UNITED THEY STAND. . . .

Manchester United thrust itself back into contention for the English Premier League soccer title yesterday with a controversial 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford, Manchester.

French international captain Eric Cantona's beautifully headed goal got the better of Blackburn and England goalkeeper Tim Flowers in the game's 80th minute, moving United within two points of the league leaders on a day which marked the Manchester debut of England's most expensive footballer, *7,000,000 former Newcastle striker Andy Cole.

Blackburn's Teddy Sherwood appeared to have equalized in the first minute of injury time past United keeper Peter Schmeichel, but Alan Shearer was adjudged to have committed a foul in the buildup.

It was a steal by Welsh international Ryan Giggs which led to the Cantona goal, an inch-perfect strike just inside the crossbar and the right goalpost.