Premier League - Rooney silences City

Eurosport - Mon, 01 Dec 07:37:00 2008

Wayne Rooney's first-half goal proved decisive as Manchester United beat Manchester City 1-0 at Eastlands in a game that saw Cristiano Ronaldo sent-off in the second-half.

2008-2009 Manchester City-Manchester United Wayne Rooney celebrates scoring - 0

Rooney struck three minutes before the break, tapping home from close range after Joe Hart parried Michael Carrick's shot.

Ronaldo saw red midway through the second period, bizarrely handling the ball above his head from a corner shortly after being booked for a trip on Shaun Wright-Phillips.

City did the double over United last season but it was the visitors who dominated possession and Rooney really should have done better inside seven minutes when he scuffed a shot which Hart made a hash of saving.

Ronaldo then rose high above Micah Richards but his header was just over the top and Hart did better when he flung himself full length to his right to claw Dimitar Berbatov's header around the post.

There was another chance for United when the ball broke to Patrice Evra in the penalty area but his curling effort was tipped over by Hart although a goal kick was given.

The closest City came in the opening period was on the half hour when Edwin Van der Sar failed to deal with a free-kick and his punch fell to Stephen Ireland whose scuffed effort clipped the outside of the post.

Richards could have poked the ball home from five yards but failed to react in time, perhaps worried about an offside flag going up.

Berbatov then dragged an effort past the post before Rooney struck for his 100th career goal.

Pablo Zabaleta and Blumer Elano replaced Dietmar Hamann and Darius Vassell for the start of the second-half but City failed to force a single save from Van der Sar.

Wright-Phillips did thread a ball through to Benjani whose first-time effort nestled in the side netting and Javier Garrido's free-kick just curled past the post but Robinho in particular was subdued.

Indeed it was referee Howard Webb who became the central figure for much of the second-half as he dished out eight yellow cards in total including a second for Ronaldo who claimed he heard a whistle from the crowd before handling.

City came closest to levelling in injury-time when after United failed to clear a corner, Richard Dunne's shot was cleared off his own line by Evra.

In a dramatic finish, United raced up the other end and Rooney attempted to curl a shot into the net from just inside City's half but Hart, who had gone up for the corner, raced back and clawed the effort away from under his crossbar.

Lee Walker / Eurosport

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  1. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    brookiz, you are obviously oblivious to any history­ that those clubs have. In fact, every club has it's­ own history of ups and downs, so, keep your immature­ comments to yourself.

    From sappercommando25, on Mon 1 Dec 8:05AM

  2. sussexdietcoke, comment 162:
    And who understands your­ ranting then? Are you suffering from a braincell­ abnormality or what?

    From sappercommando25, on Mon 1 Dec 8:04AM

  3. Ronaldo had graduated from diver school, and he has­ began attending volly ball lessons.Christi this is foot­ ball men! Red card well deserved. from gonzag.

    From Gonsag, on Mon 1 Dec 8:01AM

  4. Down the line the whistle blew, chelsea one and arsneal­ two hahaha

    From Jon M, on Mon 1 Dec 7:41AM

  5. mu not goods

    From shahmi F, on Mon 1 Dec 6:56AM

  6. Man city should wake up UTD beat them with 10 men away.­ Hughs a great Utd player but a limited manager when­ hes won half the trophies as ferrgie has then he can­ start mouthing off. Man City are still a mid table­ club it will take more than cash to get them out of­ this state. UTD are currently the team to beat its­ like most clubs its there one chance to play a team of­ European standard of course they try and up there game­ and dream. City did do well to prevent them running­ away with it. Hughs focus on building a team and let­ them do the talking the chit chat dosn't become­ you, you're blackburn team was was an achievement.

    From Tim B, on Mon 1 Dec 6:47AM

  7. hahahaha
    to see ronaldo sent off was good enough for­ me
    everybody waving there hands in front of the­ referee
    hohoho
    too good
    laughed my ead out
    sorry to­ all you cron lovers

    From chicken salad, on Mon 1 Dec 4:16AM

  8. Rangers are p*ss poor and celtic can only perform at­ home. Man U could probs of had 10 against Celtic at­ home, and Gordon Strachan even admitted that!! Rangers­ and Celtic would struggle to last a season in the­ premiership. Glasgow maybe full of passion but your­ teams are @#$%E! Big clubs in MASSIVE Scotland!

