United 15-8 for title after great comeback at Bridge

MANCHESTER UNITED showed their fighting qualities with an astonishing comeback atStamford Bridge day to keep the champions firmly in the Premier League title race.

Three goals down to Chelsea with just over 30 minutes 
remaining, United produced a great escape to secure a point thanks to Wayne Rooney’s  penalty-spot double and a late headed equaliser from Javier Hernandez.

The result leaves United two points behind Manchester City and out to 15-8 to retain their crown with the leaders 4-7, but things could have been so much worse.

Chelsea are on the drift at 4-7 to finish in the Premier League’s top four after the slip and it remains to be seen how costly the dropped points will be at the end of the campaign.

Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas was all smiles when the home team looked to have secured maximum points as Jonny Evans’ first-half own goal was followed by a stunning Juan Mata volley and a deflected David Luiz header early in the second period, only for United to battle back.

Villas-Boas is odds-on with bookmakers not to be in charge of Chelsea on the first day of next season with Hills making him 8-11 to be out of Stamford Bridge and bet365 going 7-4 that the Portuguese is still in charge.

Much could depend on whether Villas-Boas is at least able to 
secure Champions League football for the Blues and Newcastle are making the race for the top four ever more intriguing.

Alan Pardew’s men, who were as low as 5-1 to be relegated ante-post and 100-1 for a top-four finish, beat Aston Villa 2-1 at home yesterday. Returning Senegal duo Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, who scored a terrific winner on his debut, did the damage while Robbie Keane scored for mid-table Villa, who are 20-1 to go down.

Sporting Index said the Stamford Bridge draw was one of their worst results of the season with Rooney goal minutes, penalty goal minutes and total goal minutes doing the damage.

Bet365 are running a free bet offer for Liverpool v Tottenham on Monday night. Pre-match wagers will be matched with a free bet of the same stake (up to £50) on any in-play market.