Injury time winner put Man United back into the title race after Chelsea looses.

Come what may, the habits remains… Paul Scholes scored in the 92nd minute to give Manchester United a crucial 1-0 win against their city rivals Manchester City at the Eastlands on Saturday. City will be wondering what happens to them when they play against their neighbours. The last time they met at Old Trafford, Michael Owen’s 94th minute goal decided their fate. In the late kick-off, Chelsea lost 1-2 against Totttenham Hotspurs thus making the league further exciting with only a point separating the leaders.  Consolation for spurs for getting in the top and inching closer to the prized champions league qualification spot.  

The match started with many tensions around Manchester United as any loss of points may result in any chance of getting hold of the premier league trophy. Both sides started the game with evident intent to attack. Darren Fletcher fired a 25-yard effort inches wide of Shay Given‘s post, with the Irishman well beaten, before Carlos Tevez‘s top corner free-kick drew a fine full-length catch from Edwin van der Sar. But the defence on both the sides didn’t allow the ball to get past the net. The teams went into the break with goalless score line. 

 
In the second half, Sir Alex substituted Wayne Rooney with Dimitar Berbatov to get something out of the Bulgarian but the match seemed like going for a goal less draw with no real threat at both the ends. But that was not how it supposed to end. The match was in the 92 minute, Patrice Evra‘s superb cross was nicely headed by Paul Scholes, who recently signed a new one year contract with United, to the bottom right of Given to give the visitors a priceless lead and hence the winner.

 

Penalty conversion by Jermain Defoe and a  strike by Gareth Bale in the opening half shocked leaders Chelsea with a 2-1 victory at the White Hart Lane. Chelsea got one back in the injury time of the match through Lampard but it was too late. Also a bad day for John Terry after he received a second yellow for an unwanted tackle. Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes did everything to stop the ball which resulted in a well deserved win for the home team. 

Other results of Saturday are:

Birmingham City 0-0 Hull City

Blackburn Rovers 2-3 Everton

Fulham 0-0 Wolves

Stoke 1-2  Bolton

Sunderland 2-1 Burnley

Manchester United eyes champions league quarters but Real has a task to perform.

After going top of the premier league, Manchester United will hoping to make it to the next round of the UEFA Champions Leaguewhen they will be facing Italian giants A C Milan for the return leg at Old Trafford. In the first leg United beat the home side 3-1 to take the crucial lead. In the other match of the day, Real Madrid will be hosting Olympique Lyonnais for their return leg and this time around Real needs to get early into the game to prove that the 0-1shock defeat in the first leg was just luck for the French side.

 

Manchester United has not always got the better over the Italians as when they met last time around they were routed 0-3 at San Siro after winning 3-2 at home in the semi finals of 2007. But as the proceedings have gone Manchester United are looking all fired up for the night. The defence seems to be getting better and better with Rio-Vidic standing like a wall and Nani, Valencia in good form in the mid field. Paul Scholes will be all fired up
after his scoring century of goals in the league in the last match.

The big talking point at OT is home coming of former United captain David Beckham who is on loan to Milan. His time at United was full of news which included wrong reasons and private life and problems with Sir Alex. So the kind of reception he receives will be worth seeing.

 

In the other match at Santaigo Bernebue, Real Madrid will be determined to get past Lyonwith the likes of Ronaldo, Kaka, Raul & Co. According to Portuguese winger statement on the official website he said “We need
to go out there to win and must begin the match thinking that we are going to score. Lyon didn’t concede any goals against us, but I hope Wednesday is a different story. We know it’s hard, but it is possible. We will do everything we can from the very first to very last minute.” 
Both the matches will be starting at 2045 Hours GMT on 10^thMarch.

Scholes’ 100 takes Man United to the top.

100th league goal by veteran mid fielder Paul Scholes made it sure that Manchester United went to the top of the premier league table but not before holding themselves to a narrow 1-0 lead overWolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Saturday. Good news for the gunners is that they also went joint second with Chelsea after they beat Burnley 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

 

It was a crucial match for the red devils specially when the battle for the premiership flag is getting tense. Pre match Wayne Rooney was forced to sit of the match due to the exertions caused to him in the England match. There were many missed opportunities in the first half with Valencia coming close to score the opener but his shot going wide. The home side also had their opportunities with David Jones who brilliant play was well defended by Michael Carrick and minutes later Stephen Ward header also sent some shock waves to Van der Sar. The first half went goal less.

The frustration was coming on the faces of the visiting devils crowd as this was a bit unexpected on United’s part of not scoring. The last time they met at Old Trafford the host comfortably beat them 3-0. Just when the match was
heading for a goal less game, Paul Scholes broke the dead lock 18 minutes from
time when Nani’s cross was not totally cleared by Jody Craddock due to which Scholesgrabbed the ball and shot a low ball of his first touch to the right of
the keeper Hahnemann. Wolves best chance came in the injury time of the match when an unattended. Sam Vokes shot the ball over the bar giving a big breather to the visiting side who bagged the crucial three points.

 

Arsenal also won their fixture when Cesc Fabregas scored the first goal in the 33rd minute but Burnley qualised in the 50th minute through Nugent but 9 minutes later gunners again took the lead when Walcott scored and things were finally wrapped by Arshawin in the 90th minute to give Arsenal a well deserved 3-1 win.

Other result of Saturday was:

Bolton Wanderers 2-1 West Ham United

Rooney’s double made San Siro night look easy.

Manchester United won the first leg of the round of 16 knockout stage of theChampions’ league with a 3-2 victory over AC Milan at their own backyard which could be a vital when Milan will come to Old trafford to play for the return leg. In the other match of the day, Olympique Lyonnais shocked 9 times European championsReal Madrid with a 1-0 victory at home which could see them through if they are able to hold on at Santaigo in a week’s time.

At San Siro, Ronaldinho gave home side the perfect start with when he scored from a right footed shot that got deflected off Fletcher and found the net giving no chance to Van der Sar. Just as the red devils were looking to be off tracked, Paul Scholes equalised for the visitors in the luckiest of the way when the ball hit his non-kicking leg and crawled past the goal keeper to head home. The teams went into the break with all square at 1-1.

Second half started whcih truly belonged to Wayne Rooney when he headed the ball at the far corner of Valencia gret cross from the right. The English striker got his second and gave United two goals lead in the 77th minute when all the Milan defence was caught unaware when Fletcher chipped in the ball from the left and Rooney headed the free ball to make the score line 3-1. Just when the United fans were singing their victory songs Seedorf pull one back in the 85th minute but it was too late for them to get into the game.

Many opportuinities were lost and now its over the the theater of dreams in a week’s time where Milan will be thinking to win by a big margin where as United will be banking on the win and the away there important away goals.