James Alexander Gordon reads the full classified results (4'20")

The depth of Tottenham's miserable season can be judged by their relief at a home victory over Premiership whipping boys, Barnsley.

Having been thrashed 6-1 at home by Chelsea and lost 4-0 away at Coventry since the arrival of new manager Christian Gross, Tottenham were looking for three points from one of only two sides below them in the table.

Ian Brown reports from White Hart Lane (56")

They got off to a flying start. They were 3-0 up in the first 18 minutes - the opener from Neilson was followed by two from Ginola, and Spurs were playing with style and confidence.

With Manchester United not playing until Sunday at Newcastle, both Blackburn and Chelsea had the chance to close the gap at the top of the table.

Peter Drury reports from Ewood Park (52")

Blackburn are again just one point behind Manchester United having brushed aside West Ham's challenge at Ewood Park. Stuart Ripley opened the scoring after 21 minutes with his first goal since April 1994. Damien Duff capped a brilliant performance, scoring after 50 and 71 minutes to rubber stamp the victory over West Ham, who had Steve Lomas sent off for dissent.

Steve May reports from Hillsborough (50")

Chelsea also kept up the pressure, and are just two points behind the leaders after a comprehensive win at Sheffield Wednesday.

Dan Petrescu opened the scoring in the 20th minute, Vialli made it two, when, after missing a host of chances he headed the ball against the bar from a corner.

He had already begun cursing his luck when the ball bounced back off the bar, hit him on the side, and went in. Leboeuf made it three-nil from the penalty spot, before Mark Pembridge curled a spectacular late consolation goal. However Chelsea were not finished, with Torre Andre Flo getting their fourth just before the end.

Leeds, in fourth are also keeping pace with the leading group, beating Bolton Wanderers two-nil at Elland Road. In another card-strewn game, the football was dour and uninspiring from both sides, but the goals from Bruno Ribeiro and Jimmy Hasselbaink were out of the top drawer. In all, eight players were booked, four from each side.

Jimmy Armfield reports from Anfield (52")

Liverpool managed an uneasy victory at home to Coventry. Michael Owen scored the only goal of the game in the 14th minute, but Liverpool did nothing to suggest their title aspirations are anything more than pipe dreams.

Pat Murphy reports from Pride Park (49")

Elsewhere in the Premiership there was an immoveable force versus irresistable object clash at Pride Park, as Derby's unbeaten home record was challenged by away specialists Crystal Palace. A 0-0 draw the logical result.

Alan Biggs reports from Villa Park (1'15")

And Southampton's Egil Ostenstad rediscovered his scoring touch to equalise Ian Taylor's goal for Aston Villa. The final score was 1-1.

John Murray reports from Filbert Street (45")

Gary Speed became the first Everton player to score for more than eight hours, when he converted a penalty a minute before the end of their game against Leicester at Filbert Street. But Leicester's keeper Kasy Keller was rightly angry with himself for not saving the poorly taken penalty.

Peter Slater reports from Maine Road (50")

North western football fans might be justified in feeling a slight sense of shock. Not only did Everton score, so did Manchester City - twice, at home. And neither did they concede any. City beat Division One leaders Middlesbrough 2-0.

Two late goals from Pierre Van Hooijdonk and Steve Stone gave Nottingham Forest a 2-1 win over Stockport that takes them level with Middlesbrough.

Huddersfield came off the bottom of Division One beating managerless West Brom 2-0. It was WBA's fourth defeat in five.

In Scotland, Hearts' status as title pretenders was cruelly exposed by Rangers who hammered them 5-2 at Easter Road. Italian striker Marco Negri scored from the penalty spot, to take his total for the season so far to 31, but Gordon Durie was Rangers' hero with a hat-trick, and 'Gers go back to the top of the table.

And Celtic made it a difficult afternoon for Edinburgh clubs playing their Glasgow rivals. They thrashed Hibernian 5-0.
 

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