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.
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.
Comment 180 - 199 of 199
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.
manutd r @#$% en wil nt win th title cz lfc r comin!!!
screw all manutd fans u stink
email bk kalindekafeyahoocouk
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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!!!
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.
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.
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?
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
hi
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
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.
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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.
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.
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