Man U, Chelsea bite the dust in EPL

Updated on: 22 March,2009 07:32 AM IST |
AFP |

Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney were both sent off as Manchester United slumped to a sensational 0-2 defeat at Fulham that has blown the English Premiership title race wide open.

Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney were both sent off as Manchester United slumped to a sensational 0-2 defeat at Fulham that has blown the English Premiership title race wide open.

Greater damage

However, Chelsea's 0-1 defeat at Tottenham ensured the damage from Man U's defeat was not as great as it might have been but a Liverpool win over Aston Villa on Sunday could still reduce United's lead at the top to a single point, albeit with the added advantage of a game in hand.

A Danny Murphy penalty and Zoltan Gera's late strike sealed the points for Fulham. But United played as great a role in their own downfall, with Scholes ordered off after only 18 minutes for a goalline handball that allowed Murphy to open the scoring.

Rooney, who only came on as a second-half substitute, was given his marching orders moments after Gera's 87th-minute strike, earning his second yellow card foru00a0 protesting a decision by throwing the ball away.

Chelsea's frustration

United's slip-up ensured that Chelsea's first defeat under temporary manager Guus Hiddink was particularly frustrating. Luka Modric made the difference, finishing off Aaron Lennon's clever cutback five minutes after half-time.u00a0

Other EPL results
Portsmouthu00a0 2-1u00a0 Everton
Blackburnu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 1-1u00a0u00a0 West Ham U
Stoke Cityu00a0u00a0u00a0 1-0u00a0 Middlesbrough
West Bromu00a0u00a0 1-1u00a0u00a0u00a0 Bolton W

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