Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson admitted Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card was the last thing he needed as Chelsea opened a four-point lead over their title rivals.
Ferguson said the dismissal for a head-butt was all Ronaldo’s fault as the champions were held 1-1 by Portsmouth at Fratton Park, United’s second draw in their two games so far this season.
But Chelsea, who lost the English Premier League trophy to United last season after two straight titles, were buoyant after they claimed a second straight win in a 2-1 victory at Reading.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson said life could not get better after his Manchester City side beat Derby County 1-0 in the Swede’s first Premier League home match.
Elsewhere, Sunderland snatched a 2-2 draw at Birmingham, Wigan won 1-0 at home to Middlesbrough and hosts Fulham beat Bolton 2-1.
Everton lead the table after two games, ahead of Manchester City and Chelsea, all on six points.
Ferguson roasted Ronaldo after his sending off, which means the skilful Portugal winger will be suspended for three key games.
Ferguson is without a host of injured players and is now woefully short of attacking players, given Ronaldo’s ensuing ban.
”My take is that he was provoked, he’s fallen into the trap and he’s paid the penalty for it and it’s his own fault,” the Scot told reporters.
”He was surprised with the decision, yes, he said that. But then Steve Bennett’s sent him off before and I think he took great delight in sending him off too.
”It’s a missed opportunity of staying on the pitch and winning the game for us, which I think we could, in that position against 10 men.”
The United boss said the only positive from Fratton Park was Carlos Tevez’s debut.
The Argentina striker set up former England midfielder Paul Scholes to score in the 15th minute, before Zimbabwe striker Benjani Mwaruwari headed a 53rd-minute equaliser.
Then Pompey’s Sulley Muntari was sent off in the 83rd minute and Ronaldo was dismissed in a frantic finish.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho admitted the Blues had been given a rough ride at Reading.
Down at half-time to Cameroonian defender Andre Bikey’s 30th-minute tap-in, Mourinho used his two remaining substitutes in an attacking gamble.
”I told them at half-time: ‘I need your help because I want to make two changes in the second half. If somebody has a problem, don’t cry, don’t look to me, you have to carry on’,” Mourinho said.
It paid off as England midfielder Frank Lampard scored within two minutes and Ivorian striker Didier Drogba hit the winner three minutes later.
Mourinho said of Reading: ”They fight with everything and did it until the last second.
”So it was difficult and we are very happy because we know it was not easy to win.”
Eriksson was thrilled after City beat visitors Derby at Eastlands thanks to a 43rd-minute goal from home-grown midfielder Michael Johnson (19) in only his 12th match.
”It’s a long way to go yet so we have to keep our feet on the ground. It’s a good start we’ve had — six points after two games, two clean sheets — very good and it couldn’t be better,” Eriksson said.
”I’m quite sure in the future we will play better football as well because some of the new boys lack fitness.
”Everything looks very positive.”
Sunderland scored a crucial injury time goal for the second game running as they claimed a 2-2 draw in an exciting clash with Birmingham City at St Andrews.
Former Birmingham striker Stern John scored the key goal in a dramatic finish.
”I knew he’d score, because in the corridor here I saw a picture of him scoring as a Birmingham player,” Keane said.
”There weren’t too many chances, and I think scrappy would describe the game. It was a mad last 10 or 15 minutes — but other than that I thought it was relatively poor.”
Middlesbrough slumped to a second straight defeat as they were beaten 1-0 at Wigan Athletic’s JJB Stadium.
French midfielder Antoine Sibierski’s 55th-minute goal gave the Latics their first win of the season.
”It’s a very, very pleasing result. It was hard fought and a real team performance,” said Wigan boss Chris Hutchings said.
Tottenham’s Egyptian international striker Mido watched from the stands as Boro will now be desperate to conclude his transfer.
At Craven Cottage, Bolton also suffered their second straight defeat as Fulham edged them out 2-1 in a game dominated by the lashing rain.
”In football, you don’t always get what you deserve,” Bolton boss Sammy Lee said.
”But the pleasing thing for me was the application and the work ethic of my players. It was disappointing we didn’t get anything out of the game.”
Everton beat hosts Tottenham 3-1 at White Hart Lane on Tuesday. — AFP
