Victory for United fires them to top of Premier League table
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, right, fights for the ball against Sunderland's Billy Jones during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Sunderland at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester. (Photo: AP)
London: Manchester United exploited Manchester City’s 1-4 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur by beating Sunderland 3-0 on Saturday to replace their rivals at the top of the Premier League table.
City’s unexpected capitulation opened the door for Louis van Gaal’s side and they strolled through it courtesy of goals from Memphis Depay, Wayne Rooney, who ended a 1,000-minute league scoring drought, and Juan Mata.
Depay made the breakthrough in first-half stoppage time, tapping home after Daley Blind’s fine pass was volleyed across goal by Mata, with Rooney and Mata finishing the job in the second half.
Rooney’s goal, set up by Anthony Martial, was his first in the league since April and saw him draw level with Old Trafford great Denis Law on 171 league goals. Victory took United a point above City, who slipped to a second consecutive league defeat — and a third loss in four games in all competitions — at White Hart Lane.
City went ahead in the 25th minute through Kevin De Bruyne, but Eric Dier drove home an equaliser on the stroke of half-time before Toby Alderweireld’s header early in the second half put the hosts in front.
Harry Kane netted his first club goal of the season and Erik Lamela added a fourth as Mauricio Pochettino’s side followed Juventus and West Ham United in inflicting defeat on the campaign’s early pace-setters.
Arsenal climbed up to fourth place after separating Leicester City from their status as the top flight’s last unbeaten side with a 5-2 success at the King Power Stadium.
Meanwhile, Daniel Sturridge scored his first goals since returning from a lengthy lay-off with a hip injury as Liverpool edged a fighting Aston Villa side 3-2 at Anfield to end a winless four-game run and move up to seventh place.
( Source : AFP )
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