Rooney and Tevez on target

Manchester United went top of the Premier League with victory at home to Middlesbrough, while Chelsea hammered third-placed Manchester City.

Birmingham City twice came from behind to beat Wigan Athletic, Reading beat Newcastle United, and Sunderland and Fulham drew on Wearside.

In Saturday’s late kick-off Portsmouth and West Ham played out a 0-0 stalemate at Fratton Park.

The Red Devils were ahead after just three minutes when Nani skipped past a couple of challenges and unleashed a fearsome shot from 25 yards which flew past Middlesbrough keeper Mark Schwarzer.

But Boro, who had not lost in their previous four Premier League visits to Old Trafford, were level just three minutes later when Jeremie Aliadiere took advantage of poor defending to guide Tuncay Sanli’s cross in off the post.

Boro, though, gifted the champions a second goal on 33 minutes when Stewart Downing gave away possession inside his own box and Wayne Rooney thumped his shot past Schwarzer.

The third United goal on 55 minutes was superbly created as Anderson chipped the ball in to Tevez, who helped it on to Rooney before the Argentine slotted past Schwarzer after a clever back-heel from his team-mate.

There was an element of fortune about United’s fourth on 85 minutes when Tevez’s shot, after Rooney’s pass, took a heavy deflection before looping into the net.

Frank Lampard was in inspired form for Chelsea and his pass allowed Michael Essien to score after 16 minutes of the 6-0 win over Man City.

The England midfielder’s excellent ball with the outside of his right foot played in Didier Drogba for the second goal on 31 minutes and Lampard was involved in the third goal on 56 minutes as his shot was saved by Joe Hart and Drogba capitalised on slack defending to drill his shot past the City keeper.

More loose defending from City contributed to the fourth goal on 60 minutes as Javier Garrido watched Joe Cole burst through the defence to score.

And yet more ball-watching from the visitors enabled Chelsea to score a fifth on 75 minutes when Salomon Kalou was played in by Essien.

Essien was the provider for the home side’s sixth goal in the final minute when slipping in substitute Andrei Shevchenko for a clinical finish.

Reading recorded a third consecutive home win in the league by edging a 2-1 success over Newcastle.

Dave Kitson, who scored the winner in the corresponding fixture last season, got the opener with a fine curling shot on 53 minutes.

Newcastle were level on 76 minutes when Emre’s free-kick from the right was turned into his own net by Michael Duberry.

With six minutes left Reading grabbed a winner when a long punt forward was flicked on in the box and substitute Shane Long fired in off the post.

Birmingham twice battled back to record a much-needed 3-2 win over Wigan at St Andrews.

Wigan’s first goal on 23 minutes owed much to indecisive defending as Mario Melchiot’s long ball released Marcus Bent to score.

Blues were level just three minutes later when Olivier Kapo scored from the penalty spot after Paul Scharner was penalised for handball.

Former Birmingham full-back Melchiot was the architect of Wigan’s second goal on 59 minutes when his cross saw Maik Taylor and Stephen Kelly get in a muddle, and Bent added the finishing touch.

Liam Ridgewell bundled home from close range to draw Blues level on 67 minutes and Kapo’s low shot from the edge of the area provided the home side with the points on 81 minutes.

Fulham escaped from the Stadium of Light with a 1-1 draw against 10-man Sunderland.

The visitors were in front on 32 minutes when Simon Davies’ free-kick from 30 yards caught out the home defence.

Sunderland had Greg Halford sent off for two yellow cards on 67 minutes before Kenwyne Jones’ header earned Roy Keane’s side a point on 86 minutes, and Anthony Stokes then missed a great chance late on for the hosts.

Saturday’s final game produced no more goals but plenty of drama late on as West Ham held on for a point at Portsmouth.

In injury time Portsmouth were handed a glorious chance for the win when awarded a penalty but it was not to be, as Benjani Mwaruwari’s poor spot kick was saved by Robert Green.

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Tags: Premier, League, round-up

Posted on October 28th, 2007 by Klaus Roe
Filed under: Athletics