LONDON. Dec Hi, England marksman Alan Shearer fired his 18th and 19th goals of • the season as
Premier league leaders Blackburn beat Southampton 3-2 on Saturday to stay a point clear of champions Manchester United, reports Reuter.
United, whose European Cup dream ended on Wednesday. fought back from a 1-0 deficit to win 3-2 at Queen's Park Rangers with two strikes from young forward Paul Scholes.
Third-placed Newcastle, after a sequence of eight league .and cup games with only one victory, rekindled their title challenge by overcoming Leicester 3-1.
Shearer s double strike In their home victory made him the English season's leading scorer In all competitions, with 16 of his goals coming in 18 league games.
Defender Mark Atkins had thrust Blackburn ahead after just six minutes, wi(h Matthew le Tissier twice reducing their lead in the second half.
Manchester United's quest to retain .the championship has now become their priority after failing to reach the European Cup quarter-finals.
They beat Turkey s -Galatasary 4-0 in their last Champions League game at Old Trafford-on Wednesday but it was not jnough to qualify for the last eight. ’ .
That victory was sparked by their unheralded youngsters, and It was another of United’s bright prospects, Scholes, who
drove them to success over London Club Rangers.
Scholes equalised in the .34th minute, England forward Les' Ferdinand having put Rangers ahead, and scored his second two minutes after.half-' time.
Sandwiched between Scholqs' double was a goal by United's Ireland midfielder Roy Keane after 44 minutes, and Ferdinand collected his second midway through the second half,
Belgium World .Cup defender Philippe Albert played the Influential role for Newcastle with two of their goals against Leicester, who are next to bottom in the table.
Albert put Newcastle In front after 32 minutes, Steve Howey added a second 'soon after halftinie and the. Belgian, playing in an unfamiliar left -back role, collected his second in the 70th minute.
Newcastle are five points behind the leaders and five points ahead of fourth-placed Nottingham Forest, who secured their first victory in eight league and cup matches by routing bottom clubjpswlch 4-1.
Forest, who were among
the early-season league pacemakers with some fluent and free-scoring football, were put on the road to revival hy striker Stan Cojlymore's fourth minute goal. ,
Scott Gemrnill and Norwegian international Alf-inge Haaland extended the lead to 3-0 by the 27th minute and when England defender Stuart Pearce got the fofirth goal just before halftime, there was dearly no way back for Ipswich.
Celebrations by Tottenham, who on Friday were allowed back into the FA Cup and spared a six-point penalty due to have been Imposed at tlfe encl of the season, continued with, a storming 3-1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday.
Tottenham had found joy in an otherwise troubled Reason wjien an arbitration tribunal confirmed that the decision to • expel them from the FA Cup was illegal, even though the dub was originally found guilty by the FA of transfer payfoent irregularities.
The London club's- relief found compelling expression on the pitch as they plundered three goals Mn 19 minutes to overturn a 1-0 deficit. /
Defender Ian Nolan put Wednesday in front after 38 minutes but Tottenham charged back in the second half through strikes from Nick Barmby, German marksman Juergen Klinsmann and Colin Calderwood.
Striker Aahiey Ward made a stunning debut for Norwich after his midweek transfer from Second Division Crewe.