after a 2-0 win over Portsmouth at St Andrews.
Stan Lazaridis swung in a left-footed free-kick and midfielder StephenClemence stretched to poke the ball in with 20 minutes gone and the roles werereversed five minutes into the second period as Clemence provided the assist forthe Australian to score.
Kevin Davies denied rock-bottom Wolves their first-ever Premiership win with alate goal for Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.
Wolves took the lead on the half-hour when Wanderers failed to clear theirlines properly and Alex Rae watched the ball out of the air and volleyed home.However, the home side finally breached the Wolves backline as Davies steered ashot into the bottom left-hand corner for the equaliser.