Soccer4life reviews the actions that took place on Sunday in the English Premier League Match Day 16.
MANCHESTER CITY VS MANCHESTER UNITED
Robin van Persie's deflected injury-time free-kick gave Manchester United an incredibly dramatic 3-2 derby win over Manchester City and struck a major marker in the Premier League title race.
Wayne Rooney's two first-half goals had looked set to give United a comfortable victory before City hit back through Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta in an engrossing encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
But, in stoppage time, the late free-kick from Van Persie, who had been wanted by City before he joined United in the summer, flicked off Samir Nasri in the wall and condemned the defending champions to their first home defeat in the top flight in two years.
The thrilling goal, for which Nasri's defending was poor, was marred by unpleasant scenes as celebrating United centre-back Rio Ferdinand was struck by an object seemingly thrown from City fans.
Greater Manchester Police also confirmed a man was arrested inside the stadium on Sunday on suspicion of committing a racially aggravated public order offence after officers heard racist chanting.
On the field, a United win in part avenged their double derby losses last season and Holland international Van Persie's late strike also moved Sir Alex Ferguson's team six points clear at the top of the table.
It had been a typically adrenalin-fuelled opening five minutes, with neither set of players pulling out of tackles amid a fierce and fiery atmosphere but City began to dominate possession in the early stages.
However, against the run of play, Sir Alex Ferguson's United took the lead in the 16th minute as Rooney's tame finish from just inside the penalty area left Joe Hart wrong-footed and concluded a slick counter-attack.
Roberto Mancini's team were stunned, lost their momentum and suffered a further setback in the 21st minute when a groin injury meant captain Vincent Kompany had to be substituted and replaced by Kolo Toure.
City became ragged and were duly punished in the 29th minute when Rooney doubled United's advantage from Rafael da Silva's low, right-side cross to net his 150th Premier League goal.
Shortly after half-time, United were themselves forced into a defensive change when centre-back Jonny Evans, who had sustained an injury before the interval, had to be replaced by Chris Smalling.
Mancini's patience with the ineffective Mario Balotelli, surprisingly selected in the first XI, ran out soon after and the reported AC Milan transfer target stormed down the tunnel having been swapped for former United striker Carlos Tevez.
In contrast to last season's encounter, when United and Ferguson were strongly criticised for their negative tactics, the game continued in a far from cagey style and Ashley Young saw an effort disallowed for a controversial offside decision after Van Persie had hit a post.
To underline United's frustration at the ruling, City moved straight up the other end of the pitch to pull a 60th-minute goal back as Yaya Toure kept his composure after goalkeeper David de Gea had produced an excellent double save from David Silva.
The goal set up a frenzied final half-an-hour of end-to-end football and City got the equaliser their second-half performance deserved when United's deficiencies at set-pieces were again exposed as Zabaleta's 86th-minute half-volley at a corner flew into the back of the net.
There was, however, to be another twist as Van Persie struck deep into stoppage time with a curling free-kick which clipped Nasri's bizarrely dangling leg to give Hart no chance
EVERTON VS TOTTENHAM
Two dramatic late goals from Steven Pienaar and Nikica Jelavic helped Everton record a sensational 2-1 victory against Tottenham at Goodison Park.
Clint Dempsey's deflected effort opened the scoring for the visitors after 76 minutes, but South African Pienaar superbly headed home to restore parity and then 88 seconds later Jelavic stole in to meet Apostolos Vellios' attempted overhead kick to seal victory.
The three points helped the Merseysiders extend their unbeaten home league record to 12 matches and they earned the added bonus of moving above their opponents into fourth position in the Premier League standings on goal difference.
Leon Osman and Pienaar both missed Jelavic's cut-back early on with the Croatia striker himself denied by William Gallas after Kevin Mirallas broke down the right.
Seamus Coleman fired into the side-netting, Marouane Fellaini headed over a corner and Osman clipped left-footed cross-shot wide from Fellaini lay-off as Everton dominated.
Shouts for a penalty against Dempsey after the ball came off his chest were magnified greatly when Pienaar's shot hit William Gallas' arm but referee Kevin Friend remained unmoved.
After the break, Leighton Baines' strike from a free-kick rebound flew into the penalty box, but both Jelavic and substitute Steven Naismith failed to get the decisive touch which would have brought the opening goal.
It took until the 54th minute for Spurs to properly test Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard with Jan Vertonghen's swerving and dipping shot tipped over by the United States international.
The visitors then produced an ultimate sucker-punch as Dempsey received the ball with his back to goal 30 yards out, turned and hit a shot which took a slight-enough deflection of Sylvain Distin to send it dipping over Howard.
Substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson hit the crossbar with a curling shot as gaps opened up as Everton pressed for the equaliser.
And it duly came in the last minute when Coleman crossed and Pienaar firmly headed past Lloris from just inside the area.
But there was further late drama as Darron Gibson's pass was touched on by substitute Vellios and Jelavic struck to the delight of the home faithful.
WEST HAM VS LIVERPOOL
Liverpool came from behind to stun West Ham 3-2 at Upton Park and move into the top half of the Premier League.
A second-half effort from ex-Hammer Joe Cole and an unfortunate James Collins own goal turned the game around late on for Brendan Rodgers' side.
Another former West Ham man, Glen Johnson, had given the visitors the lead with a superb strike but a Mark Noble penalty and a Steven Gerrard own goal put the home side in front at the break.
Liverpool began the brighter and looked set to make light of the loss of the suspended Luis Suarez with Jonjo Shelvey playing out of position as a makeshift centre-forward.
Johnson, in particular, was causing Matt Jarvis real problems defensively and the England right-back got his reward with the opening goal as he fired a right-footed shot into the top corner.
But West Ham had beaten Chelsea last week after conceding the first goal and they seemed undeterred by the setback as they pushed for an equaliser.
That came when Joe Allen blocked a fierce but wayward Mohamed Diame shot with his hand and referee Lee Probert pointed to the spot.
Noble converted the penalty in fine style with a measured finish to the right of Pepe Reina and the momentum of the game had shifted.
So had the balance of power down the flanks as Jarvis began to trouble Johnson in the opposite direction and it was a cross from the £10million summer signing that provided West Ham's second.
The Hammers took a quick free-kick to Jarvis in a wide left position and he was allowed space to curl in a right-footed cross that Gerrard could only divert with his head past his own goalkeeper.
With Carlton Cole leading the line well, West Ham looked comfortable but it was his namesake Joe who came off the bench to stun his old club with a neat left-footed finish on the turn.
Fellow substitute Jordan Henderson then whipped in a low cross that Shelvey and Collins challenged for at the near post and the ball looped off the defender's foot over the head of Jussi Jaaskelainen to complete a topsy-turvy game and snatch all three points for the Reds.
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