Reds sign off the year in style.

In what seemed like a practice match, Manchester United demolished Wigan Athleticby 5 goals to retain the second spot before the premier league goes into 2010 giving a nice birthday gift to manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Arsenal also did some similar demolition by defeating Portsmouth 4-1 at Fratton Park. But it was not so easy forLiverpool, only a late strike from Fernando Torres in the injury gave then the much needed victory and some sort of relief to the team.

Goals were raining at Old Trafford with no shelter to the visiting team. Pre match, Park Ji Sung was called in place ofRyan Giggs for the night. Manchester United were into the action as soon as the game started. Having majority of possession, which is always on the cards whether they suffer a defeat too, the first threat came from Nemanja Vidicin the 17th minute with a 25 yard shot on goal but was cleared by Paul Scharner. Manchester United got the first in the 28th minute when Park’s low curling ball from the right got deflected from Rooney’s foot into the left of the goal. The goalkeeper didn’t have the clue what was going on. Just 4 minutes later Michael Carrick doubled United’s lead with a clean strike from the edge of the crowded penalty area. And just before the half time, Rafael De Silvadisplayed brilliant skills to cut three Wigan defenders and score from his left foot. His celebration went till he ran to the dug out to point to his brother. Half time 3-0.

Well it was like United wanted to finish of quiickly, Dimitar Berbatov got the fourth for United in the 50th minute when Valencia’s cross found Dimitar who scored with his right foot. Things were finally wrapped by Antonio Valencia in the 75 minute when Rooney gave a through ball to Valencia who then grabbed the ball and got it past the keeper to finish the proceedings.

So 2009 ends on a high for United who must be hoping to get the treble tag on them in the coming year. And what it looks like now is that the fight is between the current top three for the premiership while Aston Villa will be busy holding for the final champions league spot until some fire ignited in Liverpool and Spurs in ’10.

Wolves enter the danger zone of premier league extinction, beaten by Red Devils.

Three goals from Manchester United against Wolverhampton Wanderers had taken them to joint first in the English Premier League. Now all eyes will be on Chelsea’s match on Wednesday. Aston Villa who defeated Manchester United in the previous weekend continued its winning form by winning against Sunderland by 2-0.
Manchester United came out with 4-4-2 formation with Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov starting upfront. Wes Brown was out with a last minute hamstring injury,Michael Carrick was pushed into defence as there was no sign of Rio to start. Paul Scholes came back from suspension to strengthen the mid field.
There were many chances created by Wayne Rooney in the initial minutes but none could find the net, the closest being when Gibson’s shot was blocked by Wolvesdefender and then the ball found Rooney whose shot directly found the goal keeper from a close range. Some shaky moments for United came when Greg Halford‘s long throw caused panic in the United’s penalty area, George Friendto close range loop missing the net by a whisker.

Manchester United finally got the goal in the 30th minute when Darron Gibson’s corner ball brushed away by Ronald Zubar’s hand resulting in penalty which was later converted by Wayne Rooney. Second goal for Manchester Unitedcame just before the half time when Vidic headed a bullet into the goal off Gibson’s corner. The red devils went into the half time doubling their lead.

In the Second half, Wolves had its share of chances when Friend’s shot was too wide in the 52nd minute. FinallyManchester United got their third with a superb display of skills. Paul Scholes gave the pass to Dimitar Berbatov on the right who gave an inch perfect pass through a cyclic kick to Valencia who shot the ball to the back of the net with the first touch.

The display was a spectacular it can be. With no attempts, the score remained as it is. Now that United is joint on points at the top, it will be Chelsea under pressure and when it is Portsmouth they need to look in deep.

Arsenal back in the title race, Manchester United stunned by Villa.

Aston Villa stunned Manchester United in their own backyard giving them a shock 1-0 defeat. Sole strike by Gabriel Agbonlahor gave the visitors full three points. Leaders Chelsea were held for a draw against Everton. In the classic Sunday showdown at Anfield, Arsenal came from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 and come only 6 points behind leaders with a game in hand.

