Premier League: Manchester United-West Ham, Stoke-Newcastle, West Brom-Burnley all end in draws

VIDEO: Daley Blind comes to Manchester United’s rescue against West Ham on a night of EPL draws. Catch every weekend goal here.

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 08: Daley Blind of Manchester United celebrates scoring their first goal with Marouane Fellaini of Manchester United during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at Boleyn Ground on February 8, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

MANCHESTER United needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Daley Blind to a secure a 1-1 draw away to West Ham in the Premier League.

It looked as if Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, deployed as an auxiliary centre-back by Hammers manager Sam Allardyce, had won the game for the home side with a brilliant close-range finish in the 49th minute on Sunday after he controlled Mark Noble’s free kick with his back to goal.

But Blind struck from the edge of the area in the second minute of stoppage-time after Marcus Rojo’s ball into the box was only partly cleared.

There was still time for United left-back Luke Shaw to be sent off for a lunge on Stewart Downing and the result prevented Louis van Gaal’s side from leapfrogging Southampton into third place.

“We played very badly in the first half and showed a lot of spirit in the second half,” United manager van Gaal told Sky Sports.

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“We gave away that goal and then played football but you have to do it from the first minute.

“But what spirit after the goal and I thanked my players for that.”

Allradyce, meanwhile, was left ruing what might have been.

“In the end, we couldn’t cope with long-ball United,” said West Ham manager Sam Allardyce, whose side struggled with United’s late aerial bombardment inspired by Marouane Fellaini’s introduction as a substitute.

“It was ‘pump it forward and see what you get’ in the end.”

“It’s a great shame we conceded the goal but a fantastic performance which entertained the crowd - I always respect the point against one of the ‘big boys’ even though they got the goal late.”

With Arsenal losing and both Manchester City and Liverpool drawing, United, which had Luke Shaw sent off in injury time for two yellow cards, missed a chance to gain ground on its main rivals in the frenzied fight for Champions League qualification.

United has dropped to fourth behind Southampton and is only a point clear of resurgent Tottenham. Six points separate Southampton and seventh-place Liverpool.

Earlier, Peter Crouch’s late equaliser ensured Stoke City gained a 1-1 draw away to Newcastle that kept them in 10th place.

A mediocre match burst into life in the final 16 minutes when Jack Colback, who moments earlier might have been sent off for a second bookable offence following a poor challenge on Victor Moses, fired Newcastle into the lead to the delight of the St James’ Park faithful.

But much-travelled former England striker Crouch made sure Newcastle did not leapfrog Stoke when the beanpole forward’s trademark header at the back post gave the visitors a share of the spoils.

“I was pleased to get the goal and the point was the least we deserved,” Crouch said.

Stoke threw on Crouch after Colback gave Newcastle the lead in the 74th, driving home a shot from the edge of the area from Moussa Sissoko’s lay-off.

Only seconds were remaining in normal time when United States international Geoff Cameron sent in a deep cross from the right wing, which Crouch met with a looping header.

Sunday’s first of three Premier League fixtures saw Burnley let slip a two-goal advantage for the third straight match as they were held to a 2-2 draw by fellow-strugglers West Bromwich Albion at Turf Moor.

Burnley has squandered a two-goal lead three times in its last four games, dealing a blow to its chances of pulling clear of relegation trouble.

All four goals in a lively match at Turf Moor came from headers, with in-demand striker Danny Ings setting up Ashley Barnes for Burnley’s opener in the 11th minute before scoring himself in the 32nd.

Chris Brunt, who lost the captain’s armband to new signing Darren Fletcher, bundled in a left-wing corner in first-half injury time to bring West Brom back into the game before Nigeria striker Brown Ideye completed the recovery in the 67th, taking advantage of more slack marking to head in another corner.

Originally published as Premier League: Manchester United-West Ham, Stoke-Newcastle, West Brom-Burnley all end in draws