LONDON (AP) ― Belgian teenager Adnan Januzaj scored twice in his first start for Manchester United, rallying the Red Devils to a 2-1 win at last-place Sunderland on Saturday that avoided their first three-game Premier League losing streak since December 2001.
After losses against Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion, United fell behind in the fifth minute when Nemanja Vidic’s poor clearance attempt went into the path of Craig Gardner, who beat goalkeeper David De Gea.
The 18-year-old Januzaj scored in the 55th minute from Patrice Evra’s cross and in the 61st with a left-footed volley off John O’Shea’s headed clearance. He made his first team debut in the Community Shield in August and his EPL debut as a substitute on Sept. 14 against Crystal Palace.
In its first season since David Moyes replaced Alex Ferguson as manager, United (3-3-1) is ninth with 10 points.
“He is someone who we think a lot of,” Moyes said of Januzaj. “He can do most things and play in lots of different positions. He is a real talent. I gave Wayne Rooney and Ross Barkley their debuts at Everton and he is certainly in their category too.”
Liverpool (5-1-1) moved back into first place with a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on goals by Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge plus a penalty kick by Steven Gerrard, his 99th Premier League goal. It was Suarez’s first match at Anfield since completing a 10-game league suspension for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic during a match in April.
Spain
Neymar scored once and set up one of Alexis Sanchez’s two goals, helping defending champion Barcelona rally past Valladolid 4-1 for an 8-0 league start. Barcelona is one short of the La Liga record for consecutive wins to open a season, set by Real Madrid in 1968.
Missing four-time FIFA player of the year Lionel Messi, who is sidelined by an injured hamstring, Barcelona fell behind when Javi Guerra scored in the 10th minute.
Germany
Bayer Leverkusen held first-place Bayern Munich to a 1-1 tie in the Bundesliga.
Bayern, which outshot the host 27-5, went ahead on Toni Kroos’ 29th-minute goal off a cross from Franck Ribery, but Sidney Sam scored a minute later after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer parried Sebastian Boenisch’s shot toward him. Bayern (6-0-2) has a one-point lead over Borussia Dortmund and Leverkusen.
