Lacklustre Man United held to draw by Everton

Sep 12, 2010 |

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Sept. 11: Chelsea maintained their perfect start to the Premier League season on Saturday as a dramatic injury time fightback saw a Wayne Rooney-less Manchester United throw away victory at Everton.

Two goals from Michael Essien and a Salomon Kalou strike helped the Blues to a 3-1 win over West Ham at Upton Park as Carlo Ancelotti’s men preserved their two-point lead at the top of the table.

Manchester United missed the chance to keep the pressure on Chelsea after Everton scored twice in stoppage time to scramble a 3-3 draw against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men in Saturday’s early game at Goodison Park.

United had appeared to be cruising to victory after goals from Darren Fletcher, Nemanja Vidic and Dimitar Berbatov had cancelled out Steven Pienaar’s first half opener.

However a late header from Tim Cahill and shot from Mikel Arteta gave Everton an improbable share of the points to leave United four points behind Chelsea — and Ferguson fuming. “Football can do that to you,” Ferguson said. “In a game of a completely comfortable position we’ve thrown it away — simple as that. We had chances to bury Everton and we didn’t do it.”

Arsenal stayed in touch at the top with a 4-1 rout of 10-man Bolton at the Emirates, with summer signings Laurent Koscielny and Marouane Chamakh both getting on the scoresheet for Arsene Wenger’s side.

Koscielny had fired the Gunners into a 1-0 lead on 24 minutes but Wanderers hit back through Johan Elmander on the stroke of half time after good work by South Korea international Lee Chong-Yong.

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