United in a relegation crunch win at Coventry City. Middlesbrough make it four league wins in a row as a Juninho goal gives them a 1–0 home win over Chelsea. Another relegation crunch game sees Sunderland and Nottingham Forest battle out a 1–1 draw at Roker Park. 26 March 1997 – Middlesbrough fail in an appeal to restore 3 points that were docked in early January as penalty for failing to fulfil a fixture against Blackburn Rovers. 27 March 1997 – West Ham United buy Northern Ireland midfielder Steve Lomas from Manchester City for £1.6million. 31 March 1997 – Manchester United continue to lead the Premier League for third month-end running, with Liverpool still their nearest challengers. Southampton are now bottom of the Premier League, while Nottingham Forest have slipped back into the drop zone along with Coventry City. Blackburn Rovers continue to move closer to what once seemed like an almost impossible survival as they stand 12th with a six-point advantage over the bottom three and a game in hand. Bolton Wanderers are now just one point away from promotion at the top of Division One, with Barnsley now in second place and well on course for top-division football for the first time in their 101-year history. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and surprise promotion contenders Port Vale occupy the playoff zone. 5 April 1997 – Leaders Manchester United suffer a surprise 3–2 home defeat by Derby County. 6 April 1997 – Liverpool's title bid takes a surprise setback when they lose 2–1 at home to relegation battlers Coventry City. 9 April 1997 – Coventry City's survival battle continues with another win over a much stronger opposition – this time Chelsea, who find themselves on the receiving end of a 3–1 defeat at Highfield Road. 13 April 1997 – – Chelsea beat Wimbledon 3–0 in the FA Cup semi-final at Highbury to reach the FA Cup final. In the other FA Cup semi-final between Middlesbrough and Chesterfield, two early Chesterfield goals look to have put them on course to become the first third-tier side to reach a final, but Middlesbrough fight back to claim a 3–3 draw and force a replay. – Liverpool keep their title hopes alive with a 2–1 win over Sunderland at Roker Park, a result which does the hosts no favours in their battle against relegation. 16 April 1997 – Leicester City beat Middlesbrough