Chelsea salvage draw, Man Utd snatch 100th-minute win
LONDON - Free- spendingending Chelsea came from 3-0 down to salvage a West 3-3 draw Brom, at newlypromoted newlywhilewhile Manchester United were rescued by Bruno penalty, Fernandes’s awarded 100thminute 100thdafter the full-time whistle, too beat Brighton 3-2 on Saturday.y.
But it is Everton whoho are setting the early pace in the Premier League as they securedcured a third straight win in controversialoversial circumstances, 2-1 at Crystal Palace.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard handed the captain’saptain’s armband to Thiago Silvaa on his Premier League debut, but the Brazilian had a nightmareare first 45 minutes as the Blues’ defensiveefensive deficiencies were easily exposed.xposed.
Callum Robinson pouncednced on errors from Marcos Alonsonso and Silva to fire twice beyondd Willy Caballero, who replacedd Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Chelseaea goal.
Kyle Bartley then madede it 3-0 to the Baggies, who had lostst their opening two games backk in the top flight.
Chelsea have spent a reported £ 220 millionon (US$280 million) to try and close the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City in the title race and even a spirited second-half fightback,fightback, which takes them to just four points from their first three games, could not hide the embarrassment of his side’s ddefendingefending for Lampard.
“It’s two points lost,”saidLampard. “You can have as many meetings as you want, but if you make clear mistakes, you give yourself a mountain to climb.” MasonMaso Mount got the comeback startstarted to a swerving long-range effort.effo
Substitute CCallum HudsonOdoi then sweptsw home 20 minutes from timet after a neat one-two with KaiK Havertz.
AndTammyAAbrahamsecured a point in stoppagestopp time when he rolled in the rebrebound after Sam Johnstone had parried Mount’s initial effort.
United bounbounced back from their 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend,wee but had a lot of fortune oon their side after being outplayed by Brighton.
The Seagulls hith the woodwork five times and tthought they had earned a point themselves five minutes into stoppagesto time when Solly March heaheaded home at the back post.
However, tthere was just enough time for United to mount another atattack and Neal Maupay raised his arm to block Harry Maguire’s headeheader.
ReRefe ree Ch r i s KavanKavanagh initially blew for full-fultime, but then awarded a penalty after consulting the pitchside monitor and Fernandes confidently converted.
“We got away with one. Maybe one point we deserved, we didn’t deserve more,” admitted United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
After Leandro Trossard hit both posts with shots from outside the box, while Adam Webster’s looping header came back off the crossbar, Brighton finally got their reward when Fernandes clipped Tariq Lamptey inside the box and Maupay cheekily chipped his penalty down the middle of the goal.
Graham Potter’s men undid their good work three minutes later when Lewis Dunk’s own goal brought United level before the visitors scored a stunning second through Marcus Rashford early in the second-half.
And even once they did level, Brighton were denied a point in a chaotic finale.
Everton sit top of the embryonic table as they won the battle of two sides who started the day with a perfect record, thanks to a controversial penalty on their own. -Nampa/AFP