    From lee, on Mon 1 Dec 2:54AM

  9. ronaldo is a p**** he is good but flops like a girl i­ hate him end of story

    From Derek Harmon, on Mon 1 Dec 2:28AM

  10. AND U LOT WILL NEVER EVER EVER BEAT GLASGOW PASSION FOR­ FOOTBALL GLASGOW THE HOTBEAD OF BRITISH FOOTBALL. FACT

    From norman.haig, on Mon 1 Dec 1:56AM

  11. END OF THE DAY PAL MONEY DICTATES FOOTBALL AND WE LOOK­ AT YOUR LEAGUE THE WAY U LOOK AT OURS. U ALWAYS SLAG IT­ OFF AND WE KNOW YOUR LEGUE IS A 2 BOB LEAGUE BUT COME­ ON HOW MANY TEAMS HAVE U GOT IN THE PREMIER COMPARED TO­ US BUT END OF THE DAY FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS SAME 2­ TEAMS. OUR LEAGUE IS SMALLER LIKE HOLLAND OR BELGIUM­ ALWAYS THE SAME 2 DOMINATING. BUT OUR LEAGUE MIGHT BE­ INFERIOR BUT WE CAN HOLD OUR OWN RANGERS AGAINST LEEDS­ IN 92 CELTIC AGAINST MAN U LIVERPOOL AND BLACKBURN WE­ MIGHT BE SMALL BUT WE CAN HOLD OUR OWN

    From norman.haig, on Mon 1 Dec 1:49AM

  12. I love the Scots who say it's bad cos it's­ always Man U and Chelsea and 'same old' etc­ etc.
    So there is more than two teams who win the­ Scottish League?!
    In the last 22 years, only 2 teams­ have won the Scottish League compared to 7 who have won­ the English League!
    Which is more repetitive?!
    What a­ stupid argument for a Scot to bring up!

    From Greg, on Mon 1 Dec 1:29AM

  13. GOOD PLAYER RONALDO DIVER THOUGH AND A BIT OVERPRICED­ IN MY EYES BUT HE IS CLASS CANT TAKE THAT AWAY AND REAL­ WILL PROB COME IN FOR HIM AND OFFER 100MILL COS­ FOOTBALL PRICES HAVE GONE STUPID

    From norman.haig, on Mon 1 Dec 1:22AM

  14. It was so nice to see Ronaldo sent to have an early­ shower
    Felt like Christmas had come early to......

    From Nicholas, on Mon 1 Dec 1:08AM

  15. PT 162 ANYWAY IDIOT HOW DO U KNOW IM NOT IN SCOTLAND­ SENDING THIS MESSAGE THICKO

    From norman.haig, on Mon 1 Dec 12:50AM

  16. ENGLISH @#$%. THE PREMIERSHIP OVERHYPED OVER PRICED AND­ FULL OF PRIMADONNAS

    From norman.haig, on Mon 1 Dec 12:46AM

  17. U KNOW IM TALKING SENSE YA ENGLISH TOSSBAG MAN U­ CHELSEA EVERY YEAR WOTS NEW EH. WE JOCKS JUST LAUGH AT­ U LOT COS U THINK U ARE BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE­ LOSERS

    From norman.haig, on Mon 1 Dec 12:36AM

  18. Can all of you jocks piss off back to your own country­ back to your inverness caledonians and other crapteams­ and leave the ENGLISH to there own football.we­ can't understand your stupid comments so f**k off.

    From Mike S, on Mon 1 Dec 12:24AM

  19. SCUM U FOR THE CHAMPS LEAGUE NO CHANCE @#$% TARRIERS

    From norman.haig, on Mon 1 Dec 12:16AM

  20. U LOT MIGHT HAVE A BETTER LEAGUE THAN SCOTLANDS MONEY­ PROVES THAT BUT ONE THING WE HAVE OVER U IS WE HAVE A­ DERBY UNMATCHED IN WORLD NEVER MIND BRITISH FOOTBALL­ MAN CITY V MAN U YEAH WOTEVER SUNDAY SCHOOL KICKABOUT­ COMPARED TO AN OLD FIRM GAME RANGERS V CELTIC IS THE­ GREATEST DERBY IN THE WORLD AND THTS Y WHEN SKY HAD­ SCOTTISH FOOTBALL THAT THE OLD FIRM GAME PULLED IN THE­ BIGGEST TV AUDIENCE FACT. NEXT BEST IS THE MILAN DERBY­ BUT ITS GREAT THAT AT LEAST WE HAVE SOMETHING OVER U­ LOT COS OF COURSE U THINK U ARE THE BEST AT EVERYTHING­ FOOTBALL RUGBY CRICKET AYE WOTEVER U SAY. RANGERS AND­ SCOTLAND FOR EVA

    From norman.haig, on Mon 1 Dec 12:13AM
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