United Stun Spurs To Restore Lead

25 April 2009 20:09
A stunning second-half fightback led by Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney helped Manchester United re-establish their three-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League with a 5-2 win over Tottenham at Old Trafford.[LNB]An upset looked on the cards at the interval with Spurs 2-0 up thanks to an opportunist strike from Darren Bent and a neat control and finish from Luka Modric.[LNB]United grabbed a lifeline in the 57th minute when Ronaldo held his nerve to convert from the spot after keeper Heurelho Gomes and brought down Michael Carrick.[LNB]And after Rooney had slotted the equalised past Gomes at his near post in the 67th minute, the visitors crumbled.[LNB]Ronaldo headed a third from a Rooney cross a minute later and the England striker adding a fourth just three minutes after that.[LNB]Dimitar Berbatov poked home number five after the sorry Gomes spilled his initial header.[LNB]Liverpool had earlier kept up the pressure on Ferguson's men with a comfortable 3-1 win against 10-man Hull at the KC Stadium.[LNB]Xabi Alonso's strike and a Dirk Kuyt brace secured the victory which put Rafael Benitez's side temporarily ahead of United on goal difference.[LNB]Alonso scored on the stroke of half-time, hitting his free-kick straight into the wall but then lashing the rebound into the roof of the net, and after Caleb Folan had been sent off on the hour for a challenge on Martin Skrtel, Kuyt doubled the Reds' advantage with a header from a goalmouth scramble.[LNB]Geovanni pulled one back for Hull with 18 minutes to go, but[LNB]Kuyt volleyed home his second a minute from time to leave the Tigers in 17th place, three points above the drop zone.[LNB]Third-placed Chelsea kept in touch with the leaders with a 1-0 win at West Ham.[LNB]After dominating the first half, the Blues broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the break, Salomon Kalou controlling Frank Lampard's cross and rifling it past Robert Green.[LNB]Petr Cech responded to his recent critics by saving a second-half penalty from Mark Noble.[LNB]Fulham continued to look good in the race for a Europa League spot, moving back into seventh with victory over Stoke.[LNB]Erik Nevland scored the Cottagers' winner on the half hour, playing a one-two with Andy Johnson before slotting the ball coolly past Thomas Sorensen.[LNB]Robinho netted his second goal in two matches as Manchester City secured a rare away win, triumphing 2-1 at FA Cup finalists Everton.[LNB]The Brazilian put City ahead in the 35th minute, firing through Tim Howard's legs and then turned provider just after half-time, sending in a cross for Stephen Ireland to finish before Dan Gosling's late consolation for the hosts.[LNB]At the other end of the table, Sunderland's hopes of moving further away from the drop zone were dealt a blow at the Hawthorns with a 3-0 defeat against bottom side West Brom.[LNB]The Baggies went ahead against the run of play in the first half through Jonas Olsson, but further strikes from Chris Brunt and on-loan midfielder Juan Carlos Menseguez gave Tony Mowbray's side a comprehensive win which keeps them in with a mathematical chance of avoiding relegation.[LNB]Elsewhere, Aston Villa looked had looked set to ease their recent slump in form after Ashley Young's goal capped a decent first-half display at Bolton.[LNB]But Tamir Cohen's equaliser on the hour means it finished 1-1, extending Villa's winless run to nine league games.[LNB]

Source: Eurosport