Man Utd strengthen top-four bid, Liverpool held by Spurs

March 15 : Manchester United tightened their grip on a top-four place in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over rivals Aston Villa but Liverpool dropped points in a disappointing home draw with struggling Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Goals by Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and substitute Benjamin Sesko took third-placed United to 54 points after 30 games, three more than fourth-placed Villa who suffered a third successive league defeat.

Liverpool looked like they would move above Villa into fourth place as they led with a superb Dominik Szoboszlai free kick but Richarlison's last-minute equaliser gave 16th-placed Tottenham a deserved share of the spoils.

The point lifted Liverpool above Chelsea into fifth place with 49 points from 30 games while Tottenham's avoidance of a sixth successive league defeat left them one point above the relegation zone with 30 points.

Nottingham Forest moved out of the relegation zone on goal difference as they drew 0-0 at home with Fulham while 15th-placed Leeds United managed a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace despite having Gabriel Gudmundsson sent off.

FERNANDES RECORDS 100TH ASSIST

United were playing their first game in 11 days and were keen to get back on track after interim boss Michael Carrick's seven-game unbeaten run ended in a 2-1 loss to 10-man Newcastle United on March 4.

Casemiro put United ahead in the 53rd minute with a glancing header from a Bruno Fernandes corner but Ross Barkley levelled in the 64th with a shot from the middle of the area.

The game looked headed for a draw before Cunha scored from the left side of the box in the 71st minute, with Fernandes recording his 100th assist for the club across all competitions.

With eight games left, Fernandes is also four shy of matching the