West Bromwich bikin United gigit jari
HERNANDEZ (kanan) bersaing dengan pemain tengah West Bromwich, James Morrison pada aksi di Old Trafford semalam. United dan West Bromwich seri 2-2.
LONDON – Manchester United mensia-siakan peluang untuk melonjak ke tangga kedua Liga Perdana England apabila sekadar mencatat keputusan seri 2-2 dengan West Bromwich Albion semalam.
Pada aksi yang berlangsung di Old Trafford itu, skuad The Red Devils terlebih dahulu membuka tirai jaringan menerusi penyerang muda Mexico, Javier Hernandez seawal minit kelima.
Nani menambah derita West Bromwich apabila meledak gol kedua United pada minit ke-25, sekali gus meletakkan skuad kendalian Alex Ferguson itu selesa sehingga tamat babak pertama perlawanan.
Sebaik babak kedua bermula, West Bromwich dilihat tampil dengan aksi lebih kemas dan hasilnya mereka memperoleh gol pertama apabila tonggak pertahanan United, Patrice Evra menjaringkan gol sendiri pada minit ke-50.
West Bromwich tidak menunggu lama untuk menyamakan kedudukan apabila Somen Tchoyi meledak gol lima minit kemudian.
Dengan keputusan seri itu, United masih kekal di tangga ketiga liga dengan hanya mengumpul 14 mata, empat dibelakang pendahulu, Chelsea.
Sementara itu, Arsenal memanfaatkan sepenuhnya kelebihan beraksi di laman apabila berjaya mengutip tiga mata penuh selepas mencatatkan kemenangan 2-1 ke atas Birmingham City di Emirates.
Begitupun, Birmingham terlebih dahulu mengejut tuan rumah apabila membuka tirai jaringan menerusi Nikola Zigic pada minit ke-33.
Tersentak dengan jaringan awal pihak lawan, The Gunners kembali memperkemaskan jentera serangan mereka sebelum Samir Nasri meledak gol penyamaan hasil sepakan penalti yang diperoleh empat minit sebelum tamat babak pertama.
Marouane Chamakh menyelamatkan maruah The Gunners apabila dia menjaringkan gol kemenangan hanya selepas dua minit babak kedua bermula.
Di Craven Cottage, Tottenham Hotspur turut cemerlang selepas mencatatkan kemenangan 2-1 ke atas Fulham sementara Bolton Wanderers menewaskan Stoke City 2-1 di Stadium Reebok.
Dua lagi perlawanan yang berlangsung semalam menyaksikan Newcastle United sekadar seri 2-2 dengan Wigan Athletic di St. James Park manakala Wolves seri 1-1 menentang West Ham United di Stadium Molineux. – Agensi
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Premier League - Van der Sar gaffe costs United
Edwin van der Sar produced an incredible error as Manchester United lost a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford.
The normally reliable Dutchman fumbled a simple catch into the path of an opponent as United suffered their third defensive meltdown in a matter of weeks, having seen two-goal advantages slip against Everton and Liverpool, although they won the latter game.
Goals from Javier Hernandez and Nani appeared to have put United in total control, but West Brom hit back through a Patrice Evra own-goal and a Somen Tchoyi tap-in after Van der Sar's gaffe.
It was the third consecutive draw for Sir Alex Ferguson's side, who have not won in the Premier League since September 19, and another creditable result for Roberto Di Matteo's high-flying West Brom.
The failure will put further spotlight on Ferguson's decision to leave troubled star Wayne Rooney on the bench.
Ferguson will no doubt point out Rooney was not the only major omission, as Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea also missed out.
The argument Rooney was being rested does not hold water. Yes, United have a Champions League game on Wednesday, but a home game against Group C whipping boys Bursaspor hardly represent an occasion demanding eight days' rest.
Whether Rooney was being punished for his contradiction of Ferguson's version of events regarding an ankle injury, or simply dropped on account of his poor form, he will continue to dominate the headlines.
Within five minutes, Ferguson's selection of Hernandez appeared to be justified as the Mexican snaffled his first Premier League goal.
Nani's dipping free-kick was tame, but Scott Carson succeeded only in shovelling it into the path of Hernandez who made no mistake from close range. A horrible piece of goalkeeping.
United were not exactly dominant, but West Brom made enough defensive slips to keep the chances flowing.
Berbatov sidefooted nonchalantly wide from 10 yards when Michael Carrick found him inexplicably unmarked, while Ryan Giggs wasted a good free-kick opportunity after the Welshman was brought down by Yousuf Mulumbu.
At the other end, West Brom had their moments, not least when a Marc-Antoine Fortune cross brought a superb intervention from Rafael to prevent Chris Brunt from tapping in an open goal.
It was two on 25 minutes, when Nani brought the ball through the middle unchallenged, played a simple one-two with Dimitar Berbatov and swept the return pass into the bottom left corner.
It looked like game over - without totally impressing Ferguson's men were in a comfortable position while their opponents could not translate their attractive football into goalscoring chances.
But the second half brought an epic collapse, as United surrendered a two-goal lead for the third time this season, having done so against Everton and Liverpool.
The first goal came on 50 minutes after Anderson was adjudged to have fouled Tchoyi on the edge of the box wide on the right. Chris Brunt's free-kick took two deflections; the second off Patrice Evra's thigh taking it over the line - Van der Sar belatedly clawed the ball away but the goal stood.
If the first was soft, the second, five minutes later, was absolutely calamitous.
Van der Sar went to catch a Brunt cross unchallenged, but fumbled it spectacularly and the ball fell to Tchoyi who finished into the empty net.
It was an extraordinary mistake by any standards, let alone those of the normally reliable Van der Sar.
Far from roaring back, United looked bereft of ideas and confidence after yet another meltdown.
It took the introduction of Rooney and Scholes from the bench on 72 minutes to lift the crowd, and though his cameo was generally poor, Rooney came close to nicking a winner.
A Gabriel Tamas lob to Carson was adjudged a backpass by referee Mike Jones, and the indirect free-kick was touched to Rooney, but Tamas himself cleared off the line.
Alex Chick / Eurosport
Status : married with two daughter