Premier League - United edge Blackburn

Eurosport - Sun, 22 Feb 09:56:00 2009

Manchester United extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points after a 2-1 win over a gutsy Blackburn side at Old Trafford.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Manchester United Old Trafford Wayne Rooney scores against Blackburn - 0

United started the match in top form, and when Wayne Rooney got on the end of Nani's cross on 23 minutes it looked as if they would cruise to an easy victory.

But Roque Santa Cruz's well-taken equaliser on 32 minutes got the visitors back in to the match, as they belied their lowly league position and took the game to the champions.

A second-half free kick by Cristiano Ronaldo gave the lead back to United on 59 minutes, however, as United attacked hard.

Blackburn's best efforts looked as if they would bear fruit as they hit the post and should have had a penalty, but the hosts held on to earn the three points after a thrilliing end-to-end final 15 minutes.

United started the match showing phenomenal quality in their passing and dribbling, with Ronaldo and Nani switching effectively between the two flanks and creating several early chances.

Ronaldo put in an excellent service for Rooney and Berbatov, while Paul Scholes tried his luck with shots from long range on three and 12 minutes.

It was Nani's brilliant play on the right that set up the opening goal, however, the Brazilian linking well with Rafael Da Silva before hitting an inch-perfect cross to Rooney in the centre on 23 minutes.

The England striker almost saw the ball cut out by Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen, but the defender's foot only clipped the ball, serving to make the chance even simpler, and Rooney buried the ball in the net.

At 1-0 it looked as if the hosts might run away with it, an impression that was confirmed when Morten Gamst Pedersen squandered a free-kick on the half-hour mark by smashing a supposed cross a clear 20 yards past its intended targets.

But just two minutes later all negative thoughts were forgotten as Santa Cruz showed why he attracted so much interest during the transfer window: getting on to the end of a ball from Andre Ooijer, the Paraguayan rounded United's second string keeper Tomasz Kuszczak and found the net from an acute angle.

The goal was so much against the run of play that it seemed to jar the hosts, who took several minutes to settle down while Blackburn seemed astonished to have equalised.

They recovered towards the end of the first half, with a headed goal by Jonny Evans that was disallowed for Ronaldo having pushed a defender elsewhere in the box.

The second half began in thrilling fashion, with Ronaldo going close with a long-range effort before Blackburn ran up the other end for Andre Ooijer to put in a cross that none of the waiting players could quite connect with.

Ronaldo showed his best and worst, being at the centre of most attacks as well as committing a cynical dive, for which he was booked.

And it was the winger who scored again on the hour mark when United won a free-kick after Nani was floored on the left of the box. The kick itself was a fantastic strike from a tight angle, flying with plenty of power into the roof of the net and past the outstretched hands of Robinson.

Blackburn gave plenty in reply, hitting the post on 64 minutes before Pedersen was denied what seemed to be a clear penalty two minutes later when he was pulled down by Evra.

The penalty - as well as the possible red card for Evra - seemed clear to all except the referee, but Blackburn never came closer for all their tireless efforts over the final 25 minutes.

Yet United kept attacking too, and it was the hosts who had the lion's share of chances, with Berbatov and Rooney going close on 87 and 90 minutes.

The result saw Blackburn stay in the bottom three for now - a bitter end to what must have been a frustrating game for Sam Allardyce's side - while Alex Ferguson's United continue to set the standard at the top of the Premier League.

Toby Keel / Eurosport

Comment 180 - 199 of 199

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  1. I think the regulation of primier league will be­ finished one club sapporting by ref other one diniding­ by ref for example last Sunday was doing by ref beteen­ man u and blackburn that resalt unfair that way mun u­ always halped by ref to win. One day the ref given name­ blind what is to say last sunday the ref was near of­ ronaldo doing kick off ablackburn player. ronaldo­ should be red card.

    From danielabraham02, on Tue 24 Feb 4:58PM
  2. manutd r @#$% en wil nt win th title cz lfc r­ comin!!!
    screw all manutd fans u stink
    email bk­ kalindekafeyahoocouk

    From khumbo, on Sun 22 Feb 8:45PM
  3. The ref wanted to be centrepiece and ruined a good­ game. Fair enough Ronaldo may have been red carded, but­ why did the ref allow so many Blackburn fouls,­ particularly on Ronaldo, go without bookings.­ Dunn's raking of Ronaldos leg should have been red­ carded along with his other terrible tackles. What­ about Jonny Evans perfectly good gpoal, It wasn;t a­ corner but it was a foul for the tackle on Rafael. Webb­ is supposed to be our number 1 ref but made some awful­ decisions. For all you scousers, just watched Liverpool­ against Man City, and once again Torres (who like­ Ronaldo ios an excellent player) was diving through­ out, making late tackles. And Carragher was all over­ the forwards from set pieces. These players get away­ with it week in and week out at Anfield, along with­ Stevie G;s diving and 2 footed tackles. If you are­ going to slag of teams then please look at your own­ team first.

