Terry on target as Chelsea beat United

Sunday's win lifts Chelsea five points clear at the top of the Premier League table and extends their 100-per-cent home record this season to six games.

"We stayed compact in our own defence and scored one goal," Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka said.

"We wanted to win today because we know United are a big rival for the league, and, to win today, it's always good to have a five-point lead."

United were unhappy at the award of a free-kick wide on the left for a foul by Darren Fletcher on Ashley Cole with 14 minutes remaining. Frank Lampard curled it in, and Terry got a touch to divert the ball past Edwin van der Sar.

United were unhappy about Didier Drogba's role in the goal, as he seemed to foul Wes Brown and then wagged a leg at the ball in front of van der Sar from an offside position.

"Clearly Darren Fletcher's won the ball," said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. "Ashley Cole's jumped in the air, and Drogba's pulled Brown to the ground for the goal. The referee's position was ridiculous - he can't see anything. It was a bad decision. But there's nothing we can do about it.

"You lose faith in refereeing sometimes. That goal shouldn't have been allowed. We've dominated the game, had great chances and should have finished it off. We've only ourselves to blame, but you do need a break."

The early stages had been intriguing rather than thrilling, as Chelsea struggled to come to terms with an unorthodox United formation that saw Luis Valencia played wide right, supporting Wayne Rooney, with four tightly packed central midfielders behind.

Valencia might have had a penalty early on, seeming to be bundled over by Terry.

"I just got my body between him and the ball," said Terry. "Another clean sheet: we defended well. It wasn't the best of games, but I thought we deserved it."

Referee Martin Atkinson gave nothing, and the incident passed without histrionics, but a more demonstrative player than Valencia might have made the incident more of a talking point.

That aside, Valencia did a fine job in restricting the forward surges of Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole.

The first save of note came just after the half-hour, Nicolas Anelka cutting in from the right and curling a left-footed shot that van der Sar, perhaps briefly unsighted, palmed away with an outstretched right hand.

The second half was similarly short on chances. Rooney flashed a low drive just wide midway through the half and then saw a curler beaten away by Peter Cech.

Gradually, though, Chelsea began to raise the tempo and, once they had gone ahead, United created little.

An injury-time Jan Venngoor of Hesselink strike earned Hull City a 2-1 win at home to Stoke City and perhaps gained a reprieve for his manager Phil Brown, who has been under intense pressure recently.

West Ham United slipped deeper into trouble as they were beaten 2-1 at home by Everton. Louis Saha and Dan Gosling put Everton 2-0 up before a Tony Hibbert own goal gave West Ham hope.

A Clint Dempsey penalty cancelled out Emerson Boyce's early goal as Fulham drew 1-1 at Wigan Athletic.

--DPA

abr/mr

( 561 Words)

2009-11-09-13:31:10 (IANS)

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