LONDON, Dec 31: Goals by Andy Cole and Ryan Giggs gave Manchester United a 2-1

victory over Queens Park Rangers Saturday as the Reds trimmed Newcastle’s lead to four points, report agencies.

Newcastle. 10 points clear at the top before Manchester United beat them 2-0 last Wednesday, were powerless to reassert their supremacy because their match at West Ham was one of dozens called off because of frozen pitches.

Newcastle's next game isn't until Tuesday when they host Arsenal by which time Manchester United could have cut their lead to one point by winning at Tottenham on Monday.

The Magpies currently • have 45 points from 20 games and the Reds 41 from 21.

Eangland striker Shearer netted Blackburn's second goal in a 2-1 win over Tottenham to maintain his record of scoring in .every home league game this season and become the first man to notch a century of goals' in the Premier league, now In its fourth season.

Cole, rediscovering the lethal finishing touch which prompted United to buy him from Newcastle for seven million pounds (11 million dollars) last season, claimed his third goals in three

games with a header a minute before the Interval.

Welsh international Giggs added the second seven minutes after the breaS and. although QPR substitute Daniele Dichio pulled one back In the 68th minute. United held on to take all three points.

"He (Cole) always gets chances. When he starts scoring like he is at the moment there's no telling how many he'll get but he getting more confident all the time." United manager Alex Ferguson said.

"That was a good result for us. It was a difficult game for the players to raise themselves for after the intensity of the Newcastle game on Wednesday."

Ferguson was pleased with the performance of French international defender William Prunler on his Premier league debut.

Prunier's thundering header a minute before the interval was brilliantly parried by QPR's American goalkeeper Juergen Sommer, only for Cole to pounce and score with a header of his

"Wllllsm showed what we know— that he's an excellent passer of the ball." Ferguson said. "It was a difficult Job but he did all right, although It might be more of a test for him at Spurs on Monday."

Only 12 matches were played in England's four ma-

jor divisions and three In Scotland. Three English Premier league games fell victim to the freezing cold — West Ham v Newcastle. Aston Villa v Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton v Manchester City.

French international defender William Prunler came desperately close to marking his Manchester United league debut with a great goal when he charged In to meet a corner with a thundering header.

QPR's American goalkeeper Jergen Sommer did superbly well to palm the ball away with his left hand but the marauding Cole was on hand to plunder the goal which Prunler. on a two-week trial from French First Division Bordeaux, had so nearly scored himself.

At the other end. a blunder by United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel presented QPR with a lifeline after Giggs's goal when Dichio charged down the Dane's attempted clearance and lofted the ball into the empty net for his side's first away goal since he netted at Bolton back in September.

Liverpool moved into third place ahead of Tottenham on goal difference, twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 at Chelsea to take their tally to 35 points from 20 games.

John Spencer scored for Chelsea in the ninth and 45th minutes only for England international Steve Mc-Manaman to hit back for Liverpool in the 33rd and 76th.

Spurs, held to draws by struggling Bolton and Southampton in their two previous games, finished the year on a still lower note when they succumbed to their first away defeat in the league this season at Blackburn.

England striker Teddy Sheringham reduced the arrears with a header eight minutes after the interval for his 16th goals of the season but that was not enough to save Tottenham from defeat after 10 unbeaten games.

Arsenal welcomed Dennis Bargkam back from injury and the Dutch striker helped them take the lead against Wimbledon when he linked up for England marksman Ian Wright to score his 15th goal of the season in the 28th minutes.

But visitors Wimbledon put paid to Arsenal’s hopes of moving into third place in the table, running out 3-1 winners at Highbury thanks to two goals from Robbie Earle and one from Dean Holdsworth.

Arsenal's defence suffered from the absence of Tony Adams, who pulled out shortly before the match with a stomach upset, and the suspended Steve Bould.

UEFA cup quarterfinalists Nottingham Forest, England's only survivors in Europe, Joined Arsenal on 34 points with a 1-0 home win over injury-hit Middlesbrough. England defender Stuart Pearce scored the only goal with a penalty in the eighth minute.

Scottish striker Duncan Ferguson was in the Everton starting line-up for the first time since spending 44 days In prison for butting an opponent when he played for Glasgow Rangers.

Everton were reduced to 10 men when skipper Dave Watson was sent off for a second bookbale offence but still beat Leeds 2-0 thanks to an own goals from David We-therall and a fine strike by Ukraine-born Russia international Andrei Kanchelskls.

Bolton lost 2-1 at home to fellow strugglers Coventry and are now six points adrift at the bottom of the table.