Man Utd win to go top, Liverpool hold Arsenal
( 2002-01-14 09:01 ) (7 )

Manchester United chalked up their seventh successive league victory on Sunday as a spirited 3-1 success at Southampton took them to the top of the standings for the first time this season.

Arsenal missed the chance to join them after being held to a frustrating 1-1 home draw by Liverpool.

United, who are the eighth team to top the table this season after dropping as low as ninth a month ago, have 42 points and lead on goal difference from Newcastle United, who beat Leeds United 3-1 on Saturday.

Leeds, leaders coming into the weekend, drop to third on 41, Arsenal, who have a game in hand, are fourth on 40 with Liverpool fifth on 39.

Southampton, coming off wins over Chelsea and Liverpool, started full of confidence at St Mary's and went ahead after just three minutes when James Beattie rose to head home a Jason Dodd cross.

United equalised six minutes later when Ruud van Nistelrooy cut in from the right to slot in his 13th goal in nine games.

SHARE OF RECORD

It was also the seventh consecutive premier league game in which he has scored - a record shared by Mark Stein (Chelsea), Alan Shearer (Newcastle United) and Thierry Henry (Arsenal).

Southampton continued to look the more dangerous with Ecuadorean debutant Agustin Delgado thumping a header against a post and Marian Pahars shooting over from close in.

They paid for the misses a minute before halftime when David Beckham curled a free kick through a shambolic wall to give United a barely-deserved lead.

The champions, who beat Southampton 6-1 at Old Trafford three weeks ago, were much improved after the break and after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hit the bar, the Norwegian made sure of the points with a powerful shot in the 63rd minute.

"The goal just before halftime knocked the stuffing out of them," United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports television. "After halftime we played much better, passed the ball much better and took control of the game."

CLEAR CHANCE

Arsenal dominated the first half at Highbury but created only one clear chance, which was squandered in the 20th minute when Freddie Ljungberg went round Jerzy Dudek but clipped his finish right across the gaping goal.

Liverpool's first chance did not arrive until the hour mark when Danny Murphy headed over, but a minute later Arsenal were ahead.

Good work between substitute Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires set up Ljungberg who charged into the six yard box to slam home an almost identical goal to the one he scored in the 2-1 win at Anfield three weeks ago.

Liverpool, who had been content to sit and defend until then, were level seven minutes later when John Arne Riise won a tackle on the edge of his own box before sprinting 70 metres to get on the end of a Steven Gerrard pass and slot the ball past Stuart Taylor.

It was a particularly satisfying score for the Norwegian, who headed an embarrassing own goal in the 2-0 midweek defeat at Southampton.

Bergkamp missed a good chance to win it for Arsenal in the 75th minute when he miscued a volley from almost under the bar.

"We're a bit disappointed after going 1-0 up," Ljungberg told Sky Sports.

"Defensively they are very good and don't give any space away. It's very difficult to score against them which is why is was so disappointing not to have won it."

Riise said of his goal: "I know Steve Gerrard has a good eye for those runs so I hoped he would find me.

"Today we showed great character and team unity and came back to make the draw."