BPL Saturday Review 3rd Oct 2009

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Manchester United delved into their much-used box of late comebacks to rescue a point against Sunderland.

Two weeks after Michael Owen's last-gasp winner against Manchester City, Anton Ferdinand could not get out of the way of an off-target effort from Patrice Evra to grab United a point and deprive the Black Cats of their first Old Trafford win since 1968.

In truth, it lacked the thrill factor of a fortnight ago. And so poor was United's general performance that questions are bound to be asked about their ability to retain their Barclays Premier League title.

Darren Bent gave the visitors a seventh-minute lead, Dimitar Berbatov levelled after 51, only for Kenwyne Jones to restore Sunderland's advantage seven minutes later.

However, deep into injury-time - and shortly after Sunderland had seen former United midfielder Kieran Richardson dismissed for a second yellow card, Ferdinand's own goal earned a point for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

Elsewhere, bottom club Portsmouth put recent troubles behind them to grab a first Barclays Premier League win after holding off Wolves 1-0 at Molineux.

Paul Hart's men - who had lost all of their seven league games before this afternoon, with reports of wages not being paid following Sulaiman al Fahim's protracted takeover - went ahead on 19 minutes through Hassan Yebda, on-loan from Benfica.

Aruna Dindane almost made it 2-0, but was denied by Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey before Pompey stopper David James produced a fine save from Andrew Keogh in first-half stoppage time.

Wolves felt they had a strong penalty claim just after the hour mark when Michael Kightly appeared to handle the ball, but referee Howard Webb was unconvinced.

Pompey dug in - with James producing a superb late save from Greg Halford - to record a morale-boosting victory, but they remain at the foot of the table.

High-flying Tottenham twice fought back to secure a 2-2 draw at Bolton.

Ricardo Gardner fired the Trotters into a fourth-minute lead after goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini had parried Chung-Yong Lee's shot.

Spurs, though, equalised somewhat against the run of play when Croatia international Niko Kranjcar (34) slotted home after Peter Crouch's knockdown to score his first goal since moving from Portsmouth.

Kevin Davies (69) headed the hosts back in front, but after Crouch had seen his shot come off keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and hit the bar, defender Vedran Corluka (73) headed in a corner to earn Harry Redknapp's men a share of the points as Spurs moved back into the top three.

Hull moved out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win over Wigan at KC Stadium.

After having a first-half penalty appeal for handball turned down, the Tigers - thrashed 6-1 at Liverpool last weekend - took the lead on the hour through a powerful header from Dutch striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.

Brazilian Giovanni (68) put the home side, who ended a run of three straight league defeats, in control when he swept in Kamil Zayatte's right-wing cross.

However, there was still time for substitute Scott Sinclair (87) to pull a goal back for Wigan - who last week produced a shock win over Chelsea.

Burnley maintained their 100% home record as they beat Birmingham 2-1 at Turf Moor.

The visitors should have been ahead at the break, but Lee Bowyer somehow missed the target when the ball arrived to him unmarked at the far post.

It proved costly as, on 53 minutes Burnley - who have beaten Manchester United, Everton and Sunderland at home on their first foray into the Premier League - went ahead when England hopeful Joe Hart allowed Steven Fletcher's shot to squirm into the net.

Before Birmingham, promoted last season along with the Clarets, had a chance to respond, Owen Coyle's side doubled their lead when Andre Bikey, a summer buy from Reading, played a one-two with David Nugent and slotted past Hart.

Sebastian Larsson (90) netted a late consolation for Birmingham with a well-taken free-kick.

Manchester United 2-2 Sunderland ; 3rd Oct 2009

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Manchester United delved into their much-used box of late comebacks to rescue a point against Sunderland.

Two weeks after Michael Owen's last-gasp winner against Manchester City, Anton Ferdinand could not get out of the way of an off-target effort from Patrice Evra to grab United a point and deprive the Black Cats of their first Old Trafford win since 1968.

In truth, it lacked the thrill factor of a fortnight ago. And so poor was United's general performance that questions are bound to be asked about their ability to retain their Premier League title.

On the back of an eight-match winning run, facing opponents who had not won at Old Trafford for more than 40 years and managed by a man in Steve Bruce who was unable to boast even a solitary success against his old boss in 12 previous attempts, it was expected to be a stroll.

