Suarez courts controversy as Rooney double downs Liverpool

By Jonathan Wilson Feb 11, 2012, 17:03 GMT

London - Wayne Rooney scored twice in three minutes as Manchester United beat Liverpool 2- 1 on Saturday, but the game was overshadowed by another spat involving Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra.

Suarez was banned for eight games after being found guilty of racially abusing Evra in October.

He was initially accused of having refused to shake Evra's hand, but close viewing of the incident is far from conclusive, with Evra seemingly fractionally withdrawing his hand before grabbing the Uruguayan's arm.

Suarez then pulled angrily away.

There were then allegations of clash in the tunnel at half-time after a first half that remained goalless.

'I could not believe it,' said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson of Suarez. 'He's a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club, that certain player should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again.

The history that club's got and he does that and in a situation like today could have caused a riot. I was really disappointed in that guy, it was terrible what he did.'

The win took United a point clear at the top of the table, having played a game more than Manchester City who face Aston Villa away on Sunday.

United went ahead a minute into the second half as Ryan Giggs's corner skimmed off Jordan Henderson and was volleyed in by Rooney from close range.

Three minutes later it was two, Valencia dispossessing Jay Spearing and slipping in Rooney to finish comprehensively past Reina.

With Liverpool desperately short of cohesion, the game seemed effectively an exhibition until, with 10 minutes remaining, Rio Ferdinand reacted slowly, the ball bouncing off him to Suarez, who poked in from close range.

'I think you're very severe and I think you're bang out of order to blame Luis Suarez for anything that happened here today,' said Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish.

Tottenham Hotspur went 10 points clear in third with a 5-0 win over Newcastle United.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto slammed in an Emmanuel Adebayor cross to put Spurs ahead after four minutes, and they'd doubled that advantage, Adebayor again the provider, this time for Louis Saha on his Spurs debut.

The former Everton forward got his second after 20 minutes, Adebayor again laying on the goal. Remarkably he set up the fourth as well, his shot from a Saha pass being saved for Tim Krul only for Niko Kranjcar to thrash home after 34 minutes.

Adebayor got a goal of his own after 64 minutes, volleying in a Saha header.

Chelsea suffered another blow in their pursuit of fourth as they went down 2-0 at Everton, meaning they have taken just three points from their last four games.

Steven Pienaar put the home side ahead after five minutes, finishing after the ball had deflected off Frank Lampard and over the Chelsea defence, and Dennis Stracqualursi added the second with his first Premier League goal.

Arsenal climbed above Chelsea as they won 2-1 at Sunderland, Thierry Henry scoring a last-minute winner in his last game for the club from an Andrey Arshavin cross.

James McClean had put the home side ahead after 70 minutes, capitalising on a slip from Per Mertesacker, but Aaron Ramsey levelled five minutes later.

Mark Hughes's return to Ewood Park ended in defeat as his QPR side went down 3-2 to Blackburn Rovers.

Yakubu gave Blackburn the lead after 15 minutes, turning on the edge of the box and striking home from the edge of the box.

Stephen Nzonzi doubled their lead eight minutes later, rounding off a swift counter from Junior Hoilett's cross, and Hoilett added a third from a narrow angle on the stroke of half-time.

Two late goals from Jamie Mackie couldn't change the outcome.

Wigan Athletic win 2-1 at Bolton Wanderers in the other big game at the bottom. Steven Caldwell headed Wigan in front from a corner two minutes before half-time.

Mark Davies levelled with a long-range effort midway through the second half, but James McArthur capitalised after Adam Bogdan had parried a Victor Moses effort with 12 minutes left.

Wigan remain bottom, with Bolton now just two points above them in second-last place.

Norwich City came from behind to win 3-2 at Swansea City. Danny Graham put the home side, but Grant Holt levelled with a deflected header shortly after half-time.

Norwich were ahead by the 51st minute, Anthony Pilkington scoring with another deflected effort, and Holt added a third from Ryan Bennett's pass just after the hour. A Graham penalty made it 3-2 late on.

Pavel Pogrebnyak struck on his full debut for Fulham, turning and rattling in a 15-yarder after 16 minutes.

The second came 12 minutes later, Clint Dempsey's long ranger cannoning off the bar onto goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen and in.

Ryan Shawcross pulled one back from a late corner.