Unforgettable day in EPL

LONDON – Few would argue with the Premier League’s claim to host the most exciting soccer in the world after Saturday’s nerve-shredding and emotional action.

It began with a moving tribute to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster and ended seven hours later with temporary manager Alan Shearer praying Newcastle United’s late equaliser at Stoke City would launch a successful bid to avoid relegation.
In between, champions Manchester United looked set to be overhauled at the top of the table only for teenager Federico Macheda to save them for the second week running with the goal that secured a 2-1 win at Sunderland.
Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink was given a stark reminder of the strength in depth of the league when he saw his side cruise to a 4-0 lead over Bolton Wanderers but then concede three goals in nine minutes and end the game hanging on.
Next Wednesday is the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death at an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
The occasion was marked by a minute’s silence at Anfield, with Blackburn Rovers’ former Liverpool player Stephen Warnock laying a wreath, to thunderous and tearful applause from The Kop.
Fernando Torres then lifted the mood with a superb goal after five minutes when he chested down a long ball and smashed it into the top corner.
Torres added a second as Liverpool ran out easy 4-0 winners and they looked set to end the day top of the table as United found Sunderland far more difficult opposition.
FIRST TOUCH
Roared on by a fanatical home crowd, Sunderland were deservedly level through Kenwyne Jones after an early Paul Scholes header for the visitors.
The champions, who have looked anything but in recent weeks, were rescued after manager Alex Ferguson sent on Macheda in the 75th minute.
Forty-five seconds later the Italian teenager was celebrating a winner having scored with his first touch.
Last Sunday he came off the bench to score in stoppage time as United beat Aston Villa 3-2.
Chelsea understandably thought they had done enough when two goals for Didier Drogba, one for Michael Ballack and a Frank Lampard penalty had them 4-0 up at home to Bolton.
Coach Guus Hiddink, with an eye on next week’s Champions League return with Liverpool, took Drogba and Lampard off and then watched in horror as his team fell apart.
Andy O’Brien, Chris Basham and Matt Taylor scored in quick succession and the visitors were a stoppage-time clearance off the line away from snatching the most remarkable of draws.
‘Three goals in nine minutes, that’s impossible at this level,’ said bemused Dutchman Hiddink.
Manager Gareth Southgate has spent much of the season, with great dignity, analysing Middlesbrough’s generally feeble performances but he allowed himself a rare smile after a desperately needed 3-1 home win over Hull City.
The glory days of late 2008, when Hull beat Arsenal and drew at Liverpool seem a long way away for manager Phil Brown.
– Nampa-Reuters