Premier League - Late winner sends United top

Eurosport - Sun, 18 Jan 11:33:00 2009

Manchester United moved top of the Premier League as they sealed a late 1-0 win over Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium.

FOOTBALL 2008-09 Premier League Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov celebrates late winner against Bolton Wanderers - 0

Dimitar Berbatov's late header was enough to send United one point clear of Liverpool who face Merseyside rivals Everton on Monday.

In the final minute of normal time, Carlos Tevez used his strength to turn and bundle his way through Chris Basham and Sebastien Puygrenier and cross the ball to an unmarked Berbatov whose diving header beat Jussi Jaaskelainen to see them go home with a win despite an unconvincing performance.

This was the fifth consecutive clean sheet on the road for Alex Ferguson's side, but they were once again lacking potency in the final third.

United were without striker Wayne Rooney, who picked up a hamstring injury just eight minutes into the 1-0 win over Wigan in midweek.

Rooney has scored six times in United's last four encounters with Bolton, and his physical and dynamic play was greatly missed by the defending champions.

In the absence of the England striker, Berbatov and Tevez struggled to find their feet as a partnership, and Cristiano Ronaldo - who also regularly scores against the Trotters - had life made difficult for him by Bolton full-back Gretar Steinsson.

In fact, it was Bolton who forced the first save of the match when, after soaking up United pressure for the opening 20 minutes, Fabrice Muamba battled past Anderson in midfield to fire a shot on goal that Edwin van der Sar had to tip over the bar.

United tested Bolton keeper Jaaskelainen for the first time shortly afterwards, when Darren Fletcher's cross from the byline found Ronaldo, but the newly-crowned FIFA world player of the year could only steer his header right at the Finn despite being unmarked.

Bolton manager Gary Megson handed a debut to Portuguese striker Ariza Makukula, who only completed his loan move from Benfica on Friday, and the burly striker made his presence felt, picking up a yellow card for a foul on Nemanja Vidic.

However, Makukula spent much of the match chasing down lost causes, and picked up a calf strain in the second half and was replaced by Temitope Odebayi, making only his third appearance for the Trotters.

The second-half again saw Bolton keep United at bay and create some good chances of their own, with Matthew Taylor blasting the sort of half-volley from distance that he usually relishes over the bar and Kevin Davies sending a looping header on to the roof of the net.

However, despite their lack of fluency in front of goal, United rallied in the closing stages and Ronaldo drilled a low shot that was saved by Jaaskelainen before Berbatov's late winner.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 337 - 356 of 356

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. UNITED Blow, that's a all i have to say on this­ matter. A sad Bolton fan.

    From fwcel, on Mon 19 Jan 5:09PM

  2. Well done United! Everton fan

    From pokerpembo, on Mon 19 Jan 11:39AM

  3. up Man U, it doesn't matter how many goals or when­ u score the goals, what is important is the 3 points.­ Man U keep rolling, Man U 4 life.

    From tunde, on Mon 19 Jan 9:18AM

  4. breslinka..........Beckhams right too. Man City will­ never get to the dizzy heights of Utd, no matter how­ much money they spend.
    And even if they get Kaka, (Kaka­ being an apt name for City), Utd still have the best­ player in the world.
    After all, he's won all the­ acolades this year as well as last year. I think?

    From OMG WTF, on Sun 18 Jan 10:26PM

  5. augustine47g2 - ManU don't have to score more than­ 1 goal. They don't conceed but almost always score­ so a win is win. 1-0 victory in every match till the­ end of the season means another title. You can have the­ biggest positive goal diffence ever, but unless you­ have more points than us at the end of the season it­ means nothing.

    From redimaster, on Sun 18 Jan 7:57PM

  6. Hi, I'm an open minded girl from US, I'm­ interested in exotic things, photography, dating and­ sports...I have my photos on --- Tallhub Co m ---, I­ love tall guys!
    Do you love traveling and have some­ experience? Just find me out.

    From kimchees10, on Sun 18 Jan 5:46PM

  7. David Beckham has cemented even further his Red Legend­ status with a quote straight out of the Gary Neville­ book of philosophy. "...city don't interest­ me...Manchester United,for me,are the only team in­ Manchester". What a f@*#ing HERO. I can feel a­ classic t-shirt coming on here.

    From breslinka, on Sun 18 Jan 4:42PM

  8. Manu have to score more goals,( Chelsea 2-1, Arsonel­ 3-1) most of time Manu scored only one goal to win.­ This must be problem in the future. Manu are very week­ on long passes, most of time they fail to get advantage­ from free kicks corner kicks, nobody can score from 50­ yds,specialy Ronaldo fail to do so. I belive something­ wrong with their training.

