Substitute Wayne Rooney headed Manchester United to its second League Cup triumph in a row in a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa Sunday, while Tottenham beat Everton 2-1 to stay fourth in the Premier League. Rooney went on as a first half substitute for United's first goalscorer, Michael Owen, who left with a hamstring injury having equalized James Milner's fifth minute strike for Villa from the penalty spot. Rooney headed home a cross from Valencia in the 74th minute to take his tally for United this season to 28 in all competitions and take manager Alex Ferguson's haul of trophies at Old Trafford to 26, including four League Cups. Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill, whose team is also in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup, was unhappy that the referee didn't send off United defender Nemanja Vidic for the foul on Gabriel Agbonlahor which led to the penalty. Roman Pavlyuchenko scored Tottenham's first in the 11th minute and Luka Modric added the second in the 28th as Tottenham cruised into a comfortable lead at White Hart Lane. But Ayegbeni Yakubu hit back for Everton in the 55th minute and substitute Landon Donovan missed an easy close-range chance near the end which would have earned the visitor a point. The victory gave Tottenham 49 points from 28 games and kept Harry Redknapp's team above Manchester City on goal difference. City won 4-2 at Chelsea Saturday to end the leader's 38-game unbeaten home run in all competitions. Liverpool stayed sixth with 48 points from 28 matches despite beating Blackburn 2-1 at Anfield. Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool a 20th minute lead and, although Keith Andrew equalized from the penalty spot in the 40th after a handball on the ground by Jamie Carragher, Fernando Torres scored a second for the home side in the 44th. Villa has 45 points from 26 matches and, now with two games in hand on Tottenham, still has a chance of finishing fourth which means a shot at next season's Champions League. In Sunday's other Premier League game, Sunderland drew 0-0 with Fulham. Ramsey undergoes surgery Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has undergone surgery after breaking his right leg in two places in his side's 3-1 Premier League victory at Stoke, the club announced Sunday. The 19-year-old Wales international was stretchered off after being fouled by Stoke centre-back Ryan Shawcross in the second half of the game Saturday. Shawcross was promptly sent off and left the field in tears.
