Hammers roar back to stun United
Arsenal will have the opportunity to regain first place in the Premier League before the end of 2007 after Manchester United blew a half-time lead to lose 2-1 at West Ham. More galling still for Sir Alex Ferguson, West Ham’s recovery came after United had missed a penalty that would have given them a two-goal lead midway through the second period.
Cristiano Ronaldo had given United the lead after just 14 minutes, netting his 18th goal of the season when he headed past Robert Green from Ryan Giggs’s cross. But it was Ronaldo too who would become the villain for United, belting his 65th-minute penalty wide after Jonathan Spector had handled the ball in the area.
In truth a second goal for United would have been harsh on West Ham, who had enjoyed much of the play; Mark Noble had missed an open goal moments before Ronaldo’s opener. They looked to have earned a deserved point when Anton Ferdinand headed in Noble’s corner after 75 minutes, but few would have expected Matthew Upson’s winner five minutes later - laid on once again by Noble from a free-kick.
The match of the day came at White Hart Lane as Tottenham recorded an extraordinary 6-4 win over Reading. Dimitar Berbatov scored four times, the first after only seven minutes, but the home side were forced to come from behind three times as Kalifa Cisse and Ivar Ingimarsson made it 2-1 before Berbatov levelled.
That was the first of seven goals in 20 crazy minutes as Dave Kitson, Berbatov, Kitson again and Steed Malbranque made it 4-4 before Jermain Defoe and Berbatov completed the carnage.
Injury-hit Chelsea closed to within four points of top spot with a controversial 2-1 win over Newcastle. Michael Essien gave the home side a half-time lead when he swept home from six yards shortly before the half-hour mark but Nicky Butt levelled when he eventually bundled home Charles N’Zogbia’s cross at the second attempt. However, Salomon Kalou scored a dubious winner three minutes from time after the ball deflected through to him, Newcastle appealing for offside with the striker seemingly at least three yards offside.
Sunderland hauled themselves out of the drop zone with a 3-1 victory against Bolton, with Kieran Richardson scoring his first goal for the club. Richardson blasted the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen following brilliant work from Kenwyne Jones. The roles were reversed when Jones powered home a header from Richardson’s corner. El Hadji Diouf halved the deficit before half-time when his flighted free-kick evaded everyone and curled into the net, but the Sunderland substitute Daryl Murphy kept his composure in stoppage-time to seal the win.
Fulham dropped to second bottom after Sebastian Larsson handed Birmingham a 1-1 draw at St Andrew’s. Carlos Bocanegra’s eighth-minute header put the visitors ahead in Ray Lewington’s final match as caretaker boss. But Blues equalised after the interval when Larsson latched on to Fabrice Muamba’s through ball before his finish deflected in off Elliot Omozusi. Hameur Bouazza was then sent off for a second yellow card.
Wigan replaced Sunderland in the bottom three after Aston Villa staged a second-half fightback to win 2-1 at the JJB Stadium. Titus Bramble scored his first goal for the Latics with a bullet header from Ryan Taylor’s pinpoint corner in the 28th minute, but Curtis Davies marked his first Premier League start for Villa with his first goal for the club, heading in Gareth Barry’s corner after the break. Gabriel Agbonlahor then flicked a header past Chris Kirkland to complete the turnaround.
Tuncay ^anli’s fourth goal in the last six games handed Middlesbrough a 1-0 victory at Portsmouth, tapping into an empty net after David James parried Gary O’Neil’s volley from Stewart Downing’s inswinging cross.