At old Trafford the game really didn’t go in Manchester United favour for the reasons that some of their main players were out due to injuries though Vidic and Brown provided some resistance but that was not enough for the red devils. It was also Aston Villa’s first victory at this ground since 1983. Fire power was also lacking from Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs who also came back after missing the min weeks match against Wolfsburg . The goal for the visiting side came in the 21st minute when Gabriel Agbonlahor headed home Ashley Young’s ball who gave a chip in from the left flank. With the score remained as it is for the rest of the match and no late surprise by Manchester United, it was all over for them. United was unable to capitalise on Chelsea’s high scoring 3-3 draw against Evertonearlier during the day.

In the only match on Super Sunday, Arsenal are back to the title race after they came from behind to beat Liverpoolat home in an exciting match at Anfield. Even the return of Fernando Torres wasn’t enough for the home team to take this one away. His opening scare for the gunners in the 11th minute was not too strong to find the net.Liverpool got the lead when Gerrard’s free kick landed in the Arsenal’s penalty area and in the mix up Dirk Kuytkicked the ball in the back of the net. The hosts went in to the break with the lead.
Second half was the visiting teams half, first an own goal by Glen Johnson helped Arsenal to come at par and again and again with four goals in the previous meeting, Andrey Arshavin scored again with a brilliant shot from the right of the penalty area leaving Reina a mere spectator in the action.
With a game in hand, Arsenal are slowly catching up Manchester United and again it looks like that it will be a three way battle down to the wire.
Other results were:
Stoke City 2-2 Wigan
Birmingham 1-0 West Ham
Bolton 3-3 Manchester City
Burnley 1-1 Fulham
Hull City 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
Sunderland 1-1 Portsmouth
Tottenham 0-1 Wolverhampton

Started by Fletcher, ended by Valencia. Clean sheet for United.

The stage was set for the big day and the teams performed as expected with some giant killing touch in it. The premiership Saturday saw some exciting matches and of course some major change in the top four of the table with Manchester United going to second place after their win against Everton and Arsenal loosing to Sunderland and it was business as usual for Chelsea which had no problems in beatingWolverhampton Wanderers.
It was a chilly day at Old Trafford and United needed a win to prove that the defeat against the premier league leaders was totally unjust and 75000+ strong crowd expected the same.

There were some minor changes applied at the back by Sir Alex where Rafael replaced John O’Shea on the right and fit-again Nemanja Vidic returned to the centre in place of the recently injured Jonny Evans. Michael Owen was the extra man for the attack.
The home side’s first chance came as early as the sixth minute when Fletcher’s shot was just wide of former Red Devils’s keeper Tim Howard. While the home side kept attacking Everton’s goal, the goal finally came in the 34th minute when Patrice Evra crossed from the left-hand byline, Valencia headed it down to Fletcher who flashed a stunning volley into the top left-hand corner, giving no chance to the keeper. One of the best goals seen in thepremiership this season. The match went in to the break with United leading 1-0.

In the second half, Everton’s goal was disallowed in the 55th minute due to offside when Marouane Fellaini shot with a great kick beating United’s goal keeper Edwin Van der Sar. After that in the 60th minute Rooney’s long shot just kissed the top crossbar. The second for Man United finally came in the 66th minute when Wayne’s wayward attempt was kept in play by Giggs and the Welshman passes to Carrick to stroke the ball left-footed into the bottom right-hand corner. And with 15 minutes remaining United finally came up with a third through Valencia who got it offBaines’s deflection.
So in the end a clean sheet for United which looks fired up after the break and gives some strong signals to the leaders Chelsea that “that place is ours”.

Manchester United go one point clear as Chelsea looses.

