Advantage City in title race

Manchester United conceded twice in the final eight minutes as Everton fought back to secure a remarkable 4-4 draw at Old Trafford yesterday.

Premier League leaders United were on course to go eight points clear of Manchester City before the second-placed side kicked off away to bottom-of-the-table Wolves.

But the match ended all square, with the title race in the balance once again, although City will claim to have the advantage as United have to visit them next Monday.

Victory for the hosts will see them replace the champions at the top on goal difference with just two matches left.

Two goals for Wayne Rooney and further efforts from Danny Welbeck and Nani had put United in front at 3-1 and 4-2, but Nikica Jelavic, who had scored the first of the day's eight goals, made it 4-3 eight minutes from time and Steven Pienaar capped an incredible afternoon with an 85th-minute equaliser.

United appeared to have taken control with a second-half spell that featured three goals in 13 minutes, including a response from Everton's Marouane Fellaini.

Nani made the first of those goals after 56 minutes, winning an aerial challenge and squaring to Welbeck, who shot past former United keeper Tim Howard from 17 yards.

The relief around Old Trafford was obvious, and, suitably buoyed by the goal, United clicked up through their attacking gears, with Nani making it 3-1 after an hour by chipping the ball over the advancing Howard from six yards. However, Fellaini's 67th-minute goal gave Everton hope.

But United's next attack appeared to have settled any doubts about the game's outcome. Former Everton favourite Rooney and Welbeck exploited the growing gaps at the back of the Everton defence and the England striker buried the ball emphatically past Howard.

United's Patrice Evra then hit the post with a header.

Everton, though, were clearly in the mood to have a decisive say in the title race. After 82 minutes, Phil Neville's pass saw Fellaini rise with two defenders, the ball breaking kindly for Jelavic, who converted clinically from eight yards.

United were rattled and there was an air of inevitability about the equaliser, two minutes later. Neville again set up the goal, with his pass finding Fellaini, who turned brilliantly before laying the ball off for the unmarked South African star Pienaar to score.

City later reduced the gap to three points by winning 2-0 at Wolves to confirm the Black Country side's relegation, with Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri scoring.

In the other game Kenny Dalgleish's nightmare league season continued as Liverpool lost 1-0 at home to West Brom, whose manager, Roy Hodgson, was sacked by the Reds last year. Peter Odemwingie scored for the visitors.