Fellaini on target as Everton hinder City again United hold off Reading in thriller
Chelsea stunned
LONDON, Dec 1, (Agencies): Manchester United opened up a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League on Saturday with a remarkable 4-3 victory at struggling Reading where all the goals came before halftime.
Reading led 1-0 through Hal Robson-Kanu and went 3-2 ahead with Sean Morrison’s header but goals from Anderson, a Wayne Rooney double and Robin van Persie saw United go in front with only 34 minutes on the clock at the Madejski Stadium.
The torrent of goals dried up after the break as United held on for the win that lifted them above champions Manchester City who had briefly gone top with a 1-1 draw at home to Everton.
In what looks like a two-horse title race United have 36 points from 15 games with City on 33.
The chasing pack of Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion each have 26.
Everton 1, Manchester City 1 Marouane Fellaini played a decisive role at both ends of the pitch as Everton held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium.
Fellaini, Everton’s outstanding player of the season, put Everton ahead with his eighth goal of the campaign on a ground at which his side had won on four of their previous five visits.
However, it was also Fellaini’s tug on Edin Dzeko’s shirt at a corner that led referee Lee Probert to award the penalty from which Carlos Tevez equalised.
The point took City top of the table ahead of Manchester United’s late game at Reading.
City manager Roberto Mancini sprung a surprise by picking Joleon Lescott, the former Everton defender, who has been kept out of the side recently by teenage summer recruit Matija Nastasic.
His Everton counterpart, David Moyes, admitted on Friday that he would not be averse to taking England centre-back Lescott back on loan when the transfer window opens next month.
Lescott, who was instrumental in City’s title campaign — playing in 31 of the 38 games — had not figured since playing in the 3-1 Champions League defeat against Ajax in Amsterdam on October 24.
City suffered an early setback when Aleksandar Kolarov, preferred to midweek choice Pablo Zabaleta at left-back, limped off after six minutes to be replaced by Zabaleta.
Tim Howard and Dzeko both needed treatment after Maicon drifted in a teasing cross that called on the Everton goalkeeper to save at full stretch.
But Howard’s next call of duty did not go so well as the United States goalkeeper chose to punch clear a swirling free-kick from David Silva.
The ball was half-cleared and when Silva swung in a cross from the right, Sylvan Distin did just enough to disrupt Tevez, whose header sailed wide.
Maicon had his hands full with the partnership of Everton duo Steven Pienaar and Leighton Baines down his flank, the pair working well without reward. However, the Brazilian defender still found time to launch a swift City attack in tandem with Tevez that saw Samir Nasri’s shot blocked by Phil Jagielka.
Fellaini had made a quiet start to the game, but that changed suddenly after 33 minutes when Everton took the lead following a superb cross from Baines.
West Ham 3, Chelsea 1 Rafael Benitez lamented Chelsea’s profligacy in front of goal after his side’s run of league games without a win was extended to seven following a 3-1 loss at West Ham United.
In a true game of two halves, Chelsea led through Juan Mata’s 13th-minute opener and looked comfortable until West Ham stormed back in the second half with goals from Carlton Cole, Mohamed Diame and Modibo Maiga.
Chelsea have not endured such a barren run in the Premier League since 1995, and Benitez has picked up just two points from a possible nine since replacing the sacked Roberto Di Matteo.
Tottenham 3, Fulham 0 In London, Jermain Defoe bagged a brace as Tottenham cruised to a 3-0 win against Fulham that lifted the north London club into fourth place in the Premier League.
Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas this week claimed Defoe is as good as Colombia star Radamel Falcao, the Atletico Madrid striker regarded as one of the world’s best forwards, and the England international repaid that compliment with a clinical display at Craven Cottage.
Defoe, 30, took his goal tally for the season to 12 with a pair of cool finishes in the second half after Brazilian midfielder Sandro broke the deadlock soon after the break.
Tottenham’s third successive win means Villas-Boas’ team are level with third-placed Chelsea, but injuries to Gareth Bale and Michael Dawson may have taken some of the gloss off the win for the former Chelsea coach.
Steve Sidwell threatened for Fulham in the early stages, but French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris charged off his lane to collect before the midfielder had a chance to shoot.
Ashkan Dejagah set up Kerim Frei as the hosts pressed again, but the opportunity was squandered by a poor finish.
Stoke 1, West Brom 0 A late goal from substitute Dean Whitehead gave Stoke City their first away win of the season at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday to deny the hosts third place in the Premier League.
Whitehead picked up a cross from fellow substitute Michael Kightly, as Stoke became just the second team to win at The Hawthorns this season after champions Manchester City.
Tony Pulis’ side have taken 13 points from the last five games, while for the fifth-placed West Brom it was a second setback in a few days after Wednesday night’s 3-1 loss at Swansea.
A draw would have been enough for West Brom to go third after Rafael Benitez’s Chelsea were beaten 3-1 by West Ham United earlier.
Hammers manager Steve Clarke made six changes to his side after their midweek loss, giving a debut to Sweden striker Markus Rosenberg, but the strategy backfired as the side failed to gel.
Kenwyne Jones, in as Peter Crouch recovers from dental surgery, made his first Premier League start of the season and came close early but his header went just wide.
Liverpool 1, Southampton 0 In Liverpool, United Kingdom, Daniel Agger’s first goal of the season earned stuttering Liverpool a 1-0 win at home to promoted Southampton, giving the Reds just their second Premier League victory in seven matches.
Agger struck three minutes before half-time to clinch only a fourth win of the campaign for Brendan Rodgers’ men, as the Reds bounced back from Wednesday’s 2-1 reverse at Tottenham.
Liverpool, whose eight-match unbeaten run in the league was snapped following that midweek defeat, climbed one spot to 11th in the table, while Southampton remained mired in the relegation zone after their first loss in five outings. Lucas Leiva’s return to the Liverpool midfield was a welcome sight following the Brazilian’s three-month lay-off with a thigh injury, and the home side went close to taking the lead inside 10 minutes as Glen Johnson’s closerange effort travelled just wide.
Saints defender Luke Shaw made a crucial interview to deny Steven Gerrard, while Luis Suarez stung the palms of Southampton goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
Liverpool continued to mount the pressure on the visitors as Jonjo Shelvey saw his blistering drive rattle the woodwork before the home side finally took a deserved lead on 42 minutes.
Aston 1, QPR 1 In London, Harry Redknapp’s home debut as Queens Park Rangers manager ended in frustration after heroics from visiting goalkeeper Brad Guzan saw Aston Villa claim a 1-1 draw at Loftus Road.
Villa went ahead through Australian midfielder Brett Holman and although Jamie Mackie levelled for QPR, who had Stephane Mbia stretchered off, Guzan kept the home side’s attackers at bay in the second period. QPR are still seeking a first win of the campaign and remain bottom of the Premier League table, seven points from safety, while Villa move up one place to 16th.
It took Villa just eight minutes to put a dampener on Redknapp’s Loftus Road bow, as Holman found the net with a left-foot shot from 20 yards that beat a rather flimsy attempt at a save from QPR goalkeeper Rob Green.