LONDON, April 23, (AFP): Manchester United moved nine points clear at the top of the Premier League as Javier Hernandez’s late goal clinched a crucial 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side found it tough to break down a resolute Everton defence and looked in danger of dropping two points at Old Trafford, but Mexican striker Hernandez ended the stalemate with a close-range header seven minutes from full-time.
Hernandez’s winner piles the pressure back onto title rivals Chelsea and Arsenal, who both trail United by nine points.
Ferguson saluted 19-goal Hernandez’s efforts in his debut season in England and said: “We didn’t expect that level of performance. He comes in every day at nine and he’s the last to leave, this boy is very dedicated.”
The United boss is confident his side can end the title race by beating Arsenal and United in their next two matches.
“The thing that puzzles me is people keep saying Arsenal and Chelsea have got to play us still, like we’re going to lose them...why shouldn’t we win those games?” he said.
“There are only four games left and the way the players are going about their business gives them an outstanding chance of success.”
With a Champions League semi-final first leg clash against Schalke looming on Tuesday, Ferguson rested Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick.
United still dominated the first half and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard made two good saves to frustrate Hernandez.
Everton, who hadn’t won at Old Trafford since 1992, felt aggrieved that referee Peter Walton didn’t give a penalty early in the second half when Rio Ferdinand tugged back Victor Anichebe.
David Moyes’ men almost snatched the lead when Jack Rodwell’s long-range effort forced a sprawling save from Edwin Van der Sar.
United were struggling to breach Everton’s defence. Even when they got through, Fabio da Silva’s cross was turned onto a post by Toffees defender Sylvain Distin.
But they finally made the breakthrough in the 83rd minute when Antonio Valencia’s cross to the far post was headed in by Hernandez from virtually on the goal-line.
Chelsea 3, West Ham 0
In London, Fernando Torres scored his first Chelsea goal in his 14th appearance for the club as Carlo Ancelotti’s side secured a 3-0 victory over West Ham to remain six points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United.
Frank Lampard had given the reigning champions a 44th minute lead and, after Torres broke his duck, Florent Malouda completed the win with a stoppage time strike at Stamford Bridge.
It was Torres’s goal that triggered the loudest cheers as the Spaniard finally found the net for the first time after 733 minutes of action following his British record £50 million transfer from Liverpool in January.
The striker had again been left on the bench but his impact when he appeared as a 76th minute substitute ensured West Ham’s chances of clawing their way back into the game disappeared and with it their hopes of lifting themselves off the foot of the table.
The games played earlier in the day had been kind to neither team with United’s victory over Everton denting Chelsea’s hopes of stepping up their title challenge and Wolves’ home draw with Fulham sending West Ham bottom.
The Hammers were also forced to come into this game without their two senior players after injuries ruled out Matthew Upson and Scott Parker.
Attention immediately before kick-off focused on the pre-match handshake with Chelsea captain John Terry and West Ham full back Wayne Bridge due to confront each other for only the second time since last February’s allegations about the nature of the relationship between Terry and Bridge’s former partner.
Once again the two players avoided contact and the sideshow over, Chelsea reacted immediately by creating the first opening of the game in the second minute.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti kept faith with the three-man strike force of Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba and Malouda that has started both games since the Champions League exit to United.
And Kalou and Malouda combined to carve open the West Ham defence before Malouda was denied by an excellent save from Hammers keeper Robert Green.
Chelsea continued to dominate the opening period but were unable to create a second clear opportunity.
And when Hammers striker Demba Ba forced Petr Cech into a 24th minute save, the momentum began to swing the way of West Ham.
Cech was called upon to make a second, more impressive save from Jonathan Spector’s close range diving header two minutes later before Ashley Cole cleared off the line from Freddie Sears.
West Ham, though, looked vulnerable every time Chelsea advanced and the deadlock was finally broken when the home side conjured the best move of the half immediately before the break.
Liverpool 5 Birmingham 0
In Liverpool, Maxi Rodriguez hit a brilliant hat-trick to fire Liverpool to an emphatic 5-0 victory against Birmingham at Anfield on Saturday.
Rodriguez’s impressive early opener was followed by Dirk Kuyt’s seventh goal in his past six Premier League games to set Liverpool on their way.
Rodriguez scored two more after the break and a late fifth from Joe Cole gave Liverpool their biggest victory since Kenny Dalglish returned as manager.
The home side were without injured duo Fabio Aurelio and Andy Carroll who both pulled up with complaints in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last Monday.
But the way Liverpool turned on the style showed how spirited and confident they have become since Dalglish returned as manager in January.
Anfield legend Dalglish only has the job until the end of the season but it only seems a matter of time until he is appointed as the Reds manager on a full-time basis.
Liverpool’s style and attacking mentality since Dalglish returned has revitalised a season that appeared to be dead and buried at Christmas and this fine victory ensured that only Manchester United and Chelsea have gained more points than the Reds in the time that Dalglish has been back.
Rodriguez gave Liverpool an early lead as Ben Foster failed to hold on to a Jay Spearing blast and he was on hand to pounce from close range and clip past the Birmingham goalkeeper.
Birmingham attempted to get back into the game but they had little success against a Liverpool backline superbly marshalled by Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel.
And as the half progressed, Liverpool did get on top and began controlling the game as their dominant midfield over-ran the visitors.
A second goal always felt inevitable and so it proved when Luis Suarez showed impressive power and pace to charge through on goal and although Foster made two fine quickfire saves, the ball eventually fell to Kuyt who swept in from 12 yards out.
