Manchester United Title Favourites
Premiership Leaders now Have a Five Point Lead over Chelsea
Manchester United's great comeback win at Everton gives them control of the Premiership title race as Chelsea were held to a draw at home to Bolton.
It was a good day for Manchester United as they took a decisive step towards winning the Premiership title for the first time since 2003. United turned round a two goal deficit against Everton at Goodison Park while their only rivals, Chelsea could only draw against Bolton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge.
United had an early shock when Alan Stubbs gave Everton the lead. Unperturbed, United set about levelling matters but despite their pressure they were unable to breach the home defence which was causing Sir Alex Ferguson much anguish with their robust tactics. Into the second half and United continued to search for an equaliser but suddenly Everton were two ahead when with a quick break from defence Manuel Fernandes scored after 50 minutes.
For most teams that would have signalled an acceptance that it wasn’t going to be their day but not United – within ten minutes John O’Shea had scored after Everton’s young goalkeeper, Iain Turner, failed to deal with a corner. Turner was playing as Everton’s regular keeper, Tim Howard, is on loan from United and ineligible to play against his own club.
United continued to look for goals and seven minutes on an own goal by former United defender, Phil Neville, had them on level terms. With ten minutes remaining Wayne Rooney, having been denied from a number of chances, finally scored against his former club and on time Chris Eagles added a fourth to seal United’s victory and a five point lead over Chelsea.
While United were strengthening their position, Chelsea also found themselves a goal down against Bolton when Lubomir Michalik scored after twenty minutes. However, they only held the lead for two minutes, Salomon Kalou heading the equaliser for the home team. Ten minutes before half-time Chelsea went ahead from an own goal by the Bolton goalkeeper - a header from Kalou struck the bar and rebounded into the goal off Jussi Jaaskelainen.
In the second half Bolton drew level when Kevin Davies scored from a Gary Speed free kick. Although there was over half an hour remaining Chelsea were unable to get another goal and so dropped further behind United in the Premiership race.
Chelsea rested a number of players ahead of next week’s Champions League game at Liverpool but an injury to Ricardo Carvalho which will keep him out of that important match, saw Frank Lampard return and Didier Drogba and Joe Cole also appeared as substitutes in an effort to retrieve the situation but to no avail.
Manchester United are very much in control of the Premiership title race which they can win next weekend if they beat Manchester City and Chelsea lose at Arsenal.
