(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-09-24 11:14

LONDON - Manchester United took over second place in the Premier League on Sunday with a 2-0 win over Chelsea in the London club's first match since the departure of manager Jose Mourinho.

Manchester United's Carlos Tevez (R) challenges Chelsea's Claude Makelele (R) for the ball during their English Premier League soccer match in Manchester, northern England, September 23, 2007.  [Reuters]

Carlos Tevez scored his first goal for United in first-half injury time and Louis Saha hit a late penalty to extend Chelsea's winless streak to four matches in all competitions and hand Avram Grant a defeat in his first game in charge of the Blues.

United's fourth win lifted it to 14 points, two fewer than leader Arsenal, which routed Derby 5-0 on Saturday to maintain its unbeaten start to the season.

"The first half hour we played as well as we have all season," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "There was terrific penetration, good passing and at that stage we could have been two or three ahead."

Chelsea, which looked like the underdog even before John Obi Mikel was sent off in the 32nd minute for a two-footed tackle, struggled to create chances at Old Trafford even with Andriy Shevchenko back in the starting team.

"I've seen the sending off and it was a bit harsh," Ferguson said. "There was intent there and it could have hurt the boy, but some referees would have let it go."

The Blues were also far less resilient than the team built by Mourinho over the past three years and are now in the midst of their worst start in seven years.

"I am very happy with the boys, they gave me a lot of fight today," Grant said. "It was not ideal to take over the team in this situation."

United paired Tevez and Wayne Rooney in attack for the first time and was already dominating possession when Mikel was given a red card for his challenge on Patrice Evra.

Mikel and his teammates protested that his challenge had not been dangerous, but referee Mike Dean ejected the midfielder for leading with his studs.

United captain Ryan Giggs then set up Tevez for the opening goal, curling in a cross from the right with the outside of his left boot. Tevez dived in front of goalkeeper Petr Cech to head the ball into the net.

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