    From StanJ, on Sun 22 Feb 5:20PM
  4. The ref wanted to be centrepiece and ruined a good­ game. Fair enough Ronaldo may have been red carded, but­ why did the ref allow so many Blackburn fouls,­ particularly on Ronaldo, go without bookings.­ Dunn's raking of Ronaldos leg should have been red­ carded along with his other terrible tackles. What­ about Jonny Evans perfectly good gpoal, It wasn;t a­ corner but it was a foul for the tackle on Rafael. Webb­ is supposed to be our number 1 ref but made some awful­ decisions. For all you scousers, just watched Liverpool­ against Man City, and once again Torres (who like­ Ronaldo ios an excellent player) was diving through­ out, making late tackles. And Carragher was all over­ the forwards from set pieces. These players get away­ with it week in and week out at Anfield, along with­ Stevie G;s diving and 2 footed tackles. If you are­ going to slag of teams then please look at your own­ team first.

    From StanJ, on Sun 22 Feb 5:12PM
  5. Here we go again ... Kopites & Cockneys wingeing­ again like a referees bad decision has never gone their­ way. Come off it you only snipe at United because you­ wish you were in their possition instead of a couple of­ players (or years) short. Put as much effort into­ supporting your team as you do moaning about United and­ you might get somewhere.

    From Jimbo, on Sun 22 Feb 3:02PM
  6. can someone please ask the muppet and 100% hatred given­ to man-utd what his name ? (every day-every minute)argh­ yes (@#$% han she ?) get back in your kitchen ya­ gobshite yea

    From misterwolf, on Sun 22 Feb 2:42PM
  7. ross b, is it a coincedence that that it happens so­ often at old trafford? if it is its an incredible run­ of luck for them, ronaldo brings much of the critisism­ on himself with his petulance, no question that theres­ also jealousy involved, utd are playing remarkably well­ and fair dues to them, but it has to be one of two­ things with the consistant bad ref decisions at ot,­ corruption or a siege mentality from the refs that is­ making them unimpartial there, i say shame on manu for­ always badgering the ref and never holding thier hands­ up when they're wrong

    From asanshe, on Sun 22 Feb 2:40PM
  8. united players give 100% every game.thats why they are­ top.blackburn players only raise their game against­ united,as do other lower sides.thats why they are­ lower.

    From ppp, on Sun 22 Feb 2:28PM
  9. asanshe - You seem like a reasonable enough person, but­ how can you cry "Shame on You" to Manchester­ United when its not their fault referees are @#$%?
    You­ also talk about disheartening... I can't believe­ I'm leaping to Ronaldo's defence, but I've­ seen him on the receiving end of some blatant fouls­ which too have gone unpunished. Now, how can you­ justify some of the tackles against him, when you claim­ a referee bias towards Manchester United? Now ok, I­ admit, he's not untouchable, many of the tackles he­ complains about are legit, but come on - would anyone­ here NOT like to give Ronaldo a kick when they have an­ opportunity? - A lot of players batter him because they­ can.

    From Ross B, on Sun 22 Feb 2:26PM
  10. re ross b, you are correct that refs make many­ mistakes, but if you cant see that they make way more­ in utds favour at ot then u are as blind as the refs,­ the current manu side are a great team, very difficult­ to beat in a fair and impartial game, so how­ disheartening must it be for teams, already knowing­ they are up against it, to go there and not be allowed­ to tackle? not be allowed to fall when fouled?and most­ importantly to see the manu players not get punished­ for often viloent conduct that they could expect a­ couple of months ban for? SHAME ON THE REFS!, SHAME ON­ THE FA!, SHAME ON MANU!!!

    From asanshe, on Sun 22 Feb 2:01PM
  11. 216 - Perhaps because it isn't Blatant­ Cheating.

    The fact of the matter is that all Referees­ are human, and prone to human error. There are many­ situations in many matches where referees are wrong,­ but people only seem to go nuts when its Manchester­ United. Manchester United - the Team that are so easy­ to hate.