Premiership Saturday had some great football played all over England. Manchester United won their match at Old Trafford against Bolton Wanderers and the best thing about the win was that their rivals Chelsea had lost its match against Aston Villa by 2-1 as a result the red devils are one point clear at the top of the table.

Sir Alex had made wholesale changes in midfield after the Reds’ abject performance against Sunderland a fortnight ago. Anderson and Michael Carrick were preferred in the centre, with Antonio Valencia and Ryan Giggs on the flanks. Edvin Van der Sar was back after a long injury layoff and now many of us would have been relieved that the goal is in safe hands. Manchester United took an early lead in the match with an own goal from Knight in the fifth minute. It see like the away team likes to score at Old Trafford for the home team. The last goal was scored by Anton Ferdinand from West Ham United and this time it was Knight so two consecutive own goals. Minutes later another certain Man Utd goal was denied as Bolton Wanderers goal Keeper saved a wonderful header from Evans with Ryan Giggs being the architect it. And it was 2-0 when Valancia scored his first goal for Manchester United in the 33rd minute with he fired on the left of the goalkeeper giving no chance for even a touch. Meanwhile on the other side of the half Kevin Davis had a great chance to score but was overpowered by the defence.
In the second half, Dimitar Berbatov was again denied was certain goal with his cyclic kick was stopped by goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen or otherwise it would have been the repeat of the Sunderland match when he scored in the similar fashion. Just as the fans were singing the victory songs it was 15 minutes to time and Bolton Wanderers scored when a fine cross of Kevin Davis from the right which was neatly headed by Taylor in the penalty area. With more shots going wide the game was finally over not before a close chance by Bolton Wanderers which was well taken by Van der Sar. So the final score line 2-1 and joy for United as they are the leaders now.

2-2. Surprised by Sunderland

In a surprising result at Old Trafford, Manchester United had to settle for a draw against Sunderland in Saturday’s premier league action. It could have been worse for the home side as they were trailing 1-2 by the end of the stipulated 90 minutes and not before Anton Ferdinand of Sunderland scored an own goal in the injury time to make the scores level. With this both Manchester United and Sunderland will share one point each and as of now Man United is leading by one point at the top of the table.

Now all eyes will be on Chelsea Vs Liverpool match and the Red Devils will be hoping the other reds win so that their narrow lead over the Londoners stay intact.
In the match, the first goal was scored in the 7th minute by Darren Bent of Sunderland with a superb strike which went in the goal through bottom right corner giving no chance for the Man Utd’s goalkeeper Ben Foster. Frustration was seen everywhere for the Red Devils when, reds should have had a penalty after 36 minutes when Sunderland winger Andy Reid attempted to knock Nani’s cross back to Craig Gordon, clearly using his arm to do so. Alan Wiley, however, disagreed. Sir Alex was furious and was seen exchanging some harsh word with the fourth official. With no solid attack by Manchester United in the first half, the scoreline remained as it is…
The second half had something to cheer for United as Dimitar Berbatov scored through a wonderful cyclic kick from inside the penalty area of Sunderland in the 50th minute. (A serious contender for the best goal). But just minutes later Sunderland scored again through Kenwyne Jones. The last minutes of the match again saved United.

This time it was Anton Ferdinand of Sunderland scored an own goal from the shot of Patrice Evra in a crowded “D” of Sunderland thus gifting a draw to Manchester United. There is plenty to reconcile after the draw and who knows Sir Alex might have already started with the task.

