United fight back to hold Chelsea

Manchester United fought back from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Chelsea in a thrilling Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Sunday, February 05, 2012
Super-sub Javier Hernandez completed an thrilling comeback as Manchester United battled from three goals down to salvage a 3-3-1

Manchester United fought back from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Chelsea in a thrilling Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.Two penalties from Wayne Rooney and a header by Javier Hernandez kept the champions in touch with leaders Manchester City after Chelsea had built a 3-0 lead after 51 minutes through an own goal by Jonny Evans, a scorching left-foot volley from Juan Mata and a David Luiz header.But United, who dominated most of the first half, struck back with two penalties from Wayne Rooney after 58 and 69 minutes and Hernandez powered in a header seven minutes from time after Cech had saved a Rooney shot.The result left Manchester City two points clear of United at the top of the table with 57 points, both teams having played 24 games.Chelsea, without injured skipper John Terry and midfielder Frank Lampard and the suspended Ashley Cole, stayed in fourth place on 43 points, six behind Tottenham Hotspur who play at Liverpool tonight.Elsewhere, 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 on Sunday.Cisse has been handed Newcastle's iconic No 9 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 remaining moved Newcastle above Arsenal into fifth place and one point behind Chelsea in fourth-place.