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Rediff.com  » Sports » Chelsea's dream run halted, Man Utd top

Chelsea's dream run halted, Man Utd top

September 26, 2009 23:53 IST
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Chelsea's perfect start to the season under new manager Carlo Ancelotti came to a surprise end on Saturday when the Premier League leaders lost 3-1 at Wigan Athletic and had goalkeeper Petr Cech sent off.

Titus Bramble headed Wigan in front before Didier Drogba equalised at the start of the second half but Cech was shown a red card for bringing down Hugo Rodallega and the Colombian fired his penalty past Cech's replacement Hilario.

Paul Scharner scored Wigan's third goal in stoppage time.

Chelsea, who had won their first six league games of the season, Fernando Torresslipped below Manchester United after the champions cruised to a 2-0 win at Stoke City.

They each have 18 points from seven matches.

There were big wins for Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur who occupy third and fourth spots, three points behind the leaders.

Fernando Torres hit a hat-trick for Liverpool in a 6-1 thrashing of Hull City and Robbie Keane went one better for Spurs, scoring four in a 5-0 hammering of Burnley.

Portsmouth's misery continued with a 1-0 home defeat by Everton which means they have lost all seven of their league games this season - the worst start in Premier League history.

Aston Villa lost 2-1 at Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers beat Birmingham City 2-1.

Wigan's first victory over Chelsea in the Premier League was a landmark day for their new boss Roberto Martinez whose side moved into mid-table.

SPANISH SUCCESS

"We showed a great attitude and great determination to win the game and we fully deserved it," Spaniard Martinez, recruited from Championship (second division) Swansea City before the start of the season, told Sky Sports.

"The intensity and concentration was fantastic."

Chelsea, who last tasted defeat in March, could have few complaints at the outcome and there was further cause for concern for Ancelotti when left back Ashley Cole was carried off injured near the end.

Bramble was allowed time and space to head Wigan in front after 16 minutes but after a poor first-half display Chelsea got lucky two minutes after the interval when Drogba's scuffed shot trickled through keeper Chris Kirkland's legs.

The match swung Wigan's way after 53 minutes when Cech was deemed to have clipped the leg of Rodallega and was sent off.

Chelsea looked for an equaliser but it was Wigan who looked the more dangerous side on the break and they sent their fans into raptures when Scharner sealed victory.

"Today was not a good day for us, we didn't play well and they deserved to win," Ancelotti told Sky Sports, adding that he had no complaints with the referee's decision to red card Cech.

Manchester United were frustrated for an hour by a resolute Stoke side but their pressure eventually paid off when substitute Ryan Giggs unlocked the home defence with a perfect pass for Dimitar Berbatov to side-foot into the net.

Giggs then teed up John O'Shea for United's second.

"It's always good to win away from home. You can never relax at Stoke but it was a good performance by us," United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports.

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Source: REUTERS
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