Mourinho sent off after outburst as United draw again, fall further back
MANCHESTER United manager Jose Mourinho was sent off as his side lost more ground in the Premier League title race by drawing 1-1 with West Ham United yesterday.
After Diafra Sakho’s second-minute opener was cancelled out by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mourinho was sent to the stands for kicking a water bottle in protest at Paul Pogba’s booking for diving.
It was United’s fourth successive home draw in the league – a first since 1980 -and left them 11 points below leaders Chelsea in sixth place.
Elsewhere, Alexis Sanchez scored twice as Arsenal kept pace within the leading pack by winning 3-1 at home to Bournemouth.
Mourinho made six changes to his starting XI at Old Trafford, but his bench created the biggest stir as formerly exiled midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger made an unexpected return to the matchday squad.
West Ham needed just 90 seconds to go ahead as Dimitri Payet’s free-kick from the right was headed in by Sakho.
In the 21st minute, Pogba’s deep cross was nodded in by Ibrahimovic, who has now scored seven league goals this season.
United will hope their luck changes when West Ham return to Old Trafford in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Arsenal ended a run of three straight draws in all competitions with victory over Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium.
The home side took a 12thminute lead courtesy of a horror moment from Simon Cook, who undercooked a pass horribly, giving Sanchez the time to pick his spot and put Arsenal ahead. Bournemouth equalised in the 23rd minute thanks to Callum Wilson.
Theo Walcott restored Arsenal’s lead with a rare header and Sanchez made the game safe in stoppage time by tapping in substitute Olivier Giroud’s cross.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman made an unhappy return to former club Southampton as his current side fell 1-0 to his previous employers.
Charlie Austin scored the game’s only goal after just 41 seconds, heading in from close range after 19-year-old debutant Josh Sims helped on Cedric’s cross.
Stoke City climbed to 10th in the table with a 1-0 win at Watford.
A 29th-minute own goal from Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes settled the game, with Charlie Adam’s header hitting the post and bouncing into the net off the unfortunate Brazilian.
CHELSEA stayed at the top of the Premier League after coming from a goal down to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday after earlier winners Manchester City and Liverpool also briefly scaled the summit on a topsy-turvy day.
City came from behind to beat Burnley 2-1 with two Sergio Aguero goals in the day’s early kick off with Liverpool later edging above them on goal difference after Divock Origi and James Milner finally broke fierce Sunderland resistance in a 2-0 win at Anfield.
Chelsea goals either side of half time from Pedro and Victor Moses cancelled out an earlier strike by Christian Eriksen to end the league’s last unbeaten record and secure a seventh successive league victory for the Blues, who retain a one-point lead over their two closest title rivals.
City and Liverpool had earlier both struggled for their victories with the Reds’ win over Sunderland coming at a potentially high price with an ankle injury to Philippe Coutinho, who left the ground on crutches with his left foot in a protective boot.
Pep Guardiola made five changes to the Manchester City side that played in the Champions League in midweek, but he knows better than to start without Aguero, whose double strike secured the comeback win.
The game of the day was at the Liberty Stadium where Swansea City won an astonishing see-saw encounter 5-4 against Crystal Palace with two goals from substitute Fernando Llorente in stoppage time to record their first win since the opening day of the season.
The result could have serious repercussions for Palace manager Alan Pardew, whose side are out of the relegation zone only on goal difference.