England midfielder Michael Carrick missed a first-half penalty as English Premier League champions Manchester United suffered a sensational 1-0 defeat at newly-promoted Burnley.
The home side scored the only goal of the game in the 19th minute when Stephen Jordan’s deep cross for Martin Paterson was headed away by United full-back Patrice Evra — only for Robbie Blake to meet the ball on the volley and fire a spectacular shot into the top corner. United pressed hard for an equalizer and wasted a golden opportunity just before the end of the half when Blake turned from hero to villian by tripping Evra in the penalty area. Carrick stepped up to take the spot-kick, but goalkeeper Brian Jensen pulled off a fine save. Although United continued to dominate possession and chances after the interval, Burnley held off their illustrious opponents to secure a narrow victory in their first home match back in the top flight after an absence of 33 years. “The goal was a fantastic strike and I think Burnley won the match with their play in the opening 10 minutes. Saying that, we had enough chances to have got something from the game,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports. “This is a bad blow for us. We shouldn’t be losing these matches but it’s a special night for Burnley.” In the night’s other matches, Liverpool gave the perfect response to Sunday’s defeat at Tottenham as Rafael Benitez’s team thumped Stoke 4-0. Fernando Torres opened the scoring in just the fourth minute when he met Steven Gerrard’s cross with a fine finish. The home side doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when James Beattie cleared Dirk Kuyt’s header off the line and the ball fell for full-back Glen Johnson, who volleyed home from close-range. Dutchman Kuyt added the third in the 78th minute from close-range while substitute David Ngog added a fourth goal in stoppage time.
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Tottenham made it two wins out of two with a thumping 5-1 victory at Hull City, a result that takes Harry Redknapp’s side top of the table above London rivals Chelsea on goal difference. England striker Jermain Defoe, who scored twice against the Netherlands last week, maintained his superb recent form with a hat-trick, as Hull slumped to their second successive defeat. Defoe scored a 10th-minute opener when he took Tom Huddlestone’s pass on the edge of the penalty area and worked space to drive home a fine finish. Honduran midfielder Wilson Palacios increased Tottenham’s lead four minutes later when he finished Robbie Keane’s pass for his first goal in English football. Hull winger Steven Hunt, who also scored on his debut at Chelsea on Saturday, reduced the deficit when he curled in a long-range free-kick in the 25th minute. But Defoe restored Tottenham’s two-goal advantage on the stroke of half-time when he collected Keane’s flick and blasted past goalkeeper Boaz Myhill. Keane got on the scoresheet himself in the 78th minute to put the seal on Tottenham’s victory and Defoe’s treble arrived in stoppage time. There was a controversial finish in the final match at St Andrews, where newly- promoted Birmingham beat Portsmouth 1-0 courtesy of a controversial late penalty. England goalkeeper David James collided with Sebastian Larsson in the area in stoppage time and James McFadden slotted home the spot-kick.
