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United charge back as Blues collapse

Comment: 0 February 6th, 2012 by: admin

MANCHESTER United relied on their big fighting heart to achieve an eye-popping feat on Sunday in the Premier League.

Down 0-3 after 50 minutes against hosts Chelsea, the Red Devils rose back from the grave to hack out a 3-3 draw against the Blues.

After putting on display once more their trademark last-gasp rally, United stayed within range of leaders Manchester City who hurdled Fulham 3-0 on Saturday to nurse a two-point lead over the holders.

An own goal by Jonny Evans shoved the Blues ahead in the 36^th minute before Juan Mata and David Luiz struck in the  46^th and 50^th respectively as Chelsea looked to have wrapped the game up.

But The Red Devils have other things in mind. Instead of crumbling, they fought back fiercely, with the Blues collapsing starting in the 58^th when Wayne Rooney scored for the visitors via a penalty shot.

The United main man found the goal via the same way in the 69^th and all of a sudden, the complexion of the fixture was changed.

The equaliser came in the 84^th via Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez who got a nice assist from Ryan Giggs.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said he thought they were the better team, stressing the massive effort from his men enabled them to come back from 0-3 down.

“We got off to a terrible start and lost two goals but I think we were the far better team,” he quipped.

Chelsea stayed at fourth spot, 14 points off City and just one over Newcastle United who nipped Aston Villa, also on Sunday, with Papiss Demba Cisse connecting on his debut.

Third-running Tottenham Hotspur play hosts Liverpool on Monday night in a game marking the return of Luis Suarez from an eight-game ban for racially-abusing United defender Patrice Evra.

Jeers reverberated throughout the Stamford Bridge as Chelsea taunted United centre back Rio Ferdinand every time he touched the ball. Ferdinand’s younger brother Anton is mired in a racial slur case with Blues captain John Terry who did not see action due to injury.

But Rio simply brushed the booing aside, saying on his Twitter account later that they inspired him and was “like fuel to me.”

Daniel Sturridge was whistled for a foul on Patrice Evra, sending Rooney to the spot the first time. He visited the same spot for the second time after referee Howard Webb ruled Branislav Ivanovic had tripped Danny Welbeck.

Hernandez was unmarked when he headed home Giggs’ assist following Petr Cech’s block on a Rooney attempt.

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