But Sunderland were the ones who adapted to the blustery conditions quicker. Indeed, it could have been argued United did not adapt at all.

Rare are the times an opposition goalkeeper comes to this ground and gets through an entire half without having to make a save. But this was one.

Craig Gordon did make one meaningful intervention, diving low to cut out John O'Shea's curling cross. Apart from that, the Scotland keeper was redundant.

Anton Ferdinand, the one member of his family to start after brother Rio was consigned to the bench by Sir Alex Ferguson, produced an effective central defensive performance alongside the equally impressive Michael Turner.

Yet even they must have been surprised by how little they had to do.

With teenager Danny Welbeck handed only his second Premier League start, a tentative approach from one flank was to be expected. Maybe the same could also be said of Nani given his dismal display at Stoke seven days previously.

The Portugal international was no better on Saturday, and this time Ryan Giggs was not on the bench to bail him out.

And, in Darren Bent, Sunderland boasted a man at the top of his game.

When he made the quick dash down from Bolton, England coach Fabio Capello might not have been expecting to spend half-time thinking about whether Bent should be in his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus.

Yet, had it not been for his decision to hand over penalty duties to Kenwyne Jones at Sunderland last week, he would now be top of the scoring charts.

And what a fine effort his seventh of the season was as Sunderland took the lead in only the seventh minute.

He got far enough away from O'Shea during a lengthy Black Cats build-up to have room to turn away from the Irishman when Lee Cattermole played the final pass.

The finish was inch perfect, giving Ben Foster no chance.

Replacing Paul Scholes at the break was a bold statement by Ferguson, which triggered an instant response.

Nani was a suddenly a man inspired, twice causing confusion with direct runs, the second of which demanded a brave low save of Gordon to deny Wayne Rooney.

The clearance came straight back out to O'Shea, whose curling 51st-minute cross was perfectly met by Dimitar Berbatov's overhead kick, which nestled in the bottom corner.

As they say when the TV picture goes down, normal service was expected to resume shortly. Instead, United conceded again.

Foster, and no doubt Ferguson, who had already been incensed by a couple of Alan Wiley's decisions, will doubtless feel Jones fouled the United keeper as he rose to meet Andy Reid's cross just before the hour mark.

But Foster should have been stronger in the challenge. Instead, he was shoved aside to allow Jones to head into an empty net.

Thrilling late comebacks from such positions are the stuff of Manchester United legend.

Probably only this knowledge kept the hosts going as, even after Kieran Richardson's needless dismissal, it never actually looked like happening.

Evra refused to accept second best, though, leaving Ferdinand to beat the ground in frustration.

Hull 2-1 Wigan; 3rd Oct 2009

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Goals from Jan Vennegoor and Geovanni eased the pressure on Phil Brown as Hull claimed a vital win over Wigan Athletic.

The pair both struck in the second half of a scrappy Barclays Premier League contest at the KC Stadium to end a dismal sequence of results for Brown's struggling side.

Substitute Scott Sinclair headed an 87th-minute reply for the visitors but Hull held on through five minutes of injury time.

It was only the Tigers' second win of the league campaign, their first for six weeks and just their third in 30 outings since last December.

The result also marked a dramatic reversal of fortunes for both clubs, with Hull having been thrashed 6-1 at Liverpool last week while Wigan pulled off a shock win over Chelsea.

After three consecutive defeats, Brown shuffled his pack for the contest by making three changes and moving Kevin Kilbane into central defence.

Newly-appointed captain Nick Barmby was one of the players to come in along with Dean Marney and Kamil Zayatte, and all three lined up in midfield.

Wigan, who won the corresponding fixture last year 5-0, were not surprisingly unchanged, with Jason Scotland again leading the line.

The game got off to a lively start and Hull had a penalty shout declined with only two minutes gone.

Wigan were almost caught out as Stephen Hunt hooked in the ball from the left with his back to goal but goalkeeper Chris Kirkland scrambled back and clawed it away from under his crossbar.

It fell invitingly to the onrushing Barmby six yards out but his powerful shot rebounded off Maynor Figueroa and referee Mark Clattenburg dismissed claims for handball.

