Premier League round-up:Manchester United staged a dramatic comeback at Aston Villa to win 3-2 and move four points clear at the Barclays Premier League summit. United looked in serious danger of slumping to their third defeat of the season when Andreas Weimann's second goal of the evening handed Villa a 2-0 lead after 50 minutes.
Alex Ferguson’s decision to introduce Javier Hernandez for former Villa winger Ashley Young at half-time proved to be inspired, and decided a game in which former Shamrock Rovers full-back Enda Stevens made his debut for the homeside.
The Mexico international pulled one back with a neat finish and then another shot from Hernandez was deflected in by Villa defender Ron Vlaar for an own goal. And it was Hernandez who grabbed the 87th-minute winner when he headed in Robin van Persie’s inswinging free-kick.
United extended their lead at the summit over Chelsea, who host Liverpool tomorrow, with defending champions Manchester City a further point adrift. Roberto Mancini’s men take on Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium tomorrow lunchtime.
"It was a magnificent result and a magnificent game,” said Ferguson afterwards. “Villa did fantastic today, they ran their socks off. We have to feel for them but we never gave in. We hit the bar twice but it was after the second goal we came alive, and it was a fantastic game.
“I was disappointed to go behind like that, but I started to think about (how) if we got a goal we would have a chance, and we did. We did put pressure on ourselves today but we came through it. The lesson is we need to do better defensively.
“I admire the tenacity of the performance, though. When they need to do it, they do it.”
Defeat leaves Villa just one place above the bottom three and with two wins to their name this season, but manager Paul Lambert refused to lay the blame with his players, despite them letting slip a two-goal advantage today.
“We gave it absolutely everything, we were brilliant,” he said on Sky Sports 2. “I can’t fault the team. We’ve got lots of young lads in the team and they were great. I can’t ask for any more from them.”
Arsenalsquandered a 2-0 lead for the second time in five days and missed an injury-time penalty as Fulhamclaimed a 3-3 draw at the Emirates.
The Gunners, who were held by Schalke in Gelsenkirchen in the Champions League on Tuesday night after opening up a two-goal cushion, went ahead through Olivier Giroud’s header from a Theo Walcott corner and doubled their advantage when Lukas Podolski swept home Mikel Arteta’s centre.
But Fulham pulled one back after 29 minutes as an unmarked Dimitar Berbatov nodded in Bryan Ruiz’s corner from inside the six-yard box and they equalised when Berbatov’s cross from the right was headed in by substitute Alex Kacaniklic.
The Cottagers took the lead for the first time when Arteta dragged down Ruiz in the area and Berbatov stroked home a 67th-minute spot-kick. But the visitors’ joy was shortlived as Giroud, having placed his first effort against the post, reacted well to head in Walcott’s subsequent cross.
Arsenal could have won it in the 94th-minute when referee Phil Dowd harshly adjudged Sascha Riether had handled Andrey Arshavin’s cross but Mark Schwarzer superbly kept out Arteta’s low spot-kick.
“It was frustrating because we had the opportunities to win," said Wenger. "We were caught in a bit too comfortable of a position because we did the most difficult thing — we scored two goals to go 2-0 up. At that moment we lacked urgency defensively.
“In the second half we gave absolutely everything and I have to give credit to the players, in the last three games what they have done physically is amazing. Even at 3-2 down we didn’t give up and continued to go forward and we had the chances to win the game.”
Evertonstay in fourth spot after coming from behind to beat struggling Sunderland2-1 at Goodison Park.
The visitors threatened early through Stephane Sessegnon and Steven Fletcher and finally made the breakthrough when summer signing Adam Johnson netted shortly before the break.
But, following plenty of Everton pressure, Marouane Fellaini drove past Simon Mignolet after 76 minutes and, two minutes later, the Belgian cleverly flicked on for Nikica Jelavic to fire home.
West Bromwon 2-1 at Wiganthanks to a James Morrison header and a Gary Caldwell own goal.
Scotland midfielder Morrison has been an impressive performer in the Baggies’ strong start and he was on hand to head home Chris Brunt’s wicked left-footed cross after 31 minutes.
And when Caldwell put through his own goal it looked good for Steve Clarke’s men.Arouna Kone pulled one back on the stroke of half-time but Wigan could not find a leveller.
Another individual defensive mistake prevented Southamptonfrom beating Swansea.
The hosts went ahead through Morgan Schneiderlin’s 64th-minute header but were pegged back nine minutes later as Maya Yoshida was dispossessed by Nathan Dyer and the winger ran through to score.
Stokemoved up to 12th after a hard-fought 1-0 win at home to winless QPR.
Charlie Adam got the only goal, his first for the club, at the start of the second half, firing in left-footed after the visitors had failed to clear Robert Huth’s long free-kick into the box.
The defeat, their seventh of the season, means Mark Hughes’s men stay bottom.
Reading, who have scored eight times in their last two home games without winning either, could not find a way past Norwichas their search for a first Premier League victory of the season goes on.
Leaders Manchester Unitedvisit Aston Villain the late game, with former Shamrock Rovers player Enda Stevens earning a first Premier League start for Villa at left back.
