United extends lead over City
West Ham rallies past Chelsea to increase skipper Benitez’s woes
WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND— Chelsea’s troubles deepened as Rafa Benitez’s side lost at West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday, while Manchester United took advantage of Man City’s slip-up to extend its lead to three points.
United twice came from behind to win 4-3 at Reading after City had drawn 1-1 at home to Everton.
Chelsea is already 10 points behind United after a 3-1 loss at West Ham left the European champions without a win in seven league matches, three since Benitez replaced the fired Roberto Di Matteo as manager.
Tottenham is now only behind Chelsea on goal difference in fourth place after beating Fulham 3-0.
Arsenal dropped to 10th after Michu’s double gave Swansea a 2-0 victory at Emirates Stadium.
Queens Park Rangers remains winless and bottom after being held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa. West Bromwich Albion dropped to fifth after being beaten 1-0 by Stoke, and Liverpool defeated Southampton 1-0.
Liverpool’s former manager, Benitez, is enduring a miserable return to the league he left in 2010 with the fans against him and the team not performing.
Chelsea took the lead at West Ham in the 13th minute when Fer- nando Torres cut the ball back from the right to Juan Mata, who swept in his eighth goal of the season.
The hosts fought back in the second half, with former Chelsea striker Carlton Cole equalizing in the 63rd minute after taking the place of the injured Andy Carroll.
Cole set up Mohamed Diame’s decisive goal for West Ham in the 86th before being replaced by Modibo Maiga, who added a third in stoppage time. “We could have finished the game in the first half, but it was totally different in the second half,” Benitez said. “We didn’t start well, they were on top of us and we couldn’t manage . . . we gave the ball away easily, weren’t comfortable in possession.” And the fans made their opposi- tion to Benitez clear with “Rafa Out” banners and chants backing Di Matteo. United was forced to come from behind to win for the seventh time in 15 league matches this season. All seven goals at Reading came in a 26-minute frenzy, starting in the eighth minute by Hal Robson-Kanu putting the hosts in front from close range.
Anderson equalized after a onetwo with Ashley Young, and Wayne Rooney, who had a pair of goals in the game, put United in front from the penalty spot after Jonny Evans had been brought down by Jay Tabb.
“We’re needing to rescue the situation all the time,” United manager Alex Ferguson said. “Fortunately, we have players who can do that.”