31 Jan 2013

Rooney saves United's blushes with double over Saints

12:41 pm on 31 January 2013

Wayne Rooney's scored twice as Manchester United came back from a goal down to beat Southampton 2-1 at Old Trafford and regain their seven-point buffer at the top of the English football Premiership.

Rooney saved United's blushes after an early Jay Rodriguez goal, notching his first on the eight-minute mark, then the England striker added the winner after 27 minutes as United stretched their lead back out to seven points above arch-rivals and English champions Manchester City.

Liverpool led 2-0 just after half-time at Arsenal but the Gunners hit back twice in three minutes to level things up at the Emirates Stadium, and that's the way it stayed.

It was the same score at Reading, who came back in the 95th minute to draw 2-2 to Chelsea and climb out of the relegation zone above Wigan on goal difference.

English striker Adam Le Fondre scored twice in eight minutes at the Madejski Stadium, to put Blues manager Rafa Benitez in more strife.

Benitez is coming under more criticism for substituting goalscorer and creative maestro Juan Mata for the underperforming Yossi Benayoun after 77 minutes.

Tottenham Hotspur could only draw 1-1 at Norwich, while Everton beat visitors West Bromwich Albion 2-1 and Fulham repelled London rivals West Ham 3-1.

Chelsea remain four points clear of Spurs while fifth-placed Everton are now one point behind Tottenham and three clear of Arsenal.