6 Apr 2009

Young Italian helps United back on top

7:02 pm on 6 April 2009

Teenager Federico Macheda marked his Manchester United debut with an astonishing stoppage-time winner to give them a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa which puts them back on top of the English football Premier League.

United, with Rio Ferdinand and Dimitar Berbatov injured and Paul Scholes, Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney all suspended, had lost their previous two league games to Liverpool and Fulham and looked to be heading for their third successive defeat with only 10 minutes to go.

The 17-year-old substitute, who came on with a half an hour to play, showed tremendous composure to turn his defender and then curl the ball past the Villa keeper to put the champions one point ahead of Liverpool.

Club captain Gary Neville says the young Italian showed his class....

PLAY AUDIO:FOOTBALL YOUNG

IN:......You know.....

OUT:...3 points.

DUR:...19 secs

Gary Neville.

United have 68 points from 30 matches. They are one point ahead, with a game in hand, of Liverpool who had gone top yesterday Saturday after an equally late and dramatic winner from Yossi Benayoun in their 1-0 win at Fulham.

Chelsea, who won 2-nil at Newcastle United yesterday, are third with 64 points from 31 games.

In today's other game Everton crushed Wigan 4-nil at Goodison Park.