    From Augustine, on Sun 18 Jan 3:28PM

  9. I wish all the Man Utd fans would give up saying that­ they are back where they belong!
    They are top at the­ moment because they have the most points,if they are­ top at the end of the season then they can say they are­ where they belong.I am a long time Liverpool supporter­ since 1965 and it pains me to say that Man U are­ probably the best team at the moment but we are gaining­ fast so get used to it. And as the record stands we are­ the most succesful team that English football has ever­ produced,so get used to that as well until you beat are­ record in all comps.

    From Bean, on Sun 18 Jan 3:03PM

  10. post 335, i believe Manchester United slaughtered­ chelsea 3-0
    in decline, absolutely pmsl

    From Lee, on Sun 18 Jan 3:01PM

  11. ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING­ CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP

    ALL MATCHES ON WEB: ­ PREMIER LEAGUE, FA CUP, CHAMPIONSHIP, CARLING CUP, ­ LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - UEFA CUP­ AND MUCH MORE

    ALL THE HIGH-LIGHTS OF PREMIER LEAGUE­ MATCHES

    From , on Sun 18 Jan 12:05PM

  12. why are some peopl like this? do you have to live in­ manchester before you be united fan,I don't think­ so? you need to think of something again and type.­ comment 326.

    From madelphine, on Sun 18 Jan 12:01PM

  13. You know people who are in support of limiting the­ number of overseas players are really stup!d. The only­ way the overseas players can be limited is when the­ English starts taken sponsorship of their­ clubs,that's the only way you can limit the­ overseas players in the English league and if that­ happens again the Englsih league will be boring like­ anything on this earth.If I must give you examples that­ will hlep you to know more I will start with the big­ clubs.If you take five overseas players from those big­ teams,they will go to the championship and the­ championship will come to the premirship, look at three­ of the big teams, they are owned by foreign companies­ or individuals how can they ask you to only take in­ three foreign players when their money is on the line?­ and if that happens,I don't see English teams­ wining the champions league again trust me on that. Ask­ the English companies to take ownership of the big­ teams and see if that will not be possible for you the­ English. You just look at chelsea first eleven and­ count the brits, than you will believe what I'm­ telling you.LOOK AT THE MONEY MAN CITY IS READY TO­ SPEND TO BRING IN ANOTHER OVERSEA PLAYER, AND YOU THINK­ YOU CAN STOP THAT?

    From madelphine, on Sun 18 Jan 11:57AM

  14. 344- nice points.

    From Tarquinius S, on Sun 18 Jan 11:44AM

  15. A long time ago when Liverpool at the top they were­ know for their late wins and touted as a 90 minute­ side, Now that others are doing it the scoucers cry­ foul! It is a fact (benetez take note) that any side­ with the desire to win will play until the death to­ secure that victory, and those that do so consistently­ may very well succeed at the highest level, hence the­ domination of Manchester United in the Premiership.

    From kennyG, on Sun 18 Jan 11:25AM

  16. Fact 1. Manchester United in their early glory years of­ the modern era, i.e. 1990's were kings of the last­ minute winners, remember the Champions League 2-1? It­ doesn't matter when you score, the first minute or­ the last. What makes United a championship winning team­ is that they do not fold! To me the last minute winners­ are a sign that United are "back"...
    Fact 2.­ All this "junior school" ranting about being­ from Manchester etc etc... bla bla bla... 10-15 years­ ago how many Chelsea fans were there? I have supported­ United since the early eighties when they were­ "rubbish" and the fans were derided for their­ "rubbish team" bla bla bla... now I am a­ glory supporter. My response, grow up or are you all­ City fans in disguise?

    Question. Will the term­ "Bitter Blue" now be applicable to Chelsea­ fans as well? As for Liverpool, shut up and actually­ win something before you start crowing. PS I supported­ Liverpool against Milan when they won because they are­ an English club... Afterall it is only a game when all­ is said and done.

    From Tarquinius S, on Sun 18 Jan 11:25AM

  17. jealousy will get all you haters nowhere we are top get­ used to it losers

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Sun 18 Jan 11:13AM

  18. #326 OK so how many Liverpool fans live in Liverpool.­ How many Chelsea and Arsenal fans live in London. How­ many Stoke fans live in Stoke on Trent. How many .....­ well I could go on and on and on. The fact is you­ don't have to live in the city to support a club.­ That is why they are called fans. For goodness sake­ can't a Chinese support Brazil simply because he­ lives in Peking, can't an Australian support­ Liverpool because he happens to live in Sydney. Our­ mind is just like a parachute when you are on a jump.­ It is useless unless it's opened.

    From cokrowinoto, on Sun 18 Jan 10:57AM

  19. All this time wasted by people posting insults to each­ others fans,clubs and cities where they live.I have­ read posts from supporters of all clubs doing­ this,maybe we should wait until April time and see what­ is happening then.If the table keeps changing from week­ to week(this is possible if Liverpool win on Monday and­ Man.Utd then win their next game and so forth)these­ people commenting will just be repeating their insults­ every week.

    From jvrad71, on Sun 18 Jan 9:50AM

  20. united united united united united

    From Michelle, on Sun 18 Jan 9:43AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account