United overcome Reading as Chelsea, Arsenal lose

LONDON: Manchester United moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League after an extraordinary 4-3 victory at Reading on Saturday in which all seven goals arrived in the opening half.

Defensive manuals were ripped up as United trailed 1-0 and 3-2 but once again they showed their trademark resilience as two goals from Wayne Rooney, one from Anderson, and Robin van Persie’s 10th league strike of the season sealed the points.

Champions Manchester City needed a Carlos Tevez penalty to draw 1-1 at home to Everton — their 37th home league match without defeat — but they lost ground to their rivals in what is already looking like a two-horse title race.

Third-placed Chelsea surrendered a halftime lead to lose 3-1 at West Ham United to leave under-fire interim manager Rafael Benitez still without a win while Arsene Wenger was the target of jeers as his Arsenal side were humbled 2-0 by Swansea City.

Juan Mata gave Chelsea a well-deserved lead but West Ham roared back to pile pressure on Benitez with former Chelsea striker Carlton Cole levelling just past the hour before substitutes Mohamed Diame and Modibo Maiga struck late on.

Benitez, whose appointment in the wake of Roberto Di Matteo’s sacking has proved unpopular among fans, is the first Chelsea manager not to win any of his first three matches in charge since Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich bought the club.

“In the second half we didn’t start well, they got on top of us and we couldn’t manage,” former Liverpool manager Benitez, whose first two matches in charge ended in 0-0 draws against Manchester City and Fulham, told Sky Sports.

The European champions, now without a win in seven league matches having topped the table, are joined on 26 points by Tottenham Hostpur, who won 3-0 at Fulham with England striker Jermain Defoe scoring twice.

West Bromwich Albion slipped to fifth, also on 26 points, after a 1-0 defeat at home by Stoke City.

DEFENSIVE FRAGILITY

Manchester United have now conceded 21 league goals this season, managing just three clean sheets.

Their defensive fragility was exposed again by Reading, who took the lead after eight minutes through Hal Robson-Kanu.

Anderson equalised five minutes later after combining with Ashley Young before Jay Tabb bundled over Jonny Evans in the box and Wayne Rooney fired United ahead from the spot.

Two goals in four minutes from Adam Le Fondre and Sean Morrison put Reading 3-2 ahead after 23 minutes but Rooney turned in Patrice Evra’s cross to make it 3-3 before Van Persie kept his head to slot home what turned out to be the winner.

“It was agony. The worst defending of this season and we needed to do something about it,” United manager Alex Ferguson, who hauled off defender Rafael in the first half, said.

“We’re needing to rescue the situation all the time. Fortunately we have players who can do that.”

Looking ahead to next week’s derby with Manchester City, Ferguson quipped: “If we defend like that against Manchester City, I might need to play myself.”

Arsenal were booed off at the Emirates as they slipped to10th following Michu’s late double for Michael Laudr up’s impressive Swansea side.

“Of course you can understand the fans when we lose a match the way we did today,” Wenger told Sky Sports.

“We were maybe lacking a bit of maturity to keep it 0-0.It’s a big blow because the games are coming very quickly. Today was not the way we want to play football.”

Liverpool were 1-0 winners at home to Southampton and bottom club Queens Park Rangers drew 1-1 at home to Aston Villa as their search for a first league win of the season continues under new manager Harry Redknapp.

IN CONTROL

Banners protesting about Benitez’s shock appointment were still in evidence at Upton Park, yet for 45 minutes Chelsea looked in total control and heading for victory.

When Fernando Torres cut the ball back from the by line for Mata to shoot Chelsea in front after 13 minutes, it seemed that Benitez could silence his critics, at least for a day.

West Ham were far more adventurous after the break and deservedly drew level when Cole nodded past Cech from close range after appearing to climb over Branislav Ivanovic.

Mata nearly restored Chelsea’s lead with a superb free kick that thudded against the woodwork and Chelsea looked the more likely winners as the game entered its closing stages.

