exocet tyrannize: Convincing win for Man U

updated 3:12 p.m. ET Jan. 14, 2012

MANCHESTER, England - Paul Scholes scored his first goal since ending his short-lived retirement to help Manchester United to a 3-0 Premier League win over Bolton on Saturday.

In the second match of his comeback, Scholes turned in Wayne Rooney's cross in the 45th minute for his first goal since August 2010. Scholes' 151st league goal helped United pull two points ahead of third-place Tottenham, which drew 1-1 with relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers.

United trails City on goal difference, although City can restore its three-point lead if it beats Wigan on Monday.

Six months after ending a career during which he only played for United, the 37-year-old Scholes returned in last weekend's FA Cup win over Manchester City. On Saturday, he became the oldest Englishman to score a league goal for United.

Danny Welbeck made it 2-0 in the 74th from an assist by Rooney, and Michael Carrick completed the scoring with seven minutes remaining. Rooney's first-half penalty kick was saved by goalkeeper Adam Bogdan.

Tottenham dominated Wolves at White Hart Lane but Steven Fletcher put the visitors ahead from a rebound in the 22nd minute after U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel parried Roger Johnson's header from a corner. Emmanuel Adebayor had a goal disallowed for offside just before halftime before Luka Modric tied it in the 51st.

City and United have 48 points, two more than Tottenham. Chelsea is another six points back in the final Champions League qualifying position after beating Sunderland 1-0 on Frank Lampard's goal.

Liverpool drew 0-0 with visiting Stoke and could be four points behind fifth-place Arsenal if the Gunners win at Swansea on Sunday, when Newcastle could replace Liverpool in sixth place if it beats visiting Queens Park Rangers.

Blackburn lifted itself out of the relegation zone with a 3-1 win over Fulham even though it played 67 minutes with 10 men.

Norwich won 2-1 at West Bromwich Albion, while Los Angeles Galaxy teammates Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane faced each other in Everton's 1-1 draw at Aston Villa. Donovan set up Darren Bent's 69th-minute equalizer for Everton. Keane entered as a substitute in the 81st minute.

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BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ? Sevilla's struggles deepened in a scoreless home draw with Espanyol in the Spanish league. The team is winless in its last four league games and was ousted from the Copa del Rey by Valencia this week.

Sevilla failed to convert numerous scoring chances in the first half Saturday. Espanyol, missing several key players, improved after the break to stay unbeaten in four straight league games.

Rayo Vallecano downed Granada 2-1 thanks to goals from Miguel "Michu" Perez and Francisco "Piti" Medina. Last-place Zaragoza's winless run grew to 11 league matches after a 1-1 draw against visiting Getafe.

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GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) ? Celtic maintained its two-point lead over defending champion Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 2-1 win over Dundee United.

Gary Hooper and Victor Wanyama struck in the first 17 minutes for Celtic. John Rankin replied in the 50th minute for Dundee United.

Nikica Jelavic scored twice to give Rangers a 2-1 win at St. Johnstone. Jelavic delivered the winner with nine minutes remaining after American defender Carlos Bocanegra's 68th-minute own-goal threatened to give St. Johnstone a draw.

Hearts beat St. Mirren 5-2; Hibernian downed Dunfermline 3-2; Inverness defeated Motherwell 1-0; and Aberdeen drew 0-0 with Kilmarnock.

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ATHENS, Greece (AP) ? Kevin Mirallas scored in each half to help Greek league leader Olympiakos beat visiting Levadiakos 3-1.

Olympiakos opened the scoring on an own goal by Panayiotis Korbos in the 41st minute, and Mirallas scored his first for the champions just before halftime. Stefano Napoleoni scored for Levadiakos in the 65th before Mirallas struck again two minutes later. Olympiakos leads Panathinaikos and AEK by seven points.

Panathinaikos, which has three games in hand on the league leader, visits Giannena on Sunday. AEK missed a chance to gain sole possession of second place by drawing 1-1 at home to Xanthi.

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Convincing win for Man U

Roundup: Paul Scholes scored his first goal since ending his short-lived retirement to help Manchester United to a 3-0 Premier League win over Bolton on Saturday.

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