Everton 3-3 Manchester United
Manchester United were held to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Everton at Goodison Park with the Toffees grabbing two injury time goals to secure the draw and with Wayne Rooney nowhere to be seen.
Sir Alex Ferguson surprisingly left out the England striker, despite saying on Friday that he would play; with the United boss not willing to risk the England front-man in front of his former club’s fans. While Everton manager David Moyes left Jermaine Beckford on the bench with Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini starting in attack for the Toffees.
The home side started the brighter of both sides and Steven Pienaar found space in the United box within a minute, but his shot was blocked by defender Nemanja Vidic. Everton were looking energetic, their passing and moving causing early problems for United and when Pienaar was fouled by Gary Neville, Mikel Arteta stepped up and his free-kick just shaved the top of the bar.
Sir Alex Ferguson was celebrating his 700th Premier League game as United manager, but he wouldn’t have been pleased with his start although they did manage their first attempt on 15 minutes with John O’Shea clipping the frame of the goal with a thunderous strike.
As the half progressed, Everton were still looking the livelier side although their shots failed to test Edwin Van der Sar in the United goal. Leighton Baines was the closest Everton player to score but his shot flew just wide. However just after the half hour mark, United should have been in front. Nani laid his free-kick into the path of Paul Scholes and his strike was destined for the net, only for Everton keeper Tim Howard to produce a brilliant save with his legs to deny the midfielder.
Manchester United were soon dominating the half and they had another glorious chance to pull ahead. Ryan Giggs, who was linked with the Wales job in the week, found space and his shot was saved well again by Tim Howard.
This was to prove decisive as just a minute later Everton were in front. A long ball up-field was collected by Arteta and although his shot was saved by Van der Sar, the ball found Leon Osman and his pass found Pienaar who slotted the ball into the empty net to give the home side the lead.
However the lead lasted no longer than a couple of minutes as United were soon level. A superb ball by Nani on the right was met by Darren Fletcher, who neatly placed the ball past Howard into the Everton net. There was one more chance, but Dimitar Berbatov shot wide and the teams were into the break level at 1-1.
The second half was as open and entertaining as the first with both teams looking to attack but it was Manchester United who created the first chance. Berbatov found space in the Everton half and his shot was blocked by Sylvain Distin for a corner. But from the resulting corner, United were ahead. Although the corner was headed out by Distin, Nani floated the ball back in to penalty area and his cross was met by the head of Vidic, who made no mistake as the ball flew past Howard into the net.
Everton were not lying down and still looked threatening going forward, with the impressive Pienaar curling a right foot shot straight into the arms of Van der Sar. But they also looked suspect at the back and it was Tim Howard who saved the home side again as he saved well from Nani. But again the Everton was punished just two minutes later. Paul Scholes’ superb ball found Dimitar Berbatov who raced past Distin to slot the ball past Howard to give United a 3-1 lead.
Although the win looked secured for the away side, Everton could have reduced the lead to one goal; however Baines saw his free-kick curl narrowly wide. and they had a better scoring chance with 15 minutes with just 15 minutes to go. Substitute Yakubu weaved his way in the united box and his pass found Osman who produced a fine save out of Van der Sar.
However deep into injury time Everton scored twice to rescue a point for the home side. First Tim Cahill headed past the United keeper, then Mikel Arteta struck a sweet shot past Van der Sar and earn a dersevedly point at Goodison Park.
Stoke 2-1 Aston Villa
A dramatic last minute winner from Robert Huth grabbed Stoke City all three points as the Potters beat Aston Villa 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium. Huth's 93rd minute winner and Kenwyne Jones’ 80th minute strike cancelled out Stewart Downing’s first half opener for Villa as Stoke grabbed their first win of the season.
Stoke manager Tony Pulis, who was not present for the first half following the death of his mother, made one change from the side beaten by Chelsea, with Marc Wilson making his debut at the expense of Andy Wilkinson following his deadline-day move from Portsmouth. New arrivals Jermaine Pennant and Eidur Gudjohnsen are on the bench.
Aston Villa caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald again selected their starting line-up in the absence of new manager Gerard Houllier, who was attending an awards ceremony in France. MacDonald made one change from the side which beat Everton, handing the Gabriel Agbonlahor his first Premier League start of the season in place of the injured John Carew.