However, West Ham roused themselves to beat Chelsea for the first time in nine years.

With four minutes of normal time remaining Diame smashed a low shot past Cech and with is grunted Chelsea fans already heading for the exits Maiga converted a rebound for the third after Cech had saved Matt Taylor’s shot.

Manchester City extended their unbeaten league run at home to 37 matches but they were given a scare when Marouane Fellaini scored for Everton after 37 minutes.

Argentine Tevez levelled just before halftime when Fellaini was adjudged to have dragged down Edin Dzeko.

“If teams come here and get soft penalties awarded against them it’s going to be hard to get a result,” Everton manager David Moyes told Sky Sports after his sixth-placed side’s eighth draw in 15 league games.

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Ballack: Only Chelsea and United are in title race

Chelsea's Michael Ballack has boldly claimed the Premier League is already looking like being a two-horse race between the west Londoners and champions Manchester United.

Chelsea opened up a three-point lead at the top of the table with their sixth successive win, 3-0 over Tottenham, while United's amazing 4-3 victory over Manchester City puts them second, three points ahead of Liverpool in third.

Ballack said: "It looks a little bit like a two-horse race but we don't underestimate anybody. Man City did well until now. Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool are all teams that can have a run any time of the season. But United have a lot of good years behind them with the Champions League win and three title wins in the Premier League, which will give them a lot of confidence.

"That helps them in the tight games like you saw against Man City and they always come back, they always believe they can score in the last minute. We've won every game and we want to keep going like this. The team is confident and settled."

The Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp, shares Ballack's opinion after watching his side lose to both Chelsea and United in the space of in eight days. Redknapp said: "The title will be decided between Chelsea and Manchester United for sure. It is definitely going to be won by one of them."

The Tottenham defender Sébastien Bassong has been cleared to return to action following what had appeared to be a serious head injury in Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Chelsea.

Bassong left the pitch on a stretcher but checks in hospital revealed no serious problem and he is expected to resume full training today. Ledley King, however, is out for up to three weeks with a hamstring strain, leaving Redknapp desperately short in defence. The club said Michael Dawson is close to full fitness following an Achilles injury, and he could play some part in Spurs' Carling Cup tie at Preston tomorrow. But there is still no imminent return for England's Jonathan Woodgate, who underwent surgery in Germany on a persistent groin injury six weeks ago. The former Real Madrid and Newcastle centre-half has yet to return to training, prompting fears it may be several weeks before he is back.

In emergency, Redknapp could move either Tom Huddlestone or Vedran Corluka into the centre of defence for Saturday's home match with Burnley or call up the young Frenchman Dorian Dervite.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City Win

Manchester United and Chelsea rallied to victories, and Manchester City’s revamped team passed its first big Premier League test against Arsenal. Midfielder Anderson, from Brazil, ended his two-year wait for a goal with United, which won, 3-1, at Tottenham. Chelsea won at Stoke, 2-1, on Florent Malouda’s goal in stoppage time. Emmanuel Adebayor scored against Arsenal, his former club, in a 4-2 win.

Manchester United, Chelsea fight back to win away

LONDON — 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.

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MADRID (AP) — 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.

Ronaldo, who left Manchester United in June in a record transfer of $131 million, watched from the bench as Esteban Granero put Madrid ahead in the 40th after being set up by Kaka. The Brazil playmaker then fed Jose Maria "Guti" Gutierrez in the 77th for the second goal before the Portugal winger scored his second of the season in the 90th.

Barcelona and Real Madrid both have a maximum six points while Atletico Madrid remains without a win after drawing 1-1 against Racing Santander.

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PARIS (AP) — Michel Bastos scored a second-half header to give Lyon a 1-0 victory over Lorient and first place in the French league. The Brazilian midfielder capitalized on a cross from Sidney Govou to give Lyon 13 points from five matches.

