Michael Owen scored his 200th goal in English club football as Manchester United twice came from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw against Bolton yesterday.
Former Liverpool striker Owen glanced in a 74th-minute header to give United a share of the points at the Reebok Stadium after Bolton had twice taken the lead through Zat Knight and Martin Petrov.
The draw saw United leapfrog Arsenal into second place in the table, three points behind league leaders Chelsea.
In a later kick-off, new Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier’s first league match in charge of the Birmingham club saw them move up into fifth place as they won 2-1 away to Midlands rivals Wolves.
In Bolton, Owen expressed disappointment that Sir Alex Ferguson’s men had missed an opportunity to reduce Chelsea’s lead to only a point after the champions were beaten 1-0 by Manchester City on Saturday.
“It’s always a tough place to come. We created enough chances and dominated so we’re disappointed to only get a point,” Owen said, playing down the significance of his 200th goal in England.
“It’s nice to score goals but it’s obviously tinged with a bit of disappointment because we didn’t get the three points.”
Asked about failing to capitalise on Saturday’s results, which saw leaders Chelsea and Arsenal beaten, Ferguson added: “Teams drop points when we don’t expect them.
“Away from home we’ve scored seven goals and only got three points, it’s a very difficult league.”
Bolton had taken a shock lead after six minutes when Knight punished some slack marking from United centre-half Jonny Evans to flick home a Petrov corner.
United finally got back on level terms though midway through the half with a scintillating individual effort from Nani.
After gathering the ball on the halfway line, the Portuguese international set off on a weaving run that took him to the edge of the Bolton area, and as the home defence backed off, the winger unleashed a hard low shot past Jaaskelainen.
United though were then rocked by Bolton’s second goal on 67 minutes, Petrov rounding off a superb counter-attack which he had started by scoring with a rasping effort that took a big deflection off Darren Fletcher.
Bolton should have made it 3-1 shortly afterwards, when Johan Elmander cleverly eluded Nemanja Vidic to go clear on goal only to blaze his shot over the bar.
The Wanderers were left to rue their profligacy moments later when Owen, who had replaced Fletcher, glanced in his landmark goal in club football.
At Molineux, it seemed Villa would have to settle for a point until Emile Heskey headed in Stephen Warnock’s cross two minutes from time for what was his third goal in four games.
Stewart Downing put Villa ahead before Matt Jarvis equalised just after the hour mark.
In the day’s other Premier League match, Stoke came from behind to win 2-1 away to Newcastle.
Kevin Nolan put the Magpies ahead from the penalty spot after Robert Huth fouled Andy Carroll before Stoke striker Kenwyne Jones equalised with a 67th minute header.
But the visitors secured victory five minutes before full-time when Newcastle’s James Perch headed into his own net from a Stoke corner.
Top Scorers
6 goals Berbatov (Man. United); Malouda (Chelsea).
5 goals Bent (Sunderland); Drogba (Chelsea).
4 goals Carroll (Newcastle); Kalou (Chelsea); Tevez (Man. City); Walcott (Arsenal).