LONDON. May 4: Leeds moved a step nearer their multi-million pound dream of Champions League football next season with a 3-1 home win over doomed Watford on Wednesday, reports AFP.

Michael Bridges put the host ahead but Dominic Foley levelled for the visitors.

Further strikes by Michael Du berry and Darren Huckerby sealed the victory for Leeds which takes them above rivals Liverpool who lost 2-0 at home to Leicester - Tony Cottee and Phil Gilchrist on target for

Martin O'Neill's men.

Leeds move up into third on 67 points, one ahead of fourth-placed Liverpool.

David O'Leary's side have targeted a place amongst Europe's elite since a lorig and arduous campaign started last August and are now just 180 minutes away from realising their ambition.

Victories over Everton at Eiland Road on Monday and then at West Ham on the final day of the season guarantees Leeds at least third place in the Premiership and with it the riches of European football's* most highly-prized competition.

For Watford, whose Nationwide League fate has been awaiting them for some considerable time, each goal rubbed salt Into their wounds as they will now definitely set an unwanted Premiership record of the fewest amount of points in one season.

Graham Taylor's side went into the game needing to win their last three matches if they were to overhaul the previous worst total of 27 points set by Ipswich in 1994-95.

Foley and Darren Ward had both gone close for Watford before Bridges struck in the 20th minute. After scoring in his previous two matches following an eight-game barren run. Bridges had nudged his way onto 19 in his first full season in the top flight following his

summer move from Sunder-

With confidence soaring again. Bridges seized upon a weak clearance out of the Watford defence and after one touch to give himself a clear sight of goal he then beat goalkeeper Chris Day with a cracker from the edge of the area.

It seemed the perfect platform on which to build, but the lead lasted just five minutes as Foley then scored his first goal this season for Watford.

David Perpetuini's left-wing cross was met at the far post by a downward header from Heidar Helguson. tlic ball then bouncing kindly Into the path of Foley allowing him to drill home from eight yards past Nigel Martyn.

But Dubem' was in the right

place at the right time to lash home a Stephen McPhail chipped free-kick into the roof of the net just after the interval - his first goal in any competition since November 2 1996.

Starting his first game since Boxing Day. Huckerby scored his first goal for seven months as he delightfully curled home the third in the 52nd minute to complete Watford's misery.

Liverpool's own Champions League dreams were dealt a savage blow when battling Leicester won at Anfield for the third successive season.

A few weeks back they were gloating over a 13-match unbeaten run: now that confidence of a glowing future looks misplaced.

Worthington Cup winners Leicester, having already booked their ticket to ride In Europe, made life mighty tricky for a Liverpool outfit who have still not had their passport stamped for next season.

Any thought that O'Neill's side would be a pushover was dispelled inside two minutes.

They caught the Anfield men cold with a first goal after one minute 58 seconds, with Neil Lennon's neat chip into the box catching out Stephane Henchoz and finding Cottee.

Leicester's top scorer, who inflicted considerable damage on Liverpool in his Everton days, chested the ball down and scampered into the box to drill his shot Wide of Sander WeSter-veld's left hand.

Four minutes after the break things got even worse for Liverpool.

Muzzy Izzet's comer swung in from the left and Dominic Matteo got a touch in the box that wrong-footed keeper Sander Westerveld and the ball fell for Gilchrist to nod in on the line.