    From Ross B, on Sun 22 Feb 1:33PM
  12. I have a theory on the disallowed Evans goal. I think­ that before the corner was taken the referee had been­ informed by the fourth official that Rafael was the­ last player to have touched the ball and it­ shouldn't have been a corner. The ref decided there­ and then that at the slightest contact he would blow­ for a foul in favour of Blackburn when the ball went­ into the box, to even things up, and especially so when­ Utd scored.
    It should not have been a corner but in my­ opinion it should have been a free kick to Utd as­ Rafael was shoved by the Blackburn player which­ prevented him from clearing the ball.

    From chriscunningham92, on Sun 22 Feb 1:33PM
  13. you simply cannot go to old trafford and expect a fair­ game, its an outrageous situation with the refs­ consistant and obvious 'blindness', SOMETHING­ HAS TO GIVE, why is no one answering for this blatant­ cheating?

    From asanshe, on Sun 22 Feb 1:22PM
  14. the fact ronaldo was fouling another player....thats­ what was wrong..and he should have been send off for­ diving aswell...and blackburn should have had a penalty­ i am no blackburn suporter but dam im starting to lose­ interest in the premiere ship as its a joke! why dont­ they had the title to united at the start of the season­ they didnt deserve the win again and the refs give it­ to them

    From DANIEL R, on Sun 22 Feb 1:20PM
  15. hi

    From Sean, on Sun 22 Feb 1:18PM
  16. po give them the pen but what was wrong with evans goal­ nothing , so it all goes around again so stop crying­ and look at the champions again blckburn played hard­ and did well but its 3pts again 2 1 or 3 2 what ever­ who cares its 3pts thank you ,,, come on man city draw­ or beat the scum scoucers be a great day for football

    From Chris, on Sun 22 Feb 1:05PM
  17. As Sir Alex said aftre the game about some of the­ incidents, if it wasn't Ronaldo or United, the­ media wouldn't have made such a fuss. Nobpdy seems­ to bother rthat Ronaldo is the most fouled player in­ the league and gets plenty of kicks himeslf. It's­ only when he puts one out that there is a fuss. I agree­ that diving should be penalised and why he, and­ let's be fair, several others do it, is a mystery.­ I challenge anyone here to claim NOT to have a diver­ in their team and I will find one. Every team has one­ or two, it's the way they're brought up in­ continental teams. I couldn't see anything wring­ with Jonny Evans' goal. The claim wasthat Ronaldo­ pushed somenone. I've played it over and again and­ if hat was a push I'm Dutch uncle. Not one­ Blackburn player protested and the player who was­ 'pushed' hardly moved and neither interfered­ with play. The problem with the 'penalty claim'­ for da Silva's slight touch is that Pederson went­ down like a ton of bricks as soon as he felt a touch.­ If, therefore it was a penalty, it should have been­ given and, if not, Pederson should have had a yellow­ card like Ronaldo.

    From quatt47, on Sun 22 Feb 1:01PM
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    From Nath, on Sun 22 Feb 12:38PM
  19. I am a Manchester United fan, and while I often leap to­ the defence on United often, I find no defence for­ Ronaldo. His diving, and his subtle knicks at his­ opponents should not go unpunished. That being said, if­ he had been sent off, there would be a lot more Man­ United fans about complaining at such things. Pretty­ sure Evans' goal should have stood. Ronaldo hardly­ did anything in the box - so 2 goals are the least that­ United deserved. I reckon too, that if they had gone in­ 2 v 1 up at half time, then Ferguson would have changed­ the squad around and the situation with da Silva giving­ away a penalty would have been avoided. And yes, I­ thought it was a penalty, despite the fact Pederson did­ go down so easily - it only appeared that Rafael tapped­ Pederson on the shoulder slightly, but Rafael­ shouldn't have done it in the first place, and a­ penalty was deserved. Credit where credit is due,­ though. Blackburn ended United's Clean Sheet spree,­ and they can take comfort in that.

    From Ross B, on Sun 22 Feb 12:32PM
  20. What do teams have to do to get a peno at man yoo, its­ a bloody disgrace! shame on the Manchester F.A (its a­ fix). as for girly boy ronaldo, tut, tut, tut, this is­ the 3rd time this season that he should have been sent­ off for striking out, tut, tut, tut, up the tractor­ boys.

    From donneysbeck, on Sun 22 Feb 12:10PM
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