Scholes strike sends United top

Paul Scholes
12 April 2012

Paul Scholes claimed his 100th Premier League goal in the 1-0 victory over Wolves which sent Manchester United back to the top of the table.

Scholes settled a tense encounter at Molineux 17 minutes from time, when he kept a cool head to beat Marcus Hahnemann after Jody Craddock's clearance had fallen nicely for the veteran midfielder.

The Red Devils laboured badly at times without injured talisman Wayne Rooney, who Sir Alex Ferguson rates as "a big doubt" for Wednesday's Champions League return with AC Milan, and were hugely relieved when Sam Vokes blazed a clear opportunity over in stoppage time.

Sir Alex Ferguson will hope the goal helps persuade Scholes to sign a one-year contract extension he is presently stalling over.

Isolated up front, Dimitar Berbatov failed to get involved as Rooney would have done. After a three-match ban, Nani appeared to have regressed to his maddening form of old and Antonio Valencia was not his usual self out wide.

It was Wolves who carried the greater threat. Stephen Ward had the golden opportunity, completely unmarked in the box he only had to beat Edwin Van der Sar to score but he nodded straight at the veteran Dutchman.

United finally got on top after the break.

Finding the net may have been a problem for Scholes in recent seasons, but this term there have been signs of that old instinct returning.

And when Craddock drilled Nani's low cross straight to the former England man he had the common sense not to rush, instead nipping past the defender's desperate lunge before drilling his shot into the far corner.

But United breathed a collective sigh of relief when Sam Vokes slashed high over the top late on when he should have scored and headed narrowly wide soon after before the whistle confirmed the champions had reclaimed first place in what is turning into a fascinating title race.

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