Fergie furious as United held
Source: Agencies |
December 30, 2010, Thursday
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MANCHESTER United extended its unbeaten Premier League run to 18 games and regained top spot on Tuesday but there were no celebrations after it gave away another late goal in a 1-1 draw at Birmingham City.
Earlier, Mario Balotelli hit a hat-trick, including two penalties, to help Manchester City beat Aston Villa 4-0 and briefly reach the pinnacle.
United looked on course to leapfrog the City with a two-point cushion after Dimitar Berbatov scored in the 58th minute but Lee Bowyer levelled a minute from time to leave the visitors with seven draws and one win from their eight away games.
The draw took them to 38 points from 18 games, ahead on goal difference of Manchester City, which has played 20. Arsenal has 35 from 18 with Tottenham Hotspur fourth on 33 after beating Newcastle United 2-0.
Champion Chelsea, which has taken just six points from the last 24 having lost to Arsenal 1-3 on Monday, slips to fifth on 31.
United had the chance to pull nine points clear of Chelsea but was cautious in its approach at Birmingham, which started the game in the bottom three.
Alex McLeish's team, beaten at home only once and victorious over Chelsea last month, also seemed content to play it safe until Berbatov opened them up with a neat back heel then finished the move with a low, drilled shot for his 15th goal of the season.
Having conceded late goals in draws at Fulham and Everton earlier in the campaign, the visitors looked nervous as Birmingham finally pushed bodies forward and levelled with a goal that United claimed had been set up with a foul and a handball by giant substitute Nikola Zigic.
"I think it's terribly harsh, we outplayed them second half and we didn't deserve that," Ferguson said. "Handball and foul for their goal and if the referee can't see that what chance have you got?"
There were no such problems for City, which was totally in control against a poor Villa side.
Balotelli was brought down after eight minutes and scored the penalty, with Joleon Lescott heading the second five minutes later.
Balotelli tapped in the 27th-minute third after the impressive David Silva had a shot parried and the striker showed some uncustomary enthusiasm to snatch up the ball before returning to type with a casually-converted penalty early in the second half.
"He is not a complicated guy, he is a good guy, he likes to look serious but he isn't," Mancini said of Balotelli, rumored to be unsettled after his summer arrival from Inter Milan.
"Today I think we took a step forward, he smiled after the first goal, for the first time, and I hope it will continue."
Earlier, Mario Balotelli hit a hat-trick, including two penalties, to help Manchester City beat Aston Villa 4-0 and briefly reach the pinnacle.
United looked on course to leapfrog the City with a two-point cushion after Dimitar Berbatov scored in the 58th minute but Lee Bowyer levelled a minute from time to leave the visitors with seven draws and one win from their eight away games.
The draw took them to 38 points from 18 games, ahead on goal difference of Manchester City, which has played 20. Arsenal has 35 from 18 with Tottenham Hotspur fourth on 33 after beating Newcastle United 2-0.
Champion Chelsea, which has taken just six points from the last 24 having lost to Arsenal 1-3 on Monday, slips to fifth on 31.
United had the chance to pull nine points clear of Chelsea but was cautious in its approach at Birmingham, which started the game in the bottom three.
Alex McLeish's team, beaten at home only once and victorious over Chelsea last month, also seemed content to play it safe until Berbatov opened them up with a neat back heel then finished the move with a low, drilled shot for his 15th goal of the season.
Having conceded late goals in draws at Fulham and Everton earlier in the campaign, the visitors looked nervous as Birmingham finally pushed bodies forward and levelled with a goal that United claimed had been set up with a foul and a handball by giant substitute Nikola Zigic.
"I think it's terribly harsh, we outplayed them second half and we didn't deserve that," Ferguson said. "Handball and foul for their goal and if the referee can't see that what chance have you got?"
There were no such problems for City, which was totally in control against a poor Villa side.
Balotelli was brought down after eight minutes and scored the penalty, with Joleon Lescott heading the second five minutes later.
Balotelli tapped in the 27th-minute third after the impressive David Silva had a shot parried and the striker showed some uncustomary enthusiasm to snatch up the ball before returning to type with a casually-converted penalty early in the second half.
"He is not a complicated guy, he is a good guy, he likes to look serious but he isn't," Mancini said of Balotelli, rumored to be unsettled after his summer arrival from Inter Milan.
"Today I think we took a step forward, he smiled after the first goal, for the first time, and I hope it will continue."
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