LONDON, Feb 5, (AFP): Javier Hernandez scored a late equaliser as Manchester United staged a stunning three-goal comeback to claim a point in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side looked destined for defeat when a Jonny Evans own goal and strikes from Juan Mata and David Luiz put Chelsea three up by the 50th minute.
But United were handed a route back into the game thanks to two controversial penalties, both converted by Wayne Rooney, before Mexican substitute Hernandez headed the equaliser with six minutes remaining.
The result left Ferguson’s second-placed side two points behind Manchester City at the head of the Premier League table, but the manner in which they claimed a point meant they left west London in buoyant mood.

For Chelsea, a draw felt like defeat, a feeling reflected in the boos that greeted the final whistle after they had conceded a three-goal lead for the first time since the inception of the Premier League in 1992.
Andre Villas-Boas’s side now sit just one point ahead of fifth-placed Newcastle and face a testing challenge if they are to hold onto a top four place.
The build-up to the game had been dominated by the FA’s decision to strip Chelsea skipper John Terry of the England captaincy for a second time, but the way events unravelled quickly diverted attention back to the game.
The FA acted after it became clear Terry will face trial on charges of racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand would be held in July after Euro 2012.
Terry was missing with a knee injury but the fall-out continued with some home supporters booing Rio Ferdinand, Anton’s brother, whenever the Manchester United defender touched the ball.
Terry’s absence paved the way for Gary Cahill to make his Chelsea debut following his £7 million transfer from Bolton alongside Luiz at the heart of the Blues defence.
And the centre back quickly found himself at the centre of controversy when his last-ditch challenge sent Danny Welbeck tumbling on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area with 11 minutes gone. Referee Howard Webb waved away claims for a penalty, just as had two minutes earlier when Ashley Young went down under a challenge from Jose Bosingwa.

It was little wonder, then, that Ferguson was showing signs of frustration although for 36 minutes his side looked in control of the game and were creating the better chances.
The balance of the game swung, however, when Sturridge prised open the United defence, easily rounding Patrice Evra before delivering a hard, low cross from close to De Gea’s near post.
De Gea stuck out a leg to block the cross but succeeded only in deflecting it against Evans and off his stomach into the goal.
And any hopes United had of quickly getting back on level terms disappeared 30 seconds after the restart when Mata met Torres’s right wing cross with an unstoppable volley that flew past De Gea.
The visitors again contributed to their own downfall as Chelsea scored again five minutes later.
Sturridge out-foxed Evra once again, this time drawing a foul from the United full back. From Mata’s resulting free-kick, Luiz headed goalwards and his effort deflected off Ferdinand and past De Gea.
United looked dead and buried but Ferguson’s side were given a route back into the game in the 58th minute when Sturridge and Evra again clashed — this time in the Chelsea area — and Webb decided to award a spot-kick that was clinically converted by Rooney.

The introduction of Paul Scholes added to the sense the visitors could regain control of central midfield.
And United scored again in the 68th minute when Webb decided in their favour after Welbeck tumbled over the out-stretched leg of Branislav Ivanovic.
Welbeck seemed as though he was looking for the foul but that made no difference to Rooney, who converted his second penalty of the game.
The comeback was complete in the 84th minute when Hernandez headed home from Giggs’ cross after Cech had parried Rooney’s powerful shot.
There was still time for Chelsea to threaten a winner and de Gea made two superb saves to keep out Mata’s free-kick and Cahill’s drive.

Newcastle 2, Villa 1
In Newcastle, Papiss Demba Cisse marked his Newcastle debut in spectacular fashion as the Senegal striker’s ferocious finish clinched a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.
Cisse has been handed Newcastle’s iconic number nine shirt following his £10 million transfer from German club Freiburg and, while it is too soon to compare him to Magpies legends like Alan Shearer and Malcolm Macdonald, this was the perfect way to launch his career at St James’ Park.
After missing several matches following his transfer due to international commitments with Senegal at the African Nations Cup, Cisse finally made his debut as he came off the bench in the first half following an injury to Leon Best.

The burly forward saw his compatriot Demba Ba mark his own return from the African Nations Cup by firing Newcastle ahead in the first half before Robbie Keane equalised for Villa.
Cisse took centre-stage after that and his winner with 19 minutes remaming moved Newcastle above Arsenal into fifth place and level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea, who face Manchester United later on Sunday.
Alan Pardew’s side have won four of their last five league games and a challenge for the Champions League places can’t be ruled out if Ba and Cisse can continue to provide such a lethal cutting edge.
Newcastle goalkeepeer Tim Krul came to his side’s rescue twice in quick succession early on when Darren Bent beat the offside trap and shot from a tight angle, and then Stiliyan Petrov followed up from distance.
Cisse was cheered onto the pitch after Best’s injury and he was quickly into the action as his glancing header tested Shay Given. Bent found himself in on goal once again seconds later, this time from Richard Dunne’s pass, only for Krul to make a fine stop.
Newcastle took advantage of that escape to snatch the lead with a typically predatory finish from Ba in the 30th minute.

Danny Guthrie’s cross was headed down to Ryan Taylor, who smashed a shot across the face of goal under pressure from Stephen Warnock, and the ball fell perfectly for Ba to blast home his 16th goal of the season.
However, Taylor was injured in the challenge with Warnock and had to be stretchered off with his right leg in a brace.
That seemed to unsettle Newcastle’s defence and Villa, growing in confidence despite Ba’s goal, equalised five minutes into the stoppage time added on for Taylor’s injury when N’Zogbia crossed back into the six-yard box for Keane to volley home in emphatic fashion.
Newcastle nearly made the perfect start to the second half when Given and his defenders failed to deal with Guthrie’s cross, but although the ball fell towards both Ba and Cisse neither could capitalise.
Gabriel Obertan broke free once again three minutes later and ran at Dunne, but the winger sliced his right-footed effort well wide.
When Cisse headed over from Guthrie’s cross it looked like Newcastle’s luck might be out, but the new boy triggered wild celebrations in the 71st minute when he controlled a Jonas Gutierrez on his chest before lashing a left-foot volley high into the top corner.
Krul made a fine reaction save to deny Ciaran Clark a late equaliser and the Dutchman had to be even more alert to keep out substitute Gary Gardner’s header with just two minutes left.