Man United, Chelsea fight back to win away
Monday, 14 September 2009
LONDON, Aug 13 (AP): Manchester United and Chelsea rallied to victories Saturday, while Manchester City's expensively revamped team passed its first big Premier League test against Arsenal.
Brazil midfielder Anderson ended his two-year wait for a United goal as the defending champions won 3-1 at Tottenham despite Paul Scholes being sent off.
Chelsea won 2-1 at Stoke on Florent Malouda's stoppage time goal. Emmanuel Adebayor scored against former club Arsenal in a 4-2 win that gave Man City its fourth straight triumph.
After opening the season with five wins, Chelsea has a three-point lead over United, City and Spurs-all separated by goal difference. Liverpool is three points behind those three after routing Burnley 4-0 on a hat trick by Yossi Benayoun.
"To be top of the league is very important," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said. "We have good confidence in our play and a very good atmosphere in the dressing room."
United was trailing inside a minute after Jermain Defoe's acrobatic overhead kick. But Ryan Giggs curled in a free kick to tie it for the visitors and Anderson scored before halftime.
Despite the Red Devils playing more than 30 minutes with 10 men after Scholes was sent off, Wayne Rooney added a third goal in the 78th minute.
Meawhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi gave Barcelona a 2-0 Spanish league win at Getafe on while Real Madrid beat Espanyol 3-0 after Cristiano Ronaldo came on as a second-half substitute to score.
Ibrahimovic toe-poked Seydou Keita's deflected pass under goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and off the inside of the far post to open the scoring in the 66th minute. The Sweden striker controlled the ball with his chest and crossed to a streaking Messi for a header in the 79th minute for the Spanish champions.
Brazil midfielder Anderson ended his two-year wait for a United goal as the defending champions won 3-1 at Tottenham despite Paul Scholes being sent off.
Chelsea won 2-1 at Stoke on Florent Malouda's stoppage time goal. Emmanuel Adebayor scored against former club Arsenal in a 4-2 win that gave Man City its fourth straight triumph.
After opening the season with five wins, Chelsea has a three-point lead over United, City and Spurs-all separated by goal difference. Liverpool is three points behind those three after routing Burnley 4-0 on a hat trick by Yossi Benayoun.
"To be top of the league is very important," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said. "We have good confidence in our play and a very good atmosphere in the dressing room."
United was trailing inside a minute after Jermain Defoe's acrobatic overhead kick. But Ryan Giggs curled in a free kick to tie it for the visitors and Anderson scored before halftime.
Despite the Red Devils playing more than 30 minutes with 10 men after Scholes was sent off, Wayne Rooney added a third goal in the 78th minute.
Meawhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi gave Barcelona a 2-0 Spanish league win at Getafe on while Real Madrid beat Espanyol 3-0 after Cristiano Ronaldo came on as a second-half substitute to score.
Ibrahimovic toe-poked Seydou Keita's deflected pass under goalkeeper Oscar Ustari and off the inside of the far post to open the scoring in the 66th minute. The Sweden striker controlled the ball with his chest and crossed to a streaking Messi for a header in the 79th minute for the Spanish champions.