RedDevils’ title hopes not over yet, claims Moyes

DAVID MOYES rejected Jose Mourinho’s claim that Manchester United’s title hopes are effectively over despite yesterday’s damaging defeat at Stamford Bridge.

United are 14 points behind Barclays Premier League leaders Arsenal after a 3-1 defeat to Jose Mourinho’s title hopefuls.

Phil Jones backed off Samuel Eto’o, allowing the Cameroon international to score a deflected opener, and the striker took advantage of shoddy marking from two set-pieces to complete his hat-trick on what was a sorry afternoon for the Red Devils.

United never looked like mounting a comeback from 3-0 down like they did here two years ago and Javier Hernandez’s 78th-minute goal was a consolation they barely deserved.

Mourinho said after the game that United’s rivals would have to suffer dramatic collapses for Moyes’ team to reclaim the title, but the Scot disagrees.

“We won’t throw the towel in until we can’t get there,” the United manager said.

“The job is to try and finish first. I will keep trying to do that. Before today we’d lost one in six in the league, and I didn’t think there was a big difference between the teams today, not at all.

“The difference was our defending to set-pieces. Nothing else.”

Moyes’ afternoon went from bad to worse towards the end of the match when Nemanja Vidic was sent off for a bad challenge on Eden Hazard.

Rafael was guilty of an even worse two-footed challenge on Gary Cahill moments later, although the full-back connected with the ball rather than the player.

Luckily for the Brazilian, and Moyes, referee Phil Dowd gave the rightback only a yellow card.

Emmanuel Adebayor grabbed a brace as Tottenham won 3-1 at the Liberty Stadium to compound Swansea’s relegation fears.

Tottenham’s other counter came from a Chico Flores own goal.

Wilfried Bony grabbed Swansea’s consolation late on.