LONDON. Dec 31

Reigning champions Manchester United , remained eight

points clear at the lop of the EnglishPremiership despite throwing away two points in a hard-fought 1-1 draw away to Newcastle on Saturday, reports AFP.

However, second-placed Arsenal missed a brilliant chance to close the gap when they were held to a 2-2 draw at horn? to Sunderland after being 2-0 up.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson vowed that his side would be hard to catch if they can add a victory over West Ham to their tally on New Year's Day.

"I would say that, if we're . eight points clear on New Year's Day. the shape of the league takes place and then we'll see where the challengers come from." he said.

But I think we ll improve in the second half. I think there are some things that are encouraging. like the return of (Andy) Cole. (Teddy) Shering-ham and (Dwight) Yorke, for instance

"(Jaap) Stam. (Ronny) Johnsen. those players are all on their way back. Quinton Fortune should be fit for Monday, and when you add It all together. it's a much stronger pool of players to choose from."

That said. Ferguson was b^ppy with a point at St James' Park alter seeing David Beckham's first-half penalty cancelled out by substitute Stephen Glass - one of three men sent on with 15 minutes left as Newcastle manager Bobby-

Robson played his final card

Glass struck nine minutes from time to set up a frantic finish in which the home side could even have snatched victory.

"It's a point gained. I have to say that, a good point.' added Ferguson. "I don't think many teams will win here.

"They showed an incredible energy and desire, hunted every ball, fought for everything. and I don't think we de-served anv more than we got

"The onlv thing I'm disappointed with - apart from the jxrfonnance because I think we should be better than that -was that we had the chance to finish them off after half-tune.

"We missed three terrific chances and we've suffered now because of that. If wed have scored tile second goal, we'd have won the game comfortably.

If the United boss was pleased with his side's return, opposite number Robson was delighted to see his men scrap their way to a draw to add a point to the three they collected against Leeds on December 26.

"Wlien the goal went tn. I said to my staff 'that will do me. if we don't lose this one. we'll settle for a point."" said the former England manager.

"And I think at that stage, Alex would have settled for a point as well because he would have been thinking that they could lose it.

"At the end of the day. it was a diplomatic result. I think ft was fair "

At Highbury. France's World Cup and Euro 2000 winner Patrick Vieira struck in the fifth

minute and then his country-man Thierry Henry's pace took him past the Sunderland defence and his cross was turned in by Lee Dixon in the 40th minute for a rare goal from the full-back.

Sunderland hit back in the second half with a Kevin Phillips penalty. Six minutes from time Sunderland drew level through Gavin McCann.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted. 'Our physical level just seemed to drop in the second half.

"I give Sunderland some credit because they raised their own game but the problem was more that we let ours drop."

Elsewhere Ipswich moved into third with a 3-0 win at Portman Road over a dreadful Tottenham, who have not won away in 1 1 matches.

Town manager George Burley claimed the win was evidence of the new boys’ desire to do more than merely survive in the top-flight.

"1 said to my players before the gaiuc that it s nice to be up there but are we going to push on and finish in the top lialf of the league?" said Burley.

"This performance showed that we want to do that." he added. "I think 3-0 was a fair reflection, when we got our noses in front we were going to be very difficult to beat. We got the goals at the right times.*

Burley’s fellow Scot and opposite number George Graham described his teams performance as "our worst of the season" and apologised to the Londoners’ travelling supporters.