In a significant day in this season’s title race, in-form England striker Wayne Rooney grabbed both goals for United at Old Trafford to take his tally to nine goals in six matches.
City was sunk by an 83rd-minute goal by Swansea striker Luke Moore, losing the lead to its fierce rival by the end of a round of fixtures for the first time since Oct. 15.
United has won seven of its past eight matches in a familiar late-season charge that left manager Alex Ferguson confident of the northwest giants extending their record haul of English titles to 20.
“We’ve turned it around and credit to the players for that. They have shown great resilience and determination,” Ferguson said. “We won’t get nervous, we have the experience, we will keep on playing and it is good to see that type of temperament.” City has failed in recent months to recapture the free-flowing style of football that allowed it to blitz allcomers in the opening half of the season.
Although its home record remains perfect, City has lost four times away from Etihad Stadium and it could been worse had Swansea forward Scott Sinclair’s penalty not been saved by goalkeeper Joe Hart.
“The lead can change every game but it is important to start winning and scoring again,” City manager Roberto Mancini said. “All the players at this moment are tired, but we have a lot of energy to go top again and there are 10 games to play.” Both teams lost the first legs of their Europa League last-16 matches on Thursday but it was United which reacted better, despite West Brom coming into the game on the back of three wins in a row — the most recent a 1-0 victory over Chelsea that ultimately cost Andre Villas-Boas his job.
Rooney moved to 20 league goals this season — and 26 in all competitions — after touching in a shot by Javier Hernandez in the 35th minute. He smashed home a 71st-minute penalty to seal the points after Ashley Young had been tugged back.
“We are plugging away,” Rooney said. “We have to keep going and keep picking up the points to get over the line. We know what we have to do and hopefully it will be enough.” Of all United’s strikers, Rooney looks most likely to fire the team to the title.
“If Wayne can get to 40 goals, I’ll be absolutely delighted because we will be in business then,” Ferguson said.
City was caught napping for Swansea’s goal when Yaya Toure was caught in possession by Gylfi Sigurdsson. Wayne Routledge crossed from the right and Moore headed past Hart.
Micah Richards thought he had earned City a point, which would have left it top of the table on goal difference, when the right back headed in but he was ruled offside.
“We were clearly the better side throughout the game,” said Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers, whose team looks to be safe at 11th in the standings — 14 points above the relegation zone in its first season in the Premier League.
“Today is all about the Swansea City players and I can’t think of better days.” City has a tougher run-in than United, on paper at least, with games to come against Chelsea at home and Arsenal away.
Neutrals will hope the title race is still on when the Manchester rivals meet in the derby on April 30, both sides’ third-last game of the campaign.
In the day’s other match, bottom team Wigan earned a precious point in the fight against relegation with a 1-1 draw at midtable Norwich.
Lazio strengthened their grip on third place in Serie A and a Champions League qualifying spot with a late win over Cagliari yesterday while challengers Napoli squandered a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at home to Catania.
Mobido Diakite struck in the 88th minute, heading in from Cristian Ledesma’s free kick, to give Lazio a 1-0 win over the Sardinians, leaving them with 51 points from 29 games and a three-point cushion over Napoli and Udinese.
Blerim Dze-maili and Edinson Cavani scored in a seven-minute spell to put Napoli in command against Catania only for Nicolas Spolli and Davide Lanzafame to reply following corners in the final 20 minutes.
Swiss midfielder Dze-maili opening the scoring just after the hour with a powerful right-foot strike and Uruguayan forward Cavani scored at the second attempt after his first shot hit the post.
It was all in vain as Spolli headed in from a corner in the 74th minute and substitute Lanzafame scrambled the equalizer with five minutes to play to leave Napoli on 48 points, level with Udinese who drew 1-1 at Palermo on Saturday.
There was little change at the bottom with a flurry of draws keeping Lecce, Novara and Cesena as firm favorites for the chop.
Lecce, 18th in the 20-team table, have 27 points, five adrift of safety, after a goalless draw against Novara, who are three points and one place behind them.
Cesena are a further six adrift at the bottom after a 2-2 draw with 17th-placed Parma (32 points).
Siena, who drew 1-1 at Chievo, and Fiorentina, held 2-2 at Genoa after Rodrigo Palacio scored an 89th-minute equalizer for the hosts, are both on 33 points.
