Michael Owen came off the bench to score the equaliser as Manchester United twice came from behind to draw 2-2 against Bolton Wanderers on Sunday.
The result completed a remarkable weekend for the Big Four (or at least what was regarded as the Big Four before the ascent of Manchester City and Liverpool’s decline).
None of them won, leaving Chelsea three points clear of United at the top of the table.
Zat Knight put Bolton ahead, only for Nani to equalise. Martin Petrov restored the homes side’s advantage, only for Owen to level with his first league goal since February.
Bolton took the lead from a sixth-minute corner, as Jonny Evans let Knight slip by him to flick in a superb finish with the outside of his boot.
Evans, in for Rio Ferdinand, started hesitantly and allowed Kevin Davies to flick on after 17 minutes, Johan Elmander only just failing to get sufficient purchase on his attempted finish to beat the advancing Edwin van der Sar.
United, though, also offered a threat in a surprisingly open game. Darren Fletcher had an angled drive excellently turned away by Jussi Jaaskelainen, and then Nani levelled after 22 minutes with a brilliant goal.
Picking up the ball just inside his own half, he accelerated towards goal, went by Stuart Holden, across Knight and Sam Ricketts, and as Paul Robinson lunged in, drove a low shot into the bottom corner from just outside the box.
Rooney, who manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes is suffering under the media gaze following revelations about his private life, was again quiet, and was taken off just before the hour for Federico Macheda.
The Italian almost had an immediate impact, laying a ball through for Dimitar Berbatov, who drew a fine save from Jaaskelainen.
It was Bolton, though, who got the game’s third goal. Lee Chung-Yong broke and fed Elmander, who turned the ball on for Petrov, who beat van der Sar with a deflected shot.
Elmander then squandered a golden chance to make it 3-1, firing over having been played in by Lee.
And seven minutes after going behind, United were level as Owen, who had been on the field only three minutes guided in a characteristic glancing header.
