LONDON, Aug 24: Ryan Giggs’ 100th goal for Manchester United rescued a point for Alex Ferguson’s side in a pulsating and controversial 2-2 draw with English premier league rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge Friday.

The home side twice took the lead in west London, through defender William Gallas and Dutchman Boudewijn Zenden’s stunning strike.

David Beckham curled home their first equaliser midway through the first half before Giggs swivelled and shot home from inside the Chelsea penalty area with 25 minutes remaining to leave them with four points from their opening two league games.

But the visitors were left feeling aggrieved that they were robbed of a chance to win the match when referee Graham Poll turned down their strong claims for a penalty.

After 59 minutes, Paul Scholes burst through and, after nudging the ball past Carlo Cudicini, the Chelsea keeper appeared to bring the England midfielder down — but to United’s disgust, Poll waved play on.

Beset by defensive frailties throughout last season, the United back four did not take long to show how desperately they still need Ferdinand’s presence.

Just three minutes had passed when Zenden swung in a free-kick from the right flank and, darting in between Roy Keane and Mikael Silvestre, Frenchman Gallas got the merest of touches to divert the ball past Roy Carroll in the United goal.

Chelsea were bright and inventive, and Hasselbaink, linked with a move to Barcelona in the last 24 hours, twice forced Carroll into smart saves.

United’s equaliser came out of the blue, as Silvestre’s sweeping diagonal pass from the United half found Beckham, whose close control allowed him to wrongfoot Celestine Babayaro before curling a left foot shot — via a deflection off Marcel Desail.

That gave United some confidence, and they were perilously close to taking the lead when another Beckham break ended with Giggs hitting the outside of Cudicini’s post from 10 metres.

But it was Chelsea who dealt the sucker punch to go 2-1 ahead on the stroke of halftime.

United failed to deal with Frank Lampard’s raid and Zenden nipped in, ripping a fierce left foot shot into the top corner of Carroll’s net for a goal that was richly acclaimed by the increased capacity crowd of Stamford Bridge.

As United pressed for the equaliser after the break, Beckham hit the woodwork with a right foot curler and Keane’s piledriver singed Cudicini’s hands.

After Scholes’ penalty appeal had been turned down, the tension got the better of Desailly and Beckham, as the pair were both booked for a flare-up after 63 minutes.

By this point Chelsea had gone off the boil, and United’s perseverance was rewarded through the fine finishing of Giggs after Silvestre’s strong run down the left and cross.

Meanwhile, Manchester City collected their first win when Darren Huckerby’s first-half header earned the promoted side a 1-0 success over Newcastle United in an early kick-off at Maine Road.

City, who lost 3-0 at Leeds United on the opening day, made all the early running.

After Marc Vivien Foe had headed over from point-blank range, they went ahead in the 36th minute when Huckerby nodded in a loose ball after Shay Given had parried a Niclas Jensen shot.

Results

Birmingham City 0 Blackburn Rovers 1

Bolton Wanderers 1 Charlton Athletic 2

Liverpool 3 Southampton 0

Manchester City 1 Newcastle United 0

Middlesbrough 2 Fulham 2

Sunderland 0 Everton 1

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Aston Villa 0

West Ham United 2 Arsenal 2

Played on Friday:

Chelsea 2 Manchester United 2

—Reuters