Tevez sets up City winner on return

Carlos Tevez marked his return to Manchester City by setting up Samir Nasri’s winner as Roberto Mancini’s men struck late to beat Chelsea 2-1 and move back within a point of the English Premier League summit, yesterday.

Tevez was named on the bench for City’s Etihad Stadium clash with Chelsea and he was not introduced until the 66th minute, six minutes after Gary Cahill’s deflected shot had put the visitors ahead.

Sergio Aguero equalised for City from the spot after 78 minutes after a handball by Michael Essien, and four minutes from time a reverse pass from Tevez found Nasri who guided home the winner.

“I am really happy for him (Tevez),” Nasri said after the match.

“He has shown great spirit and today showed he can be really important until the end of the season. It’s good that it was him who gave me the assist.”

City defender Micah Richards admitted the victory was a huge result in their battle with city rivals United for the title.

He said: “It’s a massive result for us. After we went 1-0 down heads could have dropped, but we kept on going and managed to get three points.

“We did have to win tonight, we gave everything and showed good character. The lads will be delighted with that.”

Thomas Vermaelen’s eighth-minute header saw Arsenal past Everton at Goodison Park and was enough for Arsene Wenger’s men to jump to third ahead of north London rivals Tottenham.

Vermaelen headed home a Robin van Persie corner for the Gunners, who have now won six in a row in the Premier League in stark contrast to Harry Redknapp’s side.

Spurs were fortunate to snap a run of three straight league defeats with a 1-1 draw with Stoke at White Hart Lane, but it was not enough to prevent them falling behind the Gunners.

Cameron Jerome looked set to increase Redknapp’s woes when he put Stoke ahead after 75 minutes, but Rafael van der Vaart salvaged a point when he headed home Gareth Bale’s cross in injury time.

QPR jumped out of the relegation zone after an incredible comeback at Loftus Road, where they trailed Liverpool 2-0 with 13 minutes to go but ended up winning 3-2.

Sebastian Coates opened the scoring for Liverpool in the 54th minute and when Dirk Kuyt added a second in the 72nd it looked certain to be an eighth game without a win for Mark Hughes’s men.

But Shaun Derry pulled one back after 77 minutes sparking a superb finish in which former Reds star Djibril Cisse headed an equaliser four minutes from time and Jamie Mackie swept home in injury-time for a 3-2 win.

Summaries

Everton 0
Arsenal 1
Vermaelen 8;

Man. City 2
Aguero 78 pen; Nasri 86;
Chelsea 1
Cahill 60;

QPR 3
Derry 77; Cisse 86; Mackie 90;
Liverpool 2
Coates 54; Kuyt 72;

Tottenham 1
Van der Vaart 90;
Stoke City 1
Jerome 75;