Marney then found space and tried his luck from distance but Kirkland was not troubled.

A deep cross-field ball from Hunt then picked out Barmby in the area but the former England international was unable to make firm contact with his volley.

Wigan had another chance when a Charles N'Zogbia corner was pushed out to Hugo Rodallega by Boaz Myhill but the Colombian shot over.

Myhill then beat away a low shot from Mohamed Diame and dived at the feet of Rodallega before Scotland fired narrowly wide after a strong burst.

Geovanni also shot over for Hull after a good run and Vennegoor of Hesselink then glanced a header just wide from the Brazilian's cross.

N'Zogbia was the first to be booked for a late challenge on Andy Dawson that saw play halted while the left-back received treatment.

After a lively opening period, the game went off the boil in the 20 minutes before half-time.

It was not until the second half that the game picked up again, with Wigan's Paul Scharner creating a chance but shooting well over.

Marney then won the ball in midfield for Hull and burst forward but his shot was was deflected wide.

N'Zogbia found good space for Wigan and crossed for Diame but Paul McShane made a timely interception.

Hull grabbed the lead as Vennegoor of Hesselink claimed his first goal for the club on the hour.

The Dutchman charged forward to divert Marney's corner past Kirkland with a firm header at the near post.

Scotland almost produced an instant reply with a shot wide but Barmby missed a chance to double the advantage when he miskicked in front of goal.

It proved to be Barmby's last action of the game before making way for Kamel Ghilas and handing the armband to Geovanni.

The Brazilian responded to grab Hull's second goal in the 68th minute after good work by Zayatte.

Emmerson Boyce gave the ball away on halfway and Zayatte powered into the area and clipped in a fine cross for the unmarked Geovanni to turn in from six yards.

Wigan gave themselves late hope when substitute Sinclair pulled a goal back three minutes from time.

Jordi Gomez's shot from the right was beaten out by Myhill but Sinclair was well placed when the rebound fell his way and instinctively headed in.

Diame then shot over from the edge of the area as Wigan looked to snatch a point.

The signal for five minutes of injury time increased Wigan's belief but Hull held on despite a heart-stopping moment when Gomez went down in the area. He was booked for diving.

Bolton 2-2 Tottenham; 3rd Oct 2009

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Tottenham's manager Harry Redknapp saw his side get some reward for a battling display at the Reebok Stadium.

Twice behind in an open game they secured a point thanks to a goal from Vedran Corluka in the 73rd minute.

Tottenham went into the match without a win in nine attempts at the ground and then got off to a terrible start.

Ricardo Gardner opened the scoring in the second minute and that could have been the cue for another bad day in Bolton.

Instead Tottenham regrouped and equalised 30 minutes later through Niko Kranjcar. Even though Kevin Davies equalised they refused to lie down.

Bolton got off to a flying start when the visitors failed to deal with a long throw from Jlloyd Samuel.

Lee Chung-Yong was unmarked at the back post and helped the ball on. Ricardo Gardner then got a vital touch to send his effort beyond Carlo Cudicini.

Bolton were playing some good football and Gardner skipped away in the 13th minute before releasing Tamir Cohen with a neat through-ball.

The Israel midfielder got a good touch inside the area but his effort was diverted to safety - much to Tottenham's relief.

Cohen was then booked in the 31st minute for a challenge on Wilson Palacios which left the Spurs player writhing on the floor.

Palacios made a quick recovery, however, and had a hand in their equaliser. He delivered the ball to Peter Crouch, who nodded it on and Kranjcar sent a stunning shot into the net.

Bolton responded and Zat Knight met Matt Taylor's free-kick in the 38th minute but was off-balance and headed wide.

Then Cohen clipped the ball wide after good link-up play involving Kevin Davies and Taylor.

Tottenham were left badly exposed on the stroke of half-time when Taylor sprung the offside trap.

He homed in on goal but Cudicini was alert to the danger and was happy to concede a corner.

Bolton carved out a good chance after 50 minutes when Davies got away from Tom Huddlestone down the right.

The tenacious striker played the ball into the path of Lee, who was lurking in the penalty area. However the Korean opted to try and release Taylor instead of shooting and his pass was easily cut out.

