Premier League - United edge closer to title

Eurosport - Sun, 03 May 05:32:00 2009

Manchester United extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points with a comfortable 2-0 win over Middlesbrough at the Riverside.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Middlesbrough-Manchester United Ryan Giggs scores - 0

Recently-crowned PFA Player of the Year Ryan Giggs and substitute Park Ji-Sung were on target in each half as the champions took a giant stride towards retaining a third successive title.

Four matches remain this season for Alex Ferguson's side, who have now played the same number of games as second-placed Liverpool, who face Newcastle on Sunday.

While it was an entirely satisfactory afternoon on Teesside for United, it was a gloomy day for the hosts, whose top-flight status hangs by a thread.

The result saw Gareth Southgate's men stay second-bottom with 31 points - the same as Newcastle - and three from safety.

The evergreen Giggs capped a great individual week with the opener on 25 minutes, driving home crisply from the edge of the penalty area (pictured) - his 103rd league goal for United - after Boro allowed the veteran midfielder far too much time to set his sights.

It was a trait that characterised Boro's defending throughout the opening period and Brad Jones was fortunate not to have been called into action more often.

That the Boro keeper remained relatively unworked was entirely down to some oddly wayward United shooting, in particular from the normally deadly Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney.

More than once those players were given time and space to run at the Boro defence and get away shots, but neither were able to force a save from Jones; only the ballboys behind the goal troubled by their efforts.

At least Boro managed to test Ben Foster - in the United starting line-up for the rested Edwin van der Sar - at the other end, although it proved to be the hosts' only chance of the game.

It fell to Jeremie Aliadiere on 21 minutes, the Frenchman running on to a Marlon King through pass before firing on target. Foster had to be alert to repel the shot with his legs.

United shrugged off the scare and took the lead soon after; as the game progressed, the champions - apparently at ease - increased their control on upon it.

Federico Macheda - winning his first league start - prodded wide from Rooney's cross early in the second half before United made their dominance count with the second goal of the day.

Park won the plaudits for a composed finish - a low drive into the bottom right-hand corner - but Macheda and Giggs were both involved in an excellent passing move which ended with a killer ball through from Rooney to find the South Korean.

The goal took whatever wind was left in Boro's sails and United saw out the remainder of the 90 minutes as they threatened to increase their advantage.

Rooney went close with a curling effort on 77 minutes before Dimitar Berbatov, substitute Carlos Tevez and Rooney all linked up to present John O'Shea with a shooting chance on 81 minutes. The Irishman - on target against Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday - saw his shot well-blocked.

One slight blot on an otherwise impeccable day for United came when Patrice Evra picked up a knock to his ankle in the second half. With one eye on Tuesday's second leg at the Emirates Stadium, the Frenchman was withdrawn on 78 minutes.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

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  1. gi5. do you not feel at times that you are writing to­ your self because some of these micky mouse scousers­ have had there brains removed. GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED­ GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED AND THE­ REDS GO MARCHING ON ON ON

    From True Red, on Sun 3 May 7:51PM

  2. razvanstanciu76: I also refer you back to comment 601,­ get it in to your thick skull that it's not­ bragging rights that win prizes, it's the points.

    From Close The Door Behind You Rafa., on Sun 3 May 4:30PM

  3. razvanstanciu76: Manchester United from their very­ beginnings as the Lancashire and yorkshire Railway­ workers Football Club have been making history since­ 1878, a good 14 years before Liverpool were even­ conceived little boy, now run along rats van boy.

    From Close The Door Behind You Rafa., on Sun 3 May 4:25PM

  4. 619 And I thought 6-2 was a meal on the spanish waiters­ menu, after all that's what he is fit for, waitng­ on tables (league)EPL, to give him the glory he thinks­ he earned.

    From Roughie Toughie Northerner, on Sun 3 May 4:11PM

  5. you are funny elmarciano!!! We are not talking history­ now. Believe me: 6-2 it is a tennis score!!!! SET!

