Manchester United squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with West Bromwich Albion as Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to leave Wayne Rooney on the bench backfired yesterday.
United looked to be cruising to three precious Premier League points after goals from Mexican international Javier Hernandez and Nani fired the Red Devils into a 2-0 lead after 25 minutes at Old Trafford.
But West Bromwich Albion pulled a goal back on 50 minutes when Patrice Evra deflected a Chris Brunt free-kick into his own goal, before an Edwin van der Sar howler five minutes later gifted Somen Tchoyi an equaliser.
It was the third time this season United failed to take all three points after leading – and Ferguson admitted his team needed to rediscover their killer instinct after an “unacceptable” loss of two points.
“We created some really glorious chances in the first half to kill the game off,” Ferguson told Sky Sports.
“It’s frustrating because it turned a really top performance into one where we’ve dropped two points. It’s not acceptable for anyone – the supporters, myself, the players.
“We really need to dig a little bit deeper when we get chances to kill teams off.”
Ferguson meanwhile refused to point the finger at Van der Sar after the veteran Dutch keeper’s blunder.
“You’ve just got to forgive him that,” Ferguson said. “I said to him probably the last time he made a mistake like that was at primary school. It’s just inexplicable.”
Ferguson did not comment about the other major talking point of the day – his decision to bench Rooney.
The move came amid heightened speculation of tension between Ferguson and Rooney, who last week openly contradicted the United boss’s claims he was injured by defiantly stating he was fully fit.
In the late game, Chelsea missed the chance to stretch their lead over United to seven points after they could only draw 0-0 at Aston Villa.
The champions, missing Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba through injury, mounted a furious late assault at Villa Park but ultimately had to settle for a point against Gerard Houllier’s men.
The result leaves Chelsea five points clear of the chasing pack with 19 points from eight games, but Manchester City can cut Chelsea’s lead at the top to two points if they manage an away victory at Blackpool today.
Today’s other match sees Liverpool travel across Stanley Park to face Everton in the Merseyside derby.
Gunners fire
Elsewhere yesterday, Arsenal recovered from an early goal to reignite their league campaign with a 2-1 victory over Birmingham at the Emirates.
Nikola Zigic had fired Birmingham into a 33rd minute lead before Samir Nasri levelled from the penalty spot four minutes before half-time.
Marouane Chamakh then steered home a close-range effort two minutes after the restart to put the Gunners ahead. Arsenal prodigy Jack Wilshere was sent off shortly before full-time for an ugly lunge on Zigic.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted Wilshere deserved to see red for a challenge which will earn him a three-match ban.
“He mistimed his tackle and got a red card, which he deserved,” Wenger said.
“Jack has acknowledged he deserved it, but he did not spend his whole game trying to kick people, he was one of the best players.”
The win moved Arsenal up to second with 14 points, ahead of Man. United, Man. City and Spurs on goal difference, but five points behind leaders Chelsea.
Tottenham also came from behind to defeat Fulham 2-1 in controversial circumstances, with referee Mike Dean over-ruling his linesman to allow Tom Huddlestone’s 63rd minute winner.
A sublime piece of skill from in-form Rafael van der Vaart earlier set up Roman Pavlyuchenko’s equaliser after Diomansy Kamara’s 30th minute opener.
Newcastle meanwhile needed an injury-time goal from Fabricio Coloccini to snatch a 2-2 draw with Wigan at St James Park after two goals from Charles N’Zogbia had given the Latics a 2-0 lead.
Shola Ameobi’s 72nd-minute effort had launched the fightback.
In the battle of the basement clubs, Wolves and West Ham fought out a 1-1 draw. Mark Noble equalised for the Hammers, thundering in a 53rd-minute penalty after a blunder by Robert Green had gifted Matthew Jarvis a 10th-minute opener for Wolves.
At the Reebok Stadium, Stoke midfielder Rory Delap scored from close range early in the second half to wipe out Lee Chung-Yong’s opener for Bolton on 22 minutes.
The Wanderers snatched victory at the death thanks to substitute Ivan Klasnic who marred his afternoon after earning a late red card for two bookings.
Results
Premier League
Aston Villa 0
Chelsea 0
Att: 40,122
Arsenal 2
Nasri 41 pen; Chamakh 47;
Birmingham 1
Zigic 33;
HT: 1-1. Att: 60,070
Red card: Wilshere (A) 90;
Bolton 2
Lee 22; Klasnic 90;
Stoke 1
Delap 48;
HT: 1-0. Att: 22,975
Red card: Klasnic (B) 90.
Fulham 1
Kamara 30;
Tottenham 2
Pavlyuchenko 31; Huddlestone 63;
HT: 1-1. Att: 25,615
Man. United 2
Hernandez 5; Nani 25;
West Brom 2
Evra 50 og; Tchoyi 55;
HT: 2-0. Att: 75,272
Newcastle 2
Ameobi 72; Coloccini 90;
Wigan 2
N’Zogbia 22, 23;
HT: 0-2. Att: 44,415
Wolves 1
Jarvis 10;
West Ham 1
Noble 53 pen;
HT: 1-0. Att: 28,582
Today
Everton vs Liverpool - 14:30
Blackpool vs Man. City - 17:00
Tomorrow
Blackburn vs Sunderland - 21:00
Top Scorers
6 goals - Berbatov (Man. United); Drogba (Chelsea); Malouda (Chelsea).
5 goals - Bent (Sunderland); Tevez (Man. City).
4 goals - Carroll (Newcastle); Elmander (Bolton); Kalou (Chelsea); Walcott (Arsenal).
Next Fixtures
Saturday, October 23: 13.45 Tottenham vs Everton. 16.00 Birmingham vs Blackpool; Chelsea vs Wolves; Sunderland vs Aston Villa; West Brom vs Fulham; Wigan Athletic vs Bolton. 18.30 West Ham vs Newcastle.
Sunday, October 24: 14.30 Stoke City vs Manchester United; 16.00 Liverpool vs Blackburn; 17.00 Manchester City vs Arsenal.