Marseille beat Le Mans 2-1 after dropping points in its last two games. Brazilian forward Brandao scored the winning goal by heading in a free kick from Benoit Cheyrou in the 70th minute.

Mamadou Niang delivered a volley in the 14th minute to open the scoring. Modibo Maiga evened the score for Le Mans in the 61st with a bicycle kick after a cross from Anthony Le Tallec.

Lucho Gonzalez made his French league debut with Marseille. The Argentine playmaker missed his team's first four matches after injuring his left collarbone.

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FRANKFURT (AP) — Bayern Munich routed Borussia Dortmund 5-1 for its second straight victory, while Hamburger SV and Bayer Leverkusen both won to open a four-point lead in the Bundesliga.

Hamburg beat Stuttgart 3-1 and Leverkusen won 3-2 at defending champion Wolfsburg, which dropped its third straight.

Thomas Mueller came off the bench to score two goals for Bayern one day before his 20th birthday. Mario Gomez, Franck Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger added the others as Bayern rallied after conceding an early goal.

Simon Rolfes scored two goals for Leverkusen in Wolfsburg, with both teams finishing with 10 men.

After five rounds, Hamburg and Leverkusen top the standings with 13 points, with Hamburg ahead on goal difference. Eintracht Frankfurt won 2-0 at promoted Freiburg to remain unbeaten and take third place at nine points, one more than Bayern.

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GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Allan McGregor saved a late penalty kick to help Rangers maintain an unbeaten start to their Scottish title defense with a 0-0 draw at Motherwell.

Jim O'Brien's kick was saved by McGregor in the 87th minute after Madjid Bougherra had conceded the penalty by fouling Lukas Jutkiewicz. The Rangers defender picked up two yellow cards in quick succession: one for the foul and then for complaining about the decision.

Rangers kept the league lead, however, after Celtic managed only a 1-1 draw at home against Dundee United.

Dundee United went ahead with a goal from David Goodwillie in the sixth minute, but Scott McDonald tied it in the 17th with a short header off Danny Fox's cross.

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ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Defending champion Olympiakos was held to a 0-0 draw against newcomer Kavala in its home opener.

Olympiakos has four points after two games, three behind league leader Aris, which beat Giannena 1-0. Panathinaikos is second with six points and plays at Panthrakikos on Sunday.

Kavala, promoted to the top league after 28 years in lower divisions, also has four points from three games.

Larissa drew 2-2 at home with Atromitos.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson claims 'cheats' are killing the game

Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of champions Manchester United, has warned that the growing tactic of players feigning injury so they can disrupt an opposition attack is 'killing the game'.

Ferguson, whose team start their bid for a fourth consecutive Premier League title at home to Birmingham City, is furious that referees are being put under pressure by what he regards as cheating.

And he has ordered his own players not to kick the ball out of play when an opponent appears to be injured because the game's etiquette is being abused.

Ferguson's outburst follows last week's Community Shield game against Chelsea, when United felt they were 'conned' by Michael Ballack. Referee Chris Foy stopped a United attack to allow Ballack treatment, but did not do so when Patrice Evra was elbowed by the German and Chelsea went on to score.

Ferguson does not blame the officials, claiming they are being placed in a situation where they cannot tell if a player is genuinely hurt.

'Players who cheat are killing the game, not the referees,' said Ferguson. 'Something has got to be done about it. 'The game is meant to be stopped or the ball kicked out if there is a head injury, but the whole thing is overcooked now.

'Referees have a problem in deciding how much they can tolerate when a player goes down. It's a grey area.'

Ferguson says the only solution is to give complete control to the referee, rather than rely on players deciding whether or not to kick the ball out of play.

'We have to give the responsibility to the referee,' said Ferguson. 'They can then decide whether to stop the game or not. That would do the game a huge favour.' But he admitted that his own players may ignore his instructions.

'I have told the players not to kick the ball out and to let the referees decide. But they don't always listen,' he said. 'During a match, they think they will get stick off the opposing players and fans and so they kick it out.'