LONDON, Aug 22, (AP): Fulham twice came from behind to hold Manchester United to a 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Sunday with Brede Hangeland making up for an own goal by quickly heading in an equalizer. The defender sent Damien Duff’s corner into the net — five minutes after accidentally turning Ryan Giggs’ corner past his own goalkeeper. “I looked at the clock after my own goal and thought I had five minutes to score at the right end, and fortunately I managed to do it,” Hangeland said. “I don’t think there was much I could do about the own goal, but I’m glad I could make up for it.” Fortune appeared to be favoring United straight after Hangeland’s own goal when a spot kick was awarded against Duff for kicking an attempted clearance against his arm. But Nani’s penalty was blocked by David Stockdale — filling in for injured Arsenal-target Mark Schwarzer — diving low to his right.

“When you have the lead and you have the opportunity to seal the game with a penalty, you think you’re home and dry,” United manager Alex Ferguson said. Simon Davies had equalized for Fulham at the start of the second half, canceling out Paul Scholes’ 11th-minute opener for United. The low, powerful strike was the 35-year-old Scholes’ 150th United goal and he looked set to dominate the headlines again with an accomplished midfield performance — just as he had achieved with age-defying displays in United’s Community Shield 3-1 win against Chelsea and the league-opening 3-0 victory against Newcastle on Monday. “It’s never easy to score from 20-odd yards. He has a tremendous record and once again he’s done it,” Ferguson said. “Again, he was one of the best players on the pitch.”

From the outset at Craven Cottage, Scholes was spraying passes along the surface with his trademark accuracy. United didn’t appear to be missing striker Wayne Rooney, whose hopes of ending a 13-match run without a competitive goal were thwarted by a virus. The England striker’s absence enabled Javier Hernandez to make his first United start and the Mexico forward combined well with Dimitar Berbatov.
It was their linkup play that saw Berbatov produce a volley that Stockdale tipped over, earning the corner that led to Scholes putting United ahead. Fulham responded by pressing forward with the confidence of a team that had beaten United on its previous two visits. It took two saves from former Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar to keep out an equalizer. Clint Dempsey flicked the ball onto Dickson Etuhu, whose first shot was blocked by Van der Sar’s low save and the rebound was tipped over with the Dutchman’s outstretched arm.

In the matchday program, Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed had warned United to stay away from his players. “They cannot go on looking in our window whenever the fancy takes them,” Al Fayed wrote, having seen Chris Smalling in the offseason follow Van der Sar and Louis Saha by heading to Old Trafford in recent years. Van der Sar couldn’t keep out Davies’ equalizer in the 57th. Damien Duff fought off Patrice Evra’s pressure near the halfway line and picked out Zamora after rampaging forward.
Earlier, Newcastle became the third team — after Chelsea and Arsenal — to record a 6-0 win this weekend by taking advantage of some woeful defending by Villa. The match could have taken a different path had Aston Villa striker John Carew converted an early penalty but he smashed his spot kick over the bar and Newcastle dominated after that. Joey Barton and midfield team-mate Kevin Nolan put Newcastle 2-0 in front before home-town striker Carroll opened his account in the 34th.

Carroll added two more goals after the break to complete his hat trick, before Nolan scored his second deep into stoppage time. “It’s a great feeling, especially in front of the home fans. I’m just over the moon with all three of them,” the 21-year-old Carroll said. Villa — without a permanent manager after Martin O’Neill left days before the start of the season — missed the dynamism of midfielder James Milner, who was sold to Manchester City on Wednesday, and failed to build on their opening-day 3-0 home win over West Ham. “We started the season well last week so it’s disappointing to get well beaten by a decent Newcastle side,” interim manager Kevin MacDonald said. “The missed penalty changes things to certain extent.” On Saturday, Theo Walcott scored a hat trick as Arsenal routed promoted Blackpool 6-0 to go second in the table on goal difference, and there were also wins for Bolton at West Ham, Birmingham at home to Blackburn, Tottenham at Stoke and West Brom at home to Sunderland. Everton drew 1-1 at home to Wolverhampton.