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LONDON -- Manchester Uniteds title defence faltered further as a Samuel Etoo-inspired Chelsea cast the champions further adrift from the Premier League elite with a 3-1 victory Sunday. Greg Holland Blue Jersey . While Chelsea stayed two points behind leader Arsenal courtesy of Etoos hat trick, seventh-place United slipped 14 points from the summit this weekend. And the gap from the Champions League places is growing as well, with Liverpool six points ahead in fourth. Tottenham is level on points with Liverpool, but behind on goal difference after beating Swansea 3-1 in Sundays other game. Changing managers has revitalized Tottenham, with Tim Sherwood collecting 16 out of 18 points since replacing Andre Villas-Boas, while David Moyes has now has overseen seven league losses this season after succeeding Alex Ferguson -- two more than last years title-winning campaign. "Its a difficult task, but (its about) perseverance and keeping doing whats right," Moyes said. "I thought we did a lot of good things today. We have players to come back, and this is a project I know that Im going to improve as it goes along. "I was hoping to win more and be competing a bit more than weve been, but thatll come." Having made a strong start, United was stunned by Chelsea going ahead against the run of play in the 17th minute. Etoo cut in from the right, swept past Phil Jones and unleashed a shot that took a heavy deflection off Michael Carricks boot before looping over goalkeeper David de Gea into the net. "They started the match better than us and they were a bit unlucky that we scored in that moment," Mourinho said. "When you are better than the opponent, you have to go and try to kill the game." United squandered a chance to level in the 38th. Adnan Januzajs cross reached Danny Welbeck in a central position but the striker couldnt produce a clean shot. Oscar then tried to double the lead with a bicycle kick that flew over from right in front of goal, and instead Chelseas second came from the boot of Etoo again. Welbeck only half cleared, Ramires seized possession and fed the ball to Hazard on the right flank. The winger then squared to the unmarked Etoo to sweep a shot into the net as halftime loomed. United had little time to settle after the break before its defence was breached again and Etoo celebrated his first treble in English football. Cahill headed in from Willians corner and De Gea only briefly blocked the ball before it went back out for Etoo, who got ahead of Antonio Valencia to score. United pulled one back when Jones scuffed shot was stabbed into the net by Javier Hernandez. But there was no comeback and it got worse in stoppage time when United captain Nemanja Vidic was sent off for lunging at Eden Hazard, and he now faces a three-game ban. While Moyes trudged off despondently, Mourinho was left to celebrate a 100th Premier League win out of 142 games across his two Chelsea reigns while still demanding more. "We have to improve," Mourinho said. "I want better. The first 20 minutes were not good. "I want the game to be in our control since the beginning and it was not." Tottenham was in control at Swansea and swept to a fifth win in six league games as Adebyor -- brought in from the cold under Sherwood -- took his tally to six goal in seven games under the new manager. The striker headed in his first in south Wales from Christian Eriksens cross in the 35th. Tottenham was gifted a second eight minutes into the second half when Kyle Walkers cross was steered into his own goal by Chico Flores. Adebayor was on target again in the 71st from close range after Danny Rose did the hard work on the left flank before setting up the striker. And much like United at Stamford Bridge, Swansea reducing the deficit to 3-1 couldnt spark a comeback. Wilfried Bony pulled one back in the 78th when he turned Roland Lamahs cross past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. "We know there are going to be tougher tests ahead, but its been a good start for me," Sherwood said. "If the season were to end tomorrow I dont think the chairman (Daniel Levy) would be too happy because we are fifth. "The final league position has to meet the expectation of the club otherwise its goodbye. ... The club needs to finish in fourth place, we want to finish in fourth place. Anything other than that will be a disappointment but realistically we should be in amongst it." Jeremy Guthrie Blue Jersey . During the morning loop on TSN, SportsCentre presents Purple Hearts, a TSN Original feature on Daron Richardson, daughter of former NHL defenceman Luke Richardson, who took her own life at the age of 14. Alex Gordon Authentic . -- The new starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs is a former first-round draft pick on a one-year deal whose career thus far has been a disappointment.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Yadier Molina got the loudest boos during pregame introductions. The five-time All-Star catcher got booed again as he rounded the bases for his game-turning homer. On opening day, he was driving them batty in Cincinnati again. Molina broke a seventh-inning time with a home run and made a pair of slick defensive plays on Monday, leading the defending National League champion St. Louis Cardinals to a 1-0 victory over the Reds. Everyone knew the star of this one. "Matt Holliday said it best when we were coming in shaking hands: Yadi wins," starter Adam Wainwright said. It wasnt all Molina. The Cardinals impeccable pitching was in top form, too. The Reds were blanked on opening day for the first time since 1953, ending the second-longest streak of scoring in at least one run in season openers in major league history. The Phillies went 62 years without being blanked in an opener from 1911-72. Wainwright used his refined sinker to finally get the best of the Reds, who have hit him like no other team. Wainwright allowed three hits in seven innings, fanning nine. "Ive never pitched great against the Reds," said Wainwright, who threw 105 pitches. "Today I wanted to make the emphasis on executing pitches. I tried to simplify it as much as possible." St. Louis escaped a threat in the eighth, when the Reds had runners on first and third with nobody out. Trevor Rosenthal retired all three batters in the ninth, finishing a three-hitter. "We werent able to get a hit there," said Bryan Price, who lost his managing debut. "It was disappointing, but there will be more disappointments along the way." During pregame introductions, Molina got by far the loudest boos from the crowd of 43,134 -- the second-largest for a regular-season game in Great American Ball Park history. Fans still havent forgiven the five-time All Star catcher for a 2010 brawl at home plate with Brandon Phillips. They were booing again after his first-pitch homer in the seventh, his second career off JJohnny Cueto (0-1). Yordano Ventura Authentic. It was one of only three hits off Cueto in seven innings. Not that the catcher noticed all the commotion from the stands. "I come over here and try to win games," he said. "Thats why Im here." Molina also fielded Joey Vottos grounder in front of the plate to start a double play in the third inning, part of an impressive game all-around. "Im biased, but I think hes the best Ive ever seen at that position," Wainwright said. Wainwright won 19 games and finished second in the NL Cy Young Award voting last season, when he had his biggest trouble with the Reds. He went 1-3 in four starts with a 7.77 ERA against Cincinnati, getting knocked around so much that he called it a "head-scratcher." Wainwright (1-0) refined a sinker in spring training and was in control on a breezy, 64-degree afternoon. He fanned new Reds leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton four times. The Reds best chance came in the eighth, when the Cardinals committed two errors. Phillips became the first Reds runner to reached third base, but was caught in a rundown on Jay Bruces grounder. Carlos Martinez fanned Todd Frazier for the final out, stranding a runner at third. Cuetos third straight opening-day start was a reminder that its a matter of staying healthy. He was on the disabled list three times last season, limited to 11 starts. He changed his delivery slightly to try to avoid injury, and was on the mark on opening day until Molina connected. There were no close plays that merited replays. NOTES: Cincinnatis last shutout loss on opening day was a 2-0 loss to the Milwaukee Braves. ... Former Reds SS Barry Larkin and Dave Concepcion threw ceremonial pitches. ... Cueto was hit on the left wrist by Matt Carpenters comebacker on his fifth pitch of the game. A trainer checked him, and he made a few practice throws. ... Hits king Pete Rose attended the game. ... The teams are off on Tuesday. Michael Wacha starts for St. Louis on Wednesday night against LH Tony Cingrani. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