The Devils steal a point

Manchester United managed to pull off a draw against Sunderland to go a point ahead of Chelsea who are yet to play their match this week.
Darren Bent kicked things off with an early goal in the 8th min with a spectacular driven strike from just outside the box well out of Ben Foster’s reach. Manchester United then failed to get back till the half-time break with Paul Scholes adding another Yellow Card to his season’s tally. Sir Alex substituted him at half-time getting in young Anderson hoping to improve United’s passing in the midfield which had not been upto the mark in the First Half.
Early in the Second Half, Dimitar Berbatov equalized with a brilliant semi-bicycle kick off O’Shea’s cross in the 51st minute. 7 minutes later, Kenwyne Jones put the Black Cats on top with a header past Foster in a controversial goal which saw Jones elbowing Foster in the head, restricting him from punching the ball away. The latter part of the half saw a Second Yellow card for ex-Manchester United player Keiran Richardson for kicking the ball away after a foul. A minor fault ruined the youngsters return to his former home, Old Trafford. Manchester United then struggled for an equalizer till the 92nd minute (2 minutes into injury time), where Evra guided a layed-off ball wide only to be deflected in by Rio’s brother in Sunderland, Anton Ferdinand for an Own Goal equalizer. Even though, Manchester United had a chance to go up in the last minute with a corner, they failed to capitalize and ended the match in a draw.
Well, after this match, I think a serious question should be raised to the FIFA to change Football terminology. Change injury time to Manchester Untied time. What say? 😛

Carrick goal takes Manchester United to victory.

Manchester United won their champions league match at home of 2009-10 season with a 2-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg. On what was looking as an easy fixture on paper came out to be a tricky task. It was Vlf Wolfsburg who took the lead through Edin Džeko’s towering 56th-minute header but the game was levelled by Ryan Giggs and the second goal was scored by Michael Carrick’s. With this result Manchester United go on top of Group B of the champions league as in the other match CSKA Moscow defeated Besiktas 2-1 with Alan Dzagoev and Miloš Krasić struck in each half for the Russian side. It was a packed to capacity crowd at Old Trafford. The match started in a pretty ordinary way with no goals scored in the first half, although there were chances for both the teams but none of them were converted in a goal. Wayne Rooney’s free kick gone wide, Valancia couldn’t convert his delicate touch for goal and rest were half chances as the match progressed. The deadlock was finally broken in the 55th minute when Edin Džeko’s of VfL Wolfsburg scored with a beautiful header to give the visiting side a 1-0 lead. Just after 3 minutes the hosts replied back through Ryan Giggs who scored via a free kick which got deflected off the defensive wall to mark his 150th goal for the Red Devils. And finally in the 77th minute, Michael Carrick scored with a brilliant first touch from the pass given by Ryan Giggs just outside the opponents D-area to give United a well deserved 2-1 lead which remained till the final whistle.

Meanwhile in other matches played around Europe the results were:
Group A
FC Bayern München 0-0 Juventus
FC Girondins de Bordeaux 1-0 Maccabi Haifa FC
Group C
AC Milan 0-1 FC Zürich
Real Madrid CF 3-0 Olympique de Marseille
Group D
APOEL FC 0-1 Chelsea FC
FC Porto 2-0 Club Atlético de Madrid

Fairytale ending for Red Devils

In a nail biting finish to one of the most spectacular matches in this year’s premier league, Manchester United won 4-3 against their neighbour Manchester City in a hard fought match over 90 minutes… IN FACT BEYOND 90 minutes and it was Michael Owen who gave his team the prized goal for the victory at Old Trafford. It was a topsy turvy match with Man United taking the lead every time and Manchester City catching them up everytime within a short notice till the time Michael Owen scored the decider in the dying minutes of the match.
It was a huge entertainment for the 75000+ fans present to watch the match and most of them were delighted to see their home team winning in this dramatic fashion.
It certainly was a game of two halves as, despite United‘s rapid start, City had most of the possession before the break. But the victory was wholly justified as United‘s second-half display was sheer class.

