helbergsimon: Man U routed

Saturday, 7 January 2012

Man U routed

By STEVE DOUGLAS

updated 10:30 p.m. ET Jan. 4, 2012

LONDON - Everton's Tim Howard connected from about 100 yards to became just the fourth goalkeeper to score in the Premier League, and Manchester United lost 3-0 at Newcastle on Wednesday night to leave Manchester City with a three-point lead.

Howard, the starter for the U.S. national team, scored on a wind-blown clearance during Everton's 2-1 loss to Bolton.

Playing his 250th Premier League match, Howard gave Everton a 63rd-minute lead at Goodison Park. His right-footed kick from about 5 yards inside his own penalty area bounced about 30 yards from the Bolton goal and was blown by the wind over leaping Bolton keeper Adam Bogdan, who was standing by the edge of his 6-yard box. Howard hardly reacted.

"I was delighted that we were in the lead and would hopefully go on to get three points, but it's not a nice feeling for a keeper. It's really awful actually," Howard told Sky Sports. "For the back four and the goalkeepers at both ends, there was an awful wind swirling. You could see everybody was mistiming balls. Defenders were missing clearances that normally they would put up the field. I think the wind is the hardest condition to play in. Snow, rain, sun doesn't matter, but the wind really does play tricks on you."

Howard spoke with Bogdan after the match.

"I let him know that I was feeling for him," Howard said. "It's not a nice place to be. I've been there before, a long, long time ago, and that was why I didn't celebrate."

Bolton rallied on goals by David Ngog in the 67th and Gary Cahill in the 78th.

The only other goalkeepers to score in the Premier League are Peter Schmeichel, American Brad Friedel and Paul Robinson.

Friedel scored for Blackburn following a corner kick at Charlton in the 90th minute on Feb. 21, 2004, but Claus Jensen scored seconds later to give Charlton a 3-2 win. Schmeichel's goal also was in a losing effort, for Aston Villa in a 3-2 defeat at Everton on Oct. 20, 2001. Robinson scored in a 3-1 home win over Watford on March 17.

The game marked the return to Everton of American midfielder Landon Donovan.

Following its 3-2 defeat at home to Blackburn on Saturday, United stumbled again as Newcastle got goals from Demba Ba in the 33rd and Yohan Cabaye in the 47th. Phil Jones headed the ball for an own goal in the 90th.

"We have had our opportunity, and it's advantage to Man City," United manager Alex Ferguson said.

City (15-2-3) hosts United (14-3-3) on Sunday in the third round of the FA Cup.

___

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ? Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas scored two goals each, Xavi Hernandez had three assists and Barcelona beat Osasuna 4-0 in the first leg of the fifth round of the Copa del Rey.

Messi, recovering from the flu, entered in the 59th minute and raised his season total to 31 goals when he scored on a header off Fabregas' cross in the 73rd and a 17-yard left-footed shot in the 90th. Just nine of Messi's 211 goals for Barcelona have been on headers.

Fabregas, who has 13 goals in his first season with Barcelona, scored in the 14th and 18th minutes.

Barcelona has outscored opponents 99-16 this season, including 37-1 in winning eight games in a row.

The second legs are next week. Barcelona could advance to a quarterfinal against defending champion Real Madrid, which beat Malaga 3-2 on Tuesday.

In Wednesday's other game, Real Sociedad defeated Mallorca 2-0.

More newsPaul Ellis / AFP - Getty Images

Howard scores for Everton

Tim Howard became the fourth goalkeeper to score in the Premier League when the American put in a wind-blown clearance from about 100 yards during Everton's 2-1 loss to Bolton on Wednesday night.

Man U routed

Manchester United lost its second straight Premier League game, a 3-0 defeat to Newcastle on Wednesday night that left Manchester City with a three-point lead.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45876391/ns/sports-soccer/

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