Tottenham should have taken the lead five minutes later following a blistering run from Aaron Lennon.

The England winger fired in a shot that Jussi Jaaskelainen did well to beat away but only to Palacios six yards out.

Palacios was well placed in front of goal but only succeeded in sending his effort closer to the corner flag.

Jermain Defoe, suffering from two dislocated fingers, was then called up in the 67th minute for Robbie Keane, who had been ineffective.

Bolton then took the lead when Cohen chipped the ball to the back post and Davies headed in his third goal of the campaign.

Tottenham, however, almost drew level in the 72nd minute after Jaaskelainen spilled a shot from Defoe. The ball landed kindly at the feet of Crouch but his effort hit the bar.

A minute later the visitors drew level for the second time in the game. Corluka was left unmarked as Kranjcar delivered a corner and headed high into the net.

Tottenham finished strongly. Lennon then surged into the area after linking up with Kranjcar only to see his effort blocked by Sam Ricketts.

The Bolton full-back again carried out his defensive duties in the 85th minute to get in a timely challenge on Crouch.

Premier League Weekend Preview

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Chelsea welcome Liverpool to Stamford Bridge on Sunday hoping to put a difficult week behind them.

Carlo Ancelotti's men suffered a shock Premier League defeat to Wigan last weekend and then were unconvincing in beating Apoel Nicosia 1-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Blues midfielder Frank Lampard knows their performance level will need to be way above the standard on show at the DW Stadium if they are to have any chance against the Reds, who will be looking to bounce back from a Champions League defeat at Fiorentina on Tuesday.

The England international said: "If you look over the season, we have clicked together as a team. We try to win every game and when we don't we just try harder in the next match.

"But we have to be better against Liverpool. They will be up for it and they are a big club so we will have to respond again when we play them."

Champions Manchester United welcome a former player, Steve Bruce, and his Sunderland side to Old Trafford on Saturday evening.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be hoping Ryan Giggs - a former team-mate of Bruce - can continue his impressive recent form for the Red Devils after scoring his 150th career goal for them against Wolfsburg in the Champions League.

Ferguson said: "What more can you say about Ryan? He is continuing like a young man. He is enjoying his football, which is wonderful to see."

United will need to keep a close eye on Sunderland strike pair Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones, who have scored 10 league goals between them already this season.

West Ham will be looking to get out of the relegation zone sooner than later in a tough London derby against Fulham on Sunday, while in the north of the capital Arsenal will face Blackburn in the Gunners' first match since Arsene Wenger officially became their longest-serving manager.

Arsenal's local rivals Tottenham will travel to Bolton and will hope to secure a victory to stay in the top four.

Hull take on Wigan on the back of four straight league defeats, with the Latics full of confidence after their victory over Chelsea while Wolves will be looking to inflict more misery on Portsmouth, who have lost all seven of their league games this season.

Burnley host fellow promoted side Birmingham at Turf Moor with both looking to get back to winning ways after defeats last weekend at Tottenham and at home to Bolton respectively.

Everton will be hoping Louis Saha continues his goalscoring run when they welcome Stoke to Goodison Park. The 31-year-old Frenchman has hit the target five times in the league this season, including the winner in their last league outing at Portsmouth.

Gareth Barry returns to Villa Park with his new Manchester City team-mates on Monday with both his old and new clubs looking to underline their top four credentials.

Reds salute Owen

Source: www.manutd.com

Derby winner Michael Owen was the toast of the United dressing room after his last-gasp strike overcame Manchester City’s resistance at Old Trafford.

The arch poacher, on as a substitute, popped up in injury-time to swing a seven-goal thriller United’s way with a clinical finish; the type which prompted Sir Alex Ferguson's summer swoop.

“I always felt the game was going to be played in their penalty box, and there’s no-one better at taking these kind of chances,” Sir Alex told MUTV. "His positional play and finish were absolutely magnificent - world class.

“He was only on for 17 minutes. I just felt with that long to go, with the game being played in their penalty box, there’s no-one better than Michael Owen.”

Patrice Evra echoed his manager’s sentiments, and took Owen’s goal as further proof of United’s squad depth.

