LONDON: Manchester United’s faltering Premier League title challenge suffered another blow in a 1-1 draw at struggling West Bromwich as Wolves eased fears they could be drawn into a relegation scrap with a 2-1 win at Southampton on Sunday.

United have dropped points in five of their last seven league games to allow Manchester City to pull seven points clear, with a game in hand.

A point was enough to nudge Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men back above Leicester into second on goal difference.

United made the worst possible start when Conor Gallagher swung in a cross and Mbaye Diagne outmuscled Victor Lindelof to power home a header after just 80 seconds.

The visitors struggled to make the most of their dominance of the ball until Bruno Fernandes produced a moment of magic with a dipping volley on his weaker left foot a minute before half-time.

The draw only took the Baggies to within 12 points of safety as they remained second bottom.

Wolves moved 15 points clear of the drop zone after coming from behind to continue Southampton’s miserable run.

The Saints made a promising start when Danny Ings converted Stuart Armstrong’s cross.

Scoring goals has been a problem for Wolves without the injured Raul Jimenez, but they were gifted an equaliser from the penalty spot when Ryan Bertrand was penalised for handball.

Ruben Neves stroked home the spot-kick before Pedro Neto’s strike 25 minutes from time earned just a second win in 11 league games.

Southampton, who top­ped the table earlier in the season, have lost six league games in a row to slip to 13th.

Meanwhile, Ilkay Gun­dogan continued his brilliant form, scoring twice as Manchester City beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 on Saturday to keep up their title bid in impressive fashion.

City are on 53 points, seven clear of second-placed Leicester City, who beat Liverpool 3-1 earlier on Saturday, and with a game in hand.

Pep Guardiola’s side have now won 16 straight matches in all competitions and German Gundogan has been central to that record-breaking run of form with 11 goals in his last 12 Premier League outings.

City went in front in the 23rd minute with a Rodri penalty after Gundogan was tripped in the box by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

From then on there was only one team going to win the encounter as City turned on their dominant passing game and Spurs had little in response.

Gundogan made it 2-0 five minutes after the interval, beating Hugo Lloris at the near post after good work from Raheem Sterling.

Then the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder, revelling in a more advanced midfield role, completed the win when he latched on to a superb long ball forward from goalkeeper Ederson, before putting Spurs defender Davinson Sanchez on the floor with some clever footwork and slotting home.

Spurs are in eighth place, four points adrift of the fourth Champions League spot.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2021