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Stabroek News

Manchester United close grip on Cup
published: Sunday | April 29, 2007


Mnchester United's Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during their English Premier League match against Everton in Liverpool yesterday. - Reuters

LONDON (AP):

MANCHESTER UNITED moved five points clear in the Premier League title race by scoring four straight goals to beat Everton 4-2 yesterday as Chelsea drew 2-2 with Bolton.

Wayne Rooney put United ahead in the 79th minute when he latched on to a cross from John O'Shea, beat Tony Hibbert and side-footed past Everton goalkeeper Lain Turner.

Everton had lead 2-0, but a goal by O'Shea and an own-goal by former United defender Phil Neville had drawn the Red Devils level at Goodison Park. United reserve Chris Eagles scored a late goal.

"I do think the marvellous attitude of our players and the spirit in the camp is going to help us," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "With Chelsea drawing today it's obviously back with us - a five-point lead and a superior goal difference gives us a marvellous chance with three games left."

"We have no time to be sad," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "But it is almost lost, almost.

"It is not over because mathematically there is a chance and when the chance is there, we have to believe and chase the opportunity you have."

May 9 face off

United have 85 points, followed by Chelsea with 80. The two teams play each other on May 9.

Ferguson had left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench with the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals at AC Milan on Wednesday - and he may have been regretting it after just 12 minutes.

Everton defender Alan Stubbs struck a free kick which was deflected into the goal by United midfielder Michael Carrick to put his team up 1-0.

Rooney forced saves out of Turner in the 20th and 24th, while Alan Smith dragged a shot wide in the 25th.

But Manuel Fernandes extended Everton's lead in the 50th after holding off Wes Brown on the edge of the area to shoot powerfully into the top corner.

O'Shea led United's fightback in the 61st, scoring from close range after Turner dropped Ryan Giggs' corner. The Scottish goalkeeper started because Tim Howard was ineligible under the terms of his loan deal from United.

Turner was also partially at fault for United's 68th-minute equaliser. His feet could only block a header by Ronaldo from Carrick's corner, and Neville, who spent 11 years with United, steered the ball into the back of the net.

Then Rooney, who started his career at Everton, put United ahead 11 minutes later.

In injury time, Rooney passed to Eagles and he curled the ball past Turner inside the far post.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho put Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Didier Drogba on the bench with Tuesday's Champions League return leg at Liverpool in mind.

Blues fell behind

The Blues fell behind in the 19th minute when Lubomir Michalik scored on his first start for Bolton.

The Slovakia central defender scored after Michael Essien and Salomon Kalou had failed to clear the ball from Andranik Teymourian's free kick.

Three minutes later, Kalou scored with a glancing header past Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen on a cross from Wayne Bridge.

Jaaskelainen produced a fine save to deny Shevchenko in the 31st, but the Finnish goalkeeper was at fault for Chelsea's second goal just three minutes later.

Kalou headed the ball against the crossbar from a corner. Bolton midfielder Idan Tal didn't react quickly enough at the far post and the ball was deflected over the line by Jaaskelainen's left foot.

Lampard was brought on in the 29th to replace defender Ricardo Carvalho, who injured his knee and was later ruled out of playing in the Champions League semi-finals at Anfield.

Bolton struck back in the 54th when a free kick from Tal was floated into the box. With Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech stranded, Kevin Davis nodded home.

Drogba, who came off the bench at the start of the half, sent a free kick over the bar in the 57th and missed in front of goal four minutes to leave the Blues' title bid in disarray.

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