Man United keeps up perfect start against Chelsea

Posted Monday, September 19, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

LONDON (AP)—Manchester United overcame title rival Chelsea on Sunday with a fifth successive victory maintaining the champion’s perfect start in the Premier League after neighbor Manchester City dropped points for the first time this season at Fulham.

Wayne Rooney scored one before missing from the penalty spot as United beat Chelsea 3-1 to give the club its best start to the season since 1985.

“It was a fantastic, open match but we created our own problems for ourselves,” said Alex Ferguson, who took charge of United in 1986. “We gave the ball away in attacking areas and they kept counterattacking us.”

Fernando Torres had managed to score his first goal of the campaign, but the Chelsea striker then missed an open goal.

“You have an example of Rooney missing a penalty too, which is basically the same,” Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas said. “The worst things happen to the best strikers in the world and today it happened to both of them.”

United now has a two-point lead over City after its local rival threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Fulham.

Also Sunday, Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice as Tottenham cruised to a 4-0 victory over nine-man Liverpool and Sunderland routed Stoke by the same scoreline.

But it is United leading the way after a record-equaling 18th consecutive Premier League win at Old Trafford.

Slack marking allowed United to go in front after eight minutes, with Chris Smalling heading in Ashley Young’s free kick.

The second goal in the 37th minute was more spectacular. Nani took on three defenders before launching a fierce strike from outside the penalty area into the top of the net.

Rooney’s goal came on the stroke of halftime, tapping in his ninth goal of the season after John Terry’s attempted clearance bounced off Nani and into his path.

Chelsea, though, produced the perfect response at the start of the second half, with Torres scoring inside 30 seconds—just his second goal since arriving from Liverpool in January.

The Spain striker skillfully put the ball over United goalkeeper David de Gea after being fed by Nicolas Anelka, who had replaced Frank Lampard moments earlier.

Chelsea’s fortunes looked to be turning when Rooney sent his penalty kick wide after Jose Bosingwa tripped Nani.

But Torres spectacularly squandered an easy chance to make it 3-2, shooting wide of the net after rounding De Gea with the goal at his mercy.

“The scoreline went crazy in the first half, but we had good opportunities to do something in this game,” Villas-Boas said. “Coming back from 3-0 down is always difficult and we had to take risks without exposing ourselves too much.”

At Craven Cottage, City was on course to register a fifth consecutive win like United before imploding after Sergio Aguero had made it eight goals in five matches.

Aguero latched onto David Silva’s clipped through-ball before finishing neatly into the bottom corner in the 18th. The second came at the start of the second half when the Argentina striker collected Edin Dzeko’s nod down and fired a low shot into the corner from just outside the area.

But Bobby Zamora began Fulham’s comeback in the 55th, smashing a rising shot with his right foot into the top corner.

And the equalizer came with 15 minutes to go after Danny Murphy’s 25-meter (yard) shot took a wicked deflection off City captain Vincent Kompany and squirmed into the net past wrongfooted goalkeeper Joe Hart.

“I’m not angry,” City manager Roberto Mancini said. “I’m just disappointed because we conceded two stupid goals.”

At White Hart Lane, Tottenham was completely rampant against Liverpool after Luka Modric curled in a stunning opener after seven minutes.

A sluggish Liverpool side was already struggling when Charlie Adam was dismissed after a rash challenge on Scott Parker in the 28th, while Martin Skrtel saw red in the 63rd after being penalized again for fouling Gareth Bale.

It was followed by quick-fire goals for Jermain Defoe after rounding Jose Enrique, and Emmanuel Adebayor who tapped into the net after lifting the ball over goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

The Togo striker scored again in stoppage time when he brought down Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s pass.

At Sunderland, Stoke lost for the first time this season while the hosts tasted success for the first time

Inside 11 minutes, Titus Bramble netted his first Sunderland goal and Jonathan Woodgate scored an own goal.

Craig Gardner added the third with a deflected strike and Sebastian Larsson rounded off the victory with a 58th-minute free kick.