Rooney double keeps United ahead
Source: Agencies |
March 15, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WAYNE Rooney made sure Manchester United ended the weekend as it began yesterday with two goals in a 3-0 home win over Fulham to nose the champion back in front in the English Premier League title race.
Rooney and his United teammates suffered a frustrating first half but the prolific striker needed less than a minute of the second to puncture Fulham's rearguard, side-footing his 31st goal of the season from Nani's pass.
His second with six minutes remaining calmed the jitters against a dogged Fulham side for whom striker Bobby Zamora squandered two gilt-edged chances.
Dimitar Berbatov added a third in the final minute as United, bidding for a fourth consecutive title, moved to 66 points with eight games remaining.
Chelsea, which has played a game less, has 64 points, as does Arsenal after both London clubs won on Saturday.
Didier Drogba scored twice to lift Chelsea to a 4-1 victory over West Ham United while Arsenal shadowed the Blues with a last-gasp victory at Hull City.
Two weeks after a shock 2-4 defeat by Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea rediscovered its form and with Florent Malouda enjoying one of his best games for the club ended up a handsome winner.
Drogba's double and one for Malouda killed off relegation-threatened West Ham which was level at halftime after former Chelsea man Scott Parker canceled out Alex's header.
"We had a lot of chances and played well and we maintained a good control of the game also when we were level," said Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti. "We had a good performance."
"It will be a long race to win this title. They are strong teams, Manchester United and Arsenal, so we have to maintain our confidence, our play."
Nicklas Bendtner, fresh from a Champions League hat-trick against Porto in midweek, punished Hull keeper Boaz Myhill's mistake in the third minute of stoppage time to earn the Gunners a 2-1 victory at 10-man Hull.
Andrei Arshavin put the visitors ahead but Jimmy Bullard's penalty after Sol Campbell bundled over Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink looked set to give Hull a valuable point despite having George Boateng sent off in the first half.
Below the title scrap, Roman Pavlyuchenko boosted fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur's push for Champions League qualification with two goals in a 3-1 home defeat of Blackburn Rovers.
"People have always got doubts about everything, all I've said is we have got a chance," said Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp. "It's not impossible, we have had a great year."
It was Blackburn's 11th away defeat of the season but Sam Allardyce's mid-table team appears to be clear of relegation trouble.
Aston Villa, one of Tottenham's rivals for fourth spot, lost ground with a 0-0 draw at Stoke City. Fifth-placed Manchester City was visiting Sunderland yesterday.
Burnley looks increasingly likely to make a quick return to the Championship (second division) after a morale-sapping 1-21 home defeat against fellow struggler Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Bolton Wanderers thrashed Wigan Athletic 4-0 and Birmingham City recovered a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Everton.
Meanwhile, Fernando Torres has reportedly hinted he would leave Liverpool if the club does not make several big signings at season's end.
In an interview with As sports daily, the Spain striker says "it's too soon to say" whether he would consider leaving the club if it does not finish the season in the Champions League spots.
Torres says the priority for him is not finishing in the top four, but rather that "the club makes an effort and brings big players in."
The former Atletico Madrid player says the Reds need four or five top-level new arrivals in order to compete in the Premier League and Europe. Torres' deal runs until 2013.
Rooney and his United teammates suffered a frustrating first half but the prolific striker needed less than a minute of the second to puncture Fulham's rearguard, side-footing his 31st goal of the season from Nani's pass.
His second with six minutes remaining calmed the jitters against a dogged Fulham side for whom striker Bobby Zamora squandered two gilt-edged chances.
Dimitar Berbatov added a third in the final minute as United, bidding for a fourth consecutive title, moved to 66 points with eight games remaining.
Chelsea, which has played a game less, has 64 points, as does Arsenal after both London clubs won on Saturday.
Didier Drogba scored twice to lift Chelsea to a 4-1 victory over West Ham United while Arsenal shadowed the Blues with a last-gasp victory at Hull City.
Two weeks after a shock 2-4 defeat by Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea rediscovered its form and with Florent Malouda enjoying one of his best games for the club ended up a handsome winner.
Drogba's double and one for Malouda killed off relegation-threatened West Ham which was level at halftime after former Chelsea man Scott Parker canceled out Alex's header.
"We had a lot of chances and played well and we maintained a good control of the game also when we were level," said Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti. "We had a good performance."
"It will be a long race to win this title. They are strong teams, Manchester United and Arsenal, so we have to maintain our confidence, our play."
Nicklas Bendtner, fresh from a Champions League hat-trick against Porto in midweek, punished Hull keeper Boaz Myhill's mistake in the third minute of stoppage time to earn the Gunners a 2-1 victory at 10-man Hull.
Andrei Arshavin put the visitors ahead but Jimmy Bullard's penalty after Sol Campbell bundled over Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink looked set to give Hull a valuable point despite having George Boateng sent off in the first half.
Below the title scrap, Roman Pavlyuchenko boosted fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur's push for Champions League qualification with two goals in a 3-1 home defeat of Blackburn Rovers.
"People have always got doubts about everything, all I've said is we have got a chance," said Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp. "It's not impossible, we have had a great year."
It was Blackburn's 11th away defeat of the season but Sam Allardyce's mid-table team appears to be clear of relegation trouble.
Aston Villa, one of Tottenham's rivals for fourth spot, lost ground with a 0-0 draw at Stoke City. Fifth-placed Manchester City was visiting Sunderland yesterday.
Burnley looks increasingly likely to make a quick return to the Championship (second division) after a morale-sapping 1-21 home defeat against fellow struggler Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Bolton Wanderers thrashed Wigan Athletic 4-0 and Birmingham City recovered a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Everton.
Meanwhile, Fernando Torres has reportedly hinted he would leave Liverpool if the club does not make several big signings at season's end.
In an interview with As sports daily, the Spain striker says "it's too soon to say" whether he would consider leaving the club if it does not finish the season in the Champions League spots.
Torres says the priority for him is not finishing in the top four, but rather that "the club makes an effort and brings big players in."
The former Atletico Madrid player says the Reds need four or five top-level new arrivals in order to compete in the Premier League and Europe. Torres' deal runs until 2013.
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