Manchester City slips out of top 4 in Premiership
Last Updated: Saturday, November 7, 2009 | 3:17 PM ET
The Associated Press
Burnley's Kevin McDonald, right, scores a late equalizer past Manchester City's goalkeeper Shay Given on Saturday. (Jon Super/Associated Press)Manchester City was held to a fifth consecutive draw in the Premier League on Saturday after finishing up 3-3 with Burnley and handing fourth place to Tottenham, which beat Sunderland 2-0.
City had fought back from being two goals down to lead Burnley 3-2, but Kevin McDonald's late strike earned Burnley its first point on the road.
Tottenham rebounded from back-to-back losses to beat Sunderland with Robbie Keane and Tom Huddlestone providing the goals and former striker Darren Bent missing a penalty for the visitors.
As City slipped to sixth place, Aston Villa moved up to fifth by routing Bolton 5-1, while Blackburn moved out of the relegation zone with a 3-1 victory over bottom-place Portsmouth.
City has not won since September and the draw with Burnley comes before a visit next week to Abu Dhabi to meet the club's owner Sheikh Mansour, who has lavished around $357 million on the squad since last season.
It was Joleon Lescott, the $43-million recruit from Everton, who got City's afternoon off to the worst possible start at Eastlands.
The England centre back handled Tyrone Mears' cross to concede a penalty that was dispatched into the bottom right by Graham Alexander in the 19th minute.
City's fortunes took a further turn for the worse when Steven Fletcher tapped home at the far post.
But Shaun Wright-Phillips pulled one back before the break with a 20-yard shot that deflected off Burnley defender Stephen Jordan and City was quickly on the offensive after the restart.
Lescott helped to atone for the penalty by picking out an unmarked Toure, who slotted in the equalizer at the far post. Inside two minutes, City went in front for the first time, with Wright-Phillips cutting the ball back for Bellamy to score — only for substitute McDonald to stun City by slotting in Burnley's equalizer.
England coach eyeing talent
With 11 Englishmen starting at White Hart Lane, national coach Fabio Capello was there to watch faces for the future and possibly for a squad due to be named on Sunday for an England friendly against Brazil next Saturday.
Capello, who has a wealth of striking options, was particularly casting his eyes over Tottenham duo Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe, who was returning from a three-match suspension, and Sunderland's Bent.
Spurs took the lead when Crouch headed through to Robbie Keane, who also featured in the three-pronged attack, and the Ireland international bundled the ball over the line in the 14th minute.
Bent, returning to White Hart Lane for the first time since his off-season departure, was booed after winning a penalty early in the second half when there appeared to be minimal contact from Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes. But Bent's low strike into the bottom right was saved by Gomes' double-handed save.
English midfielder Tom Huddlestone gave the home side a two-goal cushion with a lethal strike from the edge of the penalty area that went in off the underside of the crossbar.
Villa raced in front against Bolton with Ashley Young scoring after five minutes and Gabriel Agbonlahor adding another just before the break.
Despite Johan Elmander pulling one back for Bolton on the stroke of half time, there was no way back the visitors.
John Carew, James Milner and Carlos Cuellar all scored in the second half to make it a comfortable win for Martin O'Neill's side.
At Ewood Park, Portsmouth had led through an early goal from Jamie O'Hara, but Jason Roberts, who had recovered from swine flu, came off the bench to score second-half goals either side of a strike by Ryan Nelsen to clinch Blackburn's 3-1 win.
