Javier Hernandez grabbed a 3-2 victory for Manchester United at Premier League leader Chelsea after the previously unbeaten host had been reduced to nine men in a tempestuous clash at the Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The Mexican, looking suspiciously offside, tapped in the winner in the 75th minute to kill off a vibrant Chelsea side, which had battled back from 2-0 down before having Branislav Ivanovic and Fernando Torres sent off by referee Mark Clattenburg.
A David Luiz own goal gave United the lead after four minutes and Robin van Persie fired the visitor 2-0 ahead eight minutes later.
Juan Mata began the Chelsea fightback with a curling free kick in the 44th minute and Ramires hauled Chelsea level shortly after the break with a header.
However, Chelsea’s momentum was halted when Ivanovic was red-carded for tripping Ashley Young and worse followed when Fernando Torres appeared to have been felled by Jonny Evans but was instead shown a second yellow card for diving.
The home crowd roared its disapproval and then watched on as Hernandez, on as a substitute for Tom Cleverley, poked home United’s winner from close range.
Victory lifted United back above neighbours Manchester City into second place on goal difference with 21 points, one point behind Chelsea.
Moyes has the last laugh
In a gripping Merseyside derby, Everton coach David Moyes had the last laugh as his side came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home to Liverpool.
Luis Suarez made one goal and scored another to put the visitor 2-0 up inside 20 minutes, celebrating his role in the opener with a gleeful dive right in front of the Everton dug-out.
It was aimed as a rebuke to Moyes, who had criticised the Uruguayan for diving in the build-up to the game, but Everton reacted quickly and drew level before half-time through goals from Leon Osman and Steven Naismith.
Suarez thought he had had the final say after poking the ball home in the fourth minute of injury time, but the goal was controversially ruled out despite the Liverpool striker being onside.
The results: Everton 2 (Osman 22, Naismith 35) drew with Liverpool 2 (Baines 14-og, Suarez 20); Newcastle 2 (Ba 35, Cisse 90) bt West Brom 1 (Lukaku 55); Southampton 1 (Rodriguez 66) lost to Tottenham 2 (Bale 15, Dempsey 39); Chelsea 2 (Mata 44, Ramires 53) lost to Manchester United 3 (Luiz 4-og, van Persie 12, Hernandez 75).