    From razvanstanciu76, on Sun 3 May 3:15PM

  6. 625 YOU lFC W.A.N.$.E.R. UPTO 1965 YOU WERE CLASSED AS­ A SECONED DIVISION TEAM
    GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED GLORY­ GLORY MAN UNITED GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED AND THE REDS­ MARCHING ON ON ON U-NI-TED TIL I DIE

    From True Red, on Sun 3 May 3:12PM

  7. IT'S NOT 1 SEASON,IT'S 19 SEASONS W/OUT EPL­ TROPHY!!! IT'S NOT A JOKE!!! IT'S A FACT!!!­ IT'S NOT TENNIS,;BOY:IT'S FOOTBALL!!!

    From elmarciano, on Sun 3 May 2:57PM

  8. BRING IT ON THE WHOLE SPANISH NATIONAL PLAYERS!!! IT­ DIDN'T GUARANTEE U ANYTHING!!

    From elmarciano, on Sun 3 May 2:48PM

  9. In 1990,when LFC won the Championship, the MU****F*ers­ were nothing than an appendix to English Football­ History! OK, it is a big improvement for you in the­ last 20 years, but get real:WE ARE WRITING HISTORY­ SINCE 1892! Look at your history: the mancs have­ definitively bigger gaps than LFC between titles!!

    From razvanstanciu76, on Sun 3 May 2:48PM

  10. Rafa is planning to introuduce another 5-6 spanish­ players

    From wjysry, on Sun 3 May 2:41PM

  11. NO GUTS NO GLORY!!! HAVE GUTS WILL TRAVEL!!! GLORY­ GLORY MANCHESTER UNITED!!!

    From elmarciano, on Sun 3 May 2:32PM

  12. elmarciano, I have to repeat: 6-2 this season of­ Premier League? This is not Tennis, boy: It's­ Football!!!

    From razvanstanciu76, on Sun 3 May 2:30PM

  13. THE RED DEVILS ARE MARCHING ON!!!

    From elmarciano, on Sun 3 May 2:23PM

  14. 20 yrs without EPL trophy???It's ok LIVERPOOL..At­ least for the long 19 yrs,now only u've­ improved..keep it up the good work..WELL DONE!!! U WANA­ BE THE BEST,COMPETE WITH THE BEST!!! MANCHESTER­ UNITED!! THE BEST IN ENGLAND, EUROPE & WORLD­ CLUB!!! GLORY GLORY MANCHESTER UNITED!!!

    From elmarciano, on Sun 3 May 2:22PM

  15. for "the silent assassin": if you say­ we're livin' in the past, what about the­ present: who beats your alex F***ingson ( 6-2) this­ season in Premier League: RAFA NADAL? no, boy: RAFA­ BENITEZ!

    From razvanstanciu76, on Sun 3 May 2:04PM

  16. So all Man United fans Glory Hunters The More some of­ you write More I am convinced that some of you know­ jack s.h.i.t about football.

    I do not like repeating­ myself but i will try again for you numpties out there­

    All liverpoo fans are not scousers If a liverpoo­ fan is not scouse l does that mean they are glory­ hunters

    From True Red, on Sun 3 May 12:14PM

  17. just for the record snowmanshat, we dont need to go­ hunting for glory, it drops into our lap every season­ bcos WE ARE THE BEST

    From the silent assassin, on Sun 3 May 12:04PM

  18. the scousers are VERY QUIET this morning. Wait til­ later cos win or LOSE the comments will be coming THICK­ and fast........................................

    From the silent assassin, on Sun 3 May 12:01PM

  19. come on the toon army do it for united

    From desbrady, on Sun 3 May 11:54AM

  20. Absolutely. LMAO if Newcastle do the business against­ Loserfool later 2day. Wonder how many scousers will­ post a comment then. Maybe only to say that they were­ cheated eh eh eh.

    From the silent assassin, on Sun 3 May 11:52AM
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