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Rovers blow title race wide open

Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant controls the ball against Fulham during their English Premier League match at Craven Cottage in London on Saturday. PHOTO: AFP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insisted his side had the look of English Premier League champions, despite giving Chelsea every chance of snatching the title.

Blackburn Rovers handed the west London club a lifeline by holding the league leaders to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Liverpool prepared for tomorrow’s Champions League semi-final first leg with Chelsea by winning 2-0 at Fulham, while Arsenal restored some pride, beating visitors Reading by the same scoreline.

Manchester United were heading for defeat, but Argentine striker Carlos Tevez rescued a precious point for the visitors against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park with just two minutes to go.

The result leaves United three points clear of the Blues ahead of their crunch clash at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge next Saturday.

“We’d have rather had three points and I think we probably deserved three points. But the thing is we have rescued a point again late on and that’s a positive thing,” Ferguson said. “Our second-half performance was phenomenal. Our tenacity was fantastic and we played like champions. I think we could have had three penalties and at the moment we are just getting those breaks against us. But we can’t go on about it because we should have won the game anyway.”

It seemed Blackburn’s Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz had scored the winner, before Tevez equalized in a frenzied last 10 minutes.

In the relegation battle, Bolton Wanderers hauled themselves out of the drop zone on Saturday with a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur. West Ham United beat visitors Derby County 2-1.

Liverpool, with one eye on tomorrow’s European tie with visitors Chelsea, rested eight players at relegation-threatened Fulham, but nonetheless claimed a 2-0 win.

Winger Jermaine Pennant scored in the 17th minute at Craven Cottage and England striker Peter Crouch completed the victory in the 70th minute.

Fourth-placed Liverpool need two more points to be certain of earning a Champions League qualifying place via the league, while Fulham are five points from safety with three games remaining.

Bolton Wanderers gave their chances of avoiding the drop a big boost with a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough thanks to Gavin McCann’s 61st-minute goal at the Riverside Stadium.

Bolton are one point and two places above the drop zone.

Wigan Athletic played out a 1-1 draw with visitors Tottenham Hotspur at the JJB Stadium.

Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov scored in the sixth minute for League Cup holders Spurs, but Emile Heskey equalized six minutes later.

West Ham United beat rock-bottom visitors Derby County 2-1 at Upton Park.

The hosts’ Bobby Zamora headed in a 20th minute opener. Defender Tyrone Mears equalized in the 65th minute, but Carlton Cole scored 12 minutes later.

Derby manager Paul Jewell said: “The only consistent thing about us is our inconsistency.”
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