LONDON, 31 August 2004 — Manchester United were denied three times by the woodwork as they were held yesterday to a 0-0 home draw by Everton, the club whose England striker Wayne Rooney they hope to sign before today’s transfer deadline.
United, whose latest offer for Rooney of an estimated 25 million pounds ($44.92 million) is being considered by Everton, climbed to ninth in the Premier League standings with five points from four games. Everton are seventh on seven points.
Forwards Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and Alan Smith, who had scored in United’s two previous league games, all hit the woodwork in the second half.
Everton’s former England goalkeeper Nigel Martyn tipped shots over the bar from Frenchman Louis Saha and Paul Scholes.
The visitors might have had a penalty when United defender Mikael Silvestre cleared the ball with his arm.
Their manager David Moyes said he was delighted with a point at a difficult ground after picking up three in a tiring 2-1 home win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
“I got told it was a hand ball. Maybe I’m not the first manager to come here and say they don’t get penalty kicks...but you’ve got to maybe earn more than that when you come to Old Trafford,” he said.
“We don’t have the same standard of players as Manchester United...so we have to do the best we can...and we came here and made it hard to beat, and obviously to get a point from here is not an easy thing,” Moyes told Sky Sports News.
Rooney, odds on to become a United player by today, was not playing having been out of action since limping off with a broken foot during England’s Euro 2004 quarterfinal loss to hosts Portugal in June.
Leaders Arsenal and second-placed Chelsea, who beat Norwich City 4-1 and Southampton 2-1 on Saturday, are the only teams with the maximum 12 points.
Santos Blow Three-Goal Lead Against 10-Man Cruzeiro
In Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian championship leaders Santos were held to a 4-4 draw by Cruzeiro on Sunday, blowing a three-goal lead against opponents who played more than half the game with 10 men.
Santos looked certain to give coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who led Cruzeiro to the title last year, a winning return to his old club as they led 4-1 with 25 minutes left.
Twenty-year-old striker Robinho scored twice in the first 20 minutes to give the visitors a flying start.
Cruzeiro, who are 10th in the table, reduced the arrears on the half hour when Cristiano Avalos put through his own net. The fightback was interrupted however when midfielder Martinez was dismissed for a second bookable offense in the 40th minute.
Santos were coasting after former Cruzeiro striker Deivid and midfielder Elano made it 4-1 with two goals in six minutes. But Fred, Jussie and Wendel replied to give the home side an unlikely point.
Santos, Atletico Paranaense and Juventude all have 48 points from 27 matches but Luxemburgo’s team lead the table by virtue of having won more games.
Atletico scored two late goals to come from behind and beat local rivals Coritiba 2-1.
Fernandinho tapped in a rebound in the 80th minute after Rogerio Correa headed against the crossbar and striker Washington claimed the winner with his 15th goal of the championship.
Alemao had put 11th-placed Coritiba ahead early in the second half.
Juventude won 2-1 at bottom club Parana.
Seventeen-year-old striker Jo headed the winner as Corinthians edged Palmeiras 1-0 in their Sao Paulo derby while leading scorer Alex Dias grabbed his 20th goal of the competition to earn Goias a 1-1 draw at Gremio.
Former Brazil striker Viola, who played in the 1994 World Cup final against Italy, scored a last-gasp goal to give Guarani a 3-3 draw at Sao Paulo.
Guarani went 2-0 up before Sao Paulo scored three times in eight minutes before halftime.
Viola stroked home a penalty in the fourth minute of second-half injury time as Sao Paulo, famous for conceding late goals, dropped two more precious points and stayed seventh.
Newcastle Sack Robson as Manager
Newcastle United have sacked their manager Bobby Robson, the English Premier League club said yesterday.
“After a disappointing start to the Premier League season, the directors of Newcastle United have informed Sir Bobby Robson that they have decided he is to be replaced at team manager,” the club said in a statement on their website.
The former England manager’s troubled start to the season continued with a 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday, leaving Newcastle in 16th place with only two points from their opening four matches.
Robson, 71, took charge of the biggest club in his native north-east England five years ago after spells with Ipswich Town, PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona.
He managed England from 1982 to 1990, when he steered them to the World Cup semifinals in Italy before losing to West Germany on penalties. He was knighted in 2002 for his services to the game.
