Wayne Rooney and Nani ended lengthy scoring droughts with two goals each as Manchester United finished a bad week on an upbeat note with a 4-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers Saturday that took it to within two points of Premier League leader Manchester City. Having gone out of the Champions League following a meek defeat at Basel Wednesday, United used Nani's first club goals in 14 games and Rooney's first in nine league games to restore some pride. A superb volley by red-hot Robin van Persie gave Arsenal a 1-0 home win over Everton, while Liverpool beat Queens Park Rangers by the same score at Anfield courtesy of a Luis Suarez goal. Early season pacesetters Newcastle lost 4-2 at Norwich City, while Aston Villa won 2-1 at Bolton Wanderers, Swansea City prevailed over Fulham 2-0 and Wigan Athletic climbed off the bottom with a 2-1 success at West Bromwich Albion. From the opening exchanges at Old Trafford United looked determined to shake off the baggage of its European reverse and the previous week's League Cup exit, and Wolves could do little to stop them. Nani cut in from the left to fire in the opener after 17 minutes and Rooney advanced into the box before delivering a similarly emphatic finish 10 minutes later. Wolves briefly got back into form, but United roared back as Antonio Valencia set up Nani and Rooney for their second goals after 56 and 62 minutes. It was the first time United had scored more than one goal in a league game in eight attempts since it beat Norwich City 2-0 on Oct. 1. The victory took United to 36 points, two behind City, which visits Chelsea Monday. Tottenham Hotspur, which travel to Stoke City on Sunday, are third on 31 with Arsenal up to fourth on 29, one ahead of Chelsea. Schalke admits interest in Podolski Schalke 04 admitted Saturday it is interested in signing Germany star Lukas Podolski from Cologne. The 26-year-old, who is nearing a century of caps, has been in good form this season scoring 11 goals in 13 matches. He is under contract at mid-table Cologne until 2013 and is valued by German daily Bild at around 25million euros. Schalke chairman Clemens Toennies told Bild the club is looking at Podolski especially as veteran Spaniard Raul will be out of contract in the June. Arsenal and Italian giants Lazio – which snapped up Podolski's veteran German international teammate Miroslav Klose in the summer – are just two of the clubs who have also been linked to him recently and Cologne's director of sport Volker Finke said Schalke's interest is no shock.