“That's why United bought him,” said the Frenchman. “He's the kind of player who can score winners, and he did it very well today. This is United. It's not about 11 players, it's about the squad. When players come in, they have the right attitude.”

Man Utd 4-3 Man City (20th Sept 2009)

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Michael Owen stole the show in a derby for the ages as Manchester United defeated Manchester City 4-3 and demonstrated why the team from Old Trafford remain the city's dominant force.

We came wondering about Carlos Tevez, we prepared to sing the praises of Darren Fletcher, then a City draw and United's shocking defensive errors. In the end, we were talking about Owen.

In the fifth minute of stoppage-time, when England's fourth highest scorer had been shunted so far down the list of talking points he was not even worth a mention, the substitute strode onto Ryan Giggs' precise pass, looked up and calmly found the bottom right corner.

Sir Alex Ferguson danced, Mark Hughes looked punch drunk. One of the most eagerly awaited Manchester derbies had become one of the most dramatic.

Hughes was sick, angrily asking how referee Martin Atkinson had managed to come up with so much additional time. He, more than anyone, knows what United can do with it.

It left the rest rather superfluous.

For the record, United led three times but on each occasion were pegged back thanks to their own idiotic mistakes. Carlos Tevez left the field laughing. But only because Anderson was winding him up.

Sir Alex Ferguson has put forward a rather disparaging assessment of Tevez's time at Old Trafford, highlighting why he did not feel the Argentina star was worth the #25million United eventually offered to pay.

Yet the Scot's assessment centred around Tevez's goals output.

No-one could ever quibble at his work-rate. It was one of the reasons that made him such a hero among the Old Trafford faithful and why the City fans were so quick to acknowledge talent beyond the obvious humour of signing a player Ferguson was urged time and again last season to sign up.

That knowledge left Ben Foster with no excuse for the truly abysmal error of judgement that gifted City their equaliser.

Even Joleon Lescott turned away in disappointment as his long pass bounced into no man's land. Foster clearly felt it would eventually run into the area, which was a debatable point in itself.

Eventually, Foster realised more urgent action was required as Tevez stormed in, just as he should have expected.

Any chance of redemption disappeared as Tevez nicked the ball away from Foster's grasp as he tried to reach the safety of his area, and slipped a pass to Gareth Barry which the England midfielder gleefully swept home.

The mistake was made worse by the knowledge Foster had already received one warning, when he got his wires crossed with Nemanja Vidic and allowed Tevez to half-block a long punt downfield.

Foster might have genuine hopes of becoming United's number one goalkeeper and going to the World Cup. In one moment of madness, he might have blown them.

An errant Wayne Rooney backheel might not have been of the same magnitude but its consequences were almost equally dire for United.

Kolo Toure strode onto the loose ball and fed Tevez for the opportunity to score a goal that would have left Ferguson distraught and humiliated in equal measure.

Tevez thought his shot was going in. To his frustration - and Ferguson's relief, it bounced to safety off the post.

It had all looked so different 43 minutes earlier.

United made a bright start, with Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov looking particularly threatening, when Shaun Wright-Phillips let Patrice Evra run free at a quickly-taken Ryan Giggs throw-in.

Evra fed Rooney, who had the strength to wriggle past Toure and Nigel de Jong before prodding home from close range.

At that point, the noise was deafening. If anything, the volume had gone even further up the scale at the end of a awesome first seven minutes of the second half as United got their noses in front, only to be pegged back once more.

Fletcher did the damage for Ferguson's team, rising above Barry to power home a Giggs' curling cross.

Yet, just as the hosts looked set to take control, with Park Ji-sung and Giggs going close, Craig Bellamy thundered home an equaliser.

Bellamy had been buzzing around in his inimitable manner, but there was no doubting the stamp of class on his 20-yard strike as he collected Tevez's short pass, cut inside John O'Shea and drilled into the top right corner. This time Foster was blameless.

But there was so much drama still to come.

Fletcher thought he had won it as he powered home a second header, again from a Giggs cross, 10 minutes from time.

Yet the suicidal tendencies in United ranks had not gone away.

Rio Ferdinand attempted an idle chip a minute from time, but found Barry instead. Barry released Bellamy, who ran 60 yards before tucking past Foster.

It seemed City had come through their biggest test yet. Not on your life.