Stoke started the game much more positive than their visitors and Robert Huth and Kenwyne Jones going close in the opening minutes. The first clear sight of goal fell to Jones again in the tenth minute, the striker was found by fellow new signing Marc Wilson but Jones’ low shot was well saved by Brad Friedel.
The home side continued to press and in the 15th minute they came close again, Matthew Etherington curled a right wing free kick into the penalty area towards the heads of Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth. And it was the former Chelsea man Huth who reached the cross but he could only head the ball straight up in the air and Friedel was able to claim easily.
Villa’s first opportunity of the match came two minutes later through youngster Marc Albrighton. Agbonlahor held the ball up well on the edge of the penalty area before finding Nigel Reo-Coker who played the ball to his left to Albrighton, the midfielder stepped in from the left edge of the penalty but struck a right foot shot over the bar without troubling Thomas Sorenson.
In the 25th minute the lively Jones again tested Friedel, this time from long range. The striker pulled down a long ball from Sorenson 25 yards out from goal and fired a swerving left foot shot towards goal but Friedel was able to save well down to his right.
Villa were beginning to get back into the game and in the 35th minute they made their pressure pay as Stewart Downing gave them the lead. Agbonlahor delivered a left footed cross to the back post which was met by Downing diving at full length and he headed the ball into the bottom corner of the net for his second goal of the season.
Two minutes later the visitors survived a penalty shout from Stoke, a long throw from Rory Delap caused confusion in the Villa penalty area and from a header by Jones the ball appeared to hit the arm of James Collins but referee Lee Probert waved away the home side’s protests.
With five minutes of the half left Villa began to pile the pressure onto the home side and created four excellent opportunities to double their lead. The first chance came in the 40th minute from another dangerous cross from Agbonlahor. This time the cross came in from the left hand side, delivered with his right foot which found Ashley Young unmarked in the penalty area but the winger was unable to divert his header goalwards and the ball flew wide of the goal.
Three minutes later Villa created another chance as Downing delivered a low cross which wasn’t cleared fully by the Stoke defence. Reo-Coker challenged for the ball on the edge of the area and the loose ball fell into the path of James Collins but his shot was well saved by Sorenson.
And in the final minute of normal time another dangerous right wing cross, this time from Albrighton, found Downing at the back post but the wingers sliding shot was clawed off the goal line by Sorenson. Stephen Warnock got onto the loose ball but his shot was blocked for a corner.
Villa’s final chance of the half came in the second minute of injury time, a neat corner routine by Downing and Ashley Young on the left wing enabled Young to get into the penalty area but there was no-one there to touch home his low cross.
Stoke received a huge boost at half time with the arrival of their manager Tony Pulis and his players nearly gave him the perfect reaction five minutes into the second half. A Matthew Etherington free kick was met by Jones at the back post but his header was tipped over by Friedel.
Another long throw in from Delap in the 56th minute caused further trouble for the Villa defence. Friedel was able to palm the ball clear but only into the path of Etherington, but the winger’s left foot shot was blocked by Reo-Coker and Villa were able to clear the danger.
The second half was not as open as the first half and neither side really created many opportunities until the 68th minute when Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross nearly gifted Villa a second goal. The defender read a through ball from Ashley Young before it reached Reo-Coker, but the defender then played a weak back pass towards his goalkeeper which enabled the Villa midfielder to get onto it and had Sorenson not been quick off he would have doubled his side’s lead.
After putting lots of pressure on the Villa defence Stoke were finally rewarded in the 80th minute as Kenwyne Jones scored his first goal since joining the club this summer. The home side worked hard to keep the ball alive during an attack and when substitute Ricardo Fuller played a ball into Etherington inside the penalty area the winger was able to chip a cross onto the head of Jones who powered a header past Friedel and then celebrated with his customary acrobatic celebration.
Stoke were finishing the game much stronger than their opponents and in the 87th minute Fuller again caused problems in the villa defence again, he took on Collins before firing a left foot shot towards goal but Friedel was able to tip the ball wide.
In the final minute of the match Stoke grabbed a dramatic winner through Huth, Etherington’s free kick was not cleared and from a low left wing cross Huth poked the ball past Friedel to give the Potters their first win of the season.
Source From: Goal.com
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