Wayne Rooney initiated the scoring as early as the 5th minute of the match only for Tevez to capitalise on Foster’s error and set up Gareth Barry’s equaliser 11 minutes later.
Sir Alex is famed for his half-time motivational speeches, and this one must have been a corker because the Reds came back out with fire in their bellies. So in the 48th minute a great first-time cross from the left by veteran winger Ryan Giggs and Fletcher gets up well at the far post ahead of Barry to head United in front from 6 yards out but just 4 minutes after Fletcher scored Bellamy was allowed space to cut in on his right foot 20 yards out on the corner of the area which finds the far top corner.
One must give credit to Manchester City’s goalkeeper Shay Given for his saves which kept united at bay in the middle of the second half. Score at this time was 2-2.
Another free-kick on the left 6 yards out is sent in to the area by Giggs and Fletcher rises to head home his second of the goal from an almost identical position to his first goal and gave united a 3-2 lead in the 80th minute which a looking like a final scoreline unless n until a sloppy pass from Ferdinand on the half-way line gifts the ball straight to Bellamy, who races on and squeezes the ball past Foster which levelled the scoreline at 3-3 at the end of the stipulated time of the match. When some of the spectators left the stadium thinking a draw in their minds, some loud noises were heard till the far end of Manchester when Owen grabbed his late, late winner to end an enthralling derby in United’s favour. 

 

Tottenham 1 United 3

The has been a lot of talk around the reds ever since the season began. It was said that united was weaker than ever before and how they would miss Ronaldo and Tevez, about how the other teams had strengthened and they hadn’t. The Birmingham match only added fuel to the whispers, by the match against Burnley the whispers had turned into loud jeers. The Wigan game was labelled a flash in the pan, the Arsenal game a handiwork of pure luck. However, if anyone needed any assurance about our title credentials (including some disbelieving fans), the match against Tottenham was proof enough that Sir Alex hasn’t lost the plot.

Jermain Defoe put Spurs ahead inside a minute, but the Reds hit back through Ryan Giggs and Anderson. Scholes was dismissed for two bookings – the second of which appeared harsh – before Wayne Rooney crowned a magnificent display with a superb late clincher. Throughout the 90 minutes, United’s display oozed the marriage of class and resolve that champions require, and sent out a clear warning to those teams aiming to prevent the Reds from bagging a fourth straight title.

White Hart Lane buzzed with anticipation ahead of kick-off. Spurs, buoyed by a perfect record after four league games and an unbeaten home record blanketing 2009, fancied their chances of a first win over the Reds since 2001. Sir Alex Ferguson had tentatively suggested that Rio Ferdinand could line up for his first league start of the season, but few expected the England international to be joined by John O’Shea in the Reds’ back line.

The Irish defender, who had been the subject of media suggestions that he could face a sustained spell on the sidelines through injury, instead took a place at right-back, with Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra completing the quartet in front of Ben Foster’s goal.

In a pulsating encounter at the White Hart Lane, United overcame an early goal from Jermaine Defoe (a superb one at that), a needless red card and some hostile crowd treatment to record an emphatic 3-1 away win that should silence our doubters once and for all. The match was expected to be a highly entertaining affair and it did not disappoint. It took only 47 seconds for the match to spring to life when Jermaine Defoe, who has been in some blistering form of late, executed a perfect bicycle kick to give Spurs the lead. The goal had come after Vida had failed to deal with a high ball directed towards Crouch. Crouch, who was filling in for the irreplacable Modric, was a constant thorn in our defence using his height to good effect. However, such was United’s determination and focus that there was no stopping us today.

The second half saw Tottenham press us hard with United clearly content with sitting back and soaking up the pressure, trying then to hit them on the counter. Paul Scholes however chose to show the entire world that he still hasn’t learnt the art of tackling. Two clumsy tackles on Defoe and Huddlestone led to two needless yellow cards for Scholesy who was then given his marching orders. In between, Foster had produced a blinding save off Jenas and Crouch had hit the crossbar. Carrick was brought on for Berba to strengthen the midfield and to be honest, I always had the belief that today we would not let it slip. Even with ten men, we looked like scoring every time we attacked. Predictably, Rooney produced a mesmerising solo goal that indeed goes to show that he will be our main man this season. There was a lot to cheer for all united fans this weekend