That effectively ended the game as a contest as Birmingham never showed the poise or adventure required to get back into the game, although they were not helped when Foster had to go off before the break with an injury.
Sunderland 4, Wigan 2
In Sunderland, England midfielder Jordan Henderson eased Sunderland’s relegation fears as his double-strike inspired a 4-2 win over fellow strugglers Wigan on Saturday.
Henderson, 20, has been in poor form since earning his first England cap in a friendly against France in November, but he scored twice in the second half as the Black Cats came from behind to win for the first time in 10 league games and plunge Wigan back into the relegation zone.
Although Mohamed Diame put Wigan ahead early in the second half, Roberto Martinez’s side crumbled after that.
Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan levelled with a close-range header and Sunderland took complete control despite losing Phil Bardsley, Danny Welbeck and Gyan through injury.
Henderson gave them a 66th-minute lead and he struck again after Stephane Sessegnon scored his first goal for the club from the penalty spot.
Black Cats boss Steve Bruce went into the game bemoaning the injury list he believes is the root cause of Sunderland’s recent slump.
By the time the 26th minute had elapsed, the casualty count had increased once again.
Full-back Bardsley was carried off the field on a stretcher having been given oxygen and taken straight to hospital after an early clash of heads with team-mate Nedum Onuoha.
But if there was no legislating for Bardsley’s misfortune, Welbeck’s departure was depressingly predictable with the striker having spent the last week battling a hamstring problem before being declared fit to start.
Diame put Wigan ahead in the 52nd minute when he took Charles N’Zogbia’s pass and smashed a 25-yard drive past Mignolet.
Blackpool 1, Newcastle 1
In Blackpool, Blackpool’s hopes of prolonging their stay in the English Premier League suffered a setback on Saturday as they could only draw 1-1 with Newcastle at Bloomfield Road.
With the worst home record in the league - with nine losses suggesting the Seasiders could rename their ground Gloomfield Road - the hosts were driven on by the knowledge that anything less than a win would leave them perched perilously on the edge of the drop zone.
Newcastle themselves arrived having only managed two of their past 13 games since the departure of Andy Carroll to Liverpool although their goalless draw in midweek at home to champions-elect Manchester United had gone some way to lifting morale on Tyneside.
And the visitors drew first blood when Peter Lovenkrands, set up by Joey Barton, put Newcastle ahead in the 17th minute.
But fit again skipper Charlie Adam, returning from a foot injury, helped get the hosts out of jail as from his inswinging corner DJ Campbell equalised, bundling in from close range just after the half hour mark.
That galvanised Blackpool, just one win now in 14 matches, desperate to avoid a first home loss to the Magpies since April 1971.
Aston Villa 1 Stoke 1
In Birmingham, Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier was given something to cheer from his hospital bed as Darren Bent’s goal salvaged a 1-1 draw at home to FA Cup finalists Stoke on Saturday.
The French manager, who was rushed to hospital with chest pains on Wednesday, was not well enough to take his place at Villa Park to see the England striker continue his excellent run of form. Trinidad and Tobago striker Kenwyne Jones put the visitors ahead with a 20th-minute header, but Bent equalised for the Villains on 43 minutes.
Stoke had lost their last seven away games in the English Premier League. They had not won on their travels in the league this year, their last victory on the road coming in a 2-0 win at Blackburn on December 26.
But buoyed up by their 5-0 thrashing of Bolton in last Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final, setting up a final against Manchester City, the Staffordshire side ended their miserable away run with a creditable draw.
The result left Villa 11th in the Premier League table on 41 points, two points ahead of Stoke in 14th place. The Potters are five points clear of the relegation zone.
Villa’s assistant boss Gary McAllister, deputising for Houllier — a heart attack victim while managing Liverpool — named an unchanged side.
Stoke manager Tony Pulis made one change, recalling Asmir Begovic in goal.
Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel had to be alert to tip over an early half-volley from Robert Huth, then produced a fine reflex dave to keep out a Jones header from a corner.
Indeed the Potters had six corners in three minutes but the Villa defence held out under pressure.
However, they were soon undone by the familiar danger of a Rory Delap long throw.
The Republic of Ireland midfielder hurled one of his trademark throws into the penalty box and Jones out-jumped Richard Dunne to deflect it past Friedel.
Bent and his strike partner Emile Heskey were having little luck and the half-hour mark had gone before Villa fashioned their first proper goalscoring chance, with a Heskey header that he put over and wide.
Bent thought he had won a penalty under pressure from Huth but his claims were dismissed by referee Chris Foy.
However, the Premier League’s top English goalscorer levelled the scores with his seventh goal in 12 games for the Birmingham side.
Kyle Walker sent in a cross from the right and Bent got ahead of Ryan Shawcross to send a glancing header in off Begovic’s right hand post from 15 yards out.
Villa dominated possession in the second half but rarely looked like troubling the Stoke defence.
Stewart Downing tried hard to find the winner but was regularly crowded out on the edge of the Stoke penalty area.
The England winger has a shot deflected wide with Begovic wrong-footed and Heskey then slid in at the near post but his effort also went off-target.
The Potters thought they had the winner when substitute Ricardo Fuller had the ball in the net but had strayed offside.
Begovic was booked for time-wasting in the closing stages as the visitors ended the match with 10 men after Fuller was stretchered off with a leg injury.