Nigel Martyn has staked his claim to face Scotland in the Euro 2000 play-offs.

With Kevin Keegan clearly undecided about who is England's No 1, the big Cornishman looks to have hit peak form at the right time.

He was largely responsible for Leeds United equalling a 68-year club record of nine successive victories on Saturday which kept his side on top of the Premiership.

He broke bottom-of-the-table Sheffield Wednesday's hearts in the Yorkshire derby at Elland Road as Leeds scraped a 2-0 win.

Martyn and Arsenal's David Seaman had half a game each in the friendly against Belgium last week, but many Leeds fans believe that Martyn is ready to make the national jersey his own.

Owls boss Danny Wilson must think so after Martyn produced a remarkable double save mid-way through the second half of a scrappy encounter.

Wednesday had bossed the first half in which Andy Booth's aerial power and Gilles De Bilde's movement forced Leeds into uncharacteristic scrambling defence.

Martyn had acrobatically tipped away a Danny Sonner header but topped that just after an hour when his brave dive at the feet of Niclas Alexandersson saved a certain goal. Jonathon Woodgate and Gary Kelly mopped up at the expense of a corner before De Bilde could knock in the loose ball.

From the flag-kick Booth powered in a header which Martyn kept out with a spectacular one-handed flying save.

Wednesday roared back to put together the move of the match down United's right, where Danny Mills was having a torrid time, culminating in a fierce drive from Petter Rudi that flashed past Martyn's right-hand post.

But Leeds, abject in the first half, took advantage of Martyn's excellence and nosed ahead within a couple of minutes.

Substitute Darren Huckerby's 72nd minute shot was spilled by Pavel Srnicek and Alan Smith knocked in the loose ball.

Minutes later the dangerous Huckerby, who has the knack of making things happen when he comes on, surged down the right. His cross was slid against his own post by Rudi and Smith reacted quickly to poach another close range goal.

After that Leeds opened up Wednesday at will but had Leeds widen their margin of victory it would only have rubbed salt into Wednesday's wounds.

"We got out of jail," admitted Leeds boss David O'Leary, "We did not play well, but we took our chances"

His young side looked nervous in the first half as if the weight of Premiership leadership and a club record were holding them back.

Tentative in tackling and passing, Leeds could not better Wednesday in any department apart from goalkeeping.

Leeds stepped up the pace after the interval and began to create chances of their own before Martyn's mini-masterclass.

Although Martyn may be in line to face the Scots, England will have to do without the suspended David Batty. At international level Batty is seen as a midfield scrapper, but at club level he is making a nonsense of critics who claim he only passes sideways or backwards.

On Saturday he was more like Tony Currie than Ray Wilkins and was always at the heart of the action.

Only time will tell if Leeds can sustain the pace at the top, but they are continuing to win without playing anywhere near their best - not a bad trait for any side looking to win a championship.

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