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

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  1. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Man cheater united !!!!!!!!!!

    From mmacho99, on Sun 22 Feb 8:24AM

  2. liverpool have no chance of beating man utd at home and­ no chance of winning the pl we are 8 points clear my be­ 5 at the end of today but who cares man u will win the­ pl again this year. like the saying goes you tried buy­ you failed ha ha ha man utd forever

    From kellystyz, on Sun 22 Feb 8:23AM

  3. Man cheater united ..

    From mmacho99, on Sun 22 Feb 8:23AM

  4. About Bali B's comment (157) - I hope Man U never­ go 11 or more points clear; like most Man U fans he­ would have run out of fingers and be unable to count­ that high!

    From DAVID, on Sun 22 Feb 8:19AM

  5. Why would Pederson go down, he'd only to square the­ ball and there was an open net!!

    From go_on_brett, on Sun 22 Feb 8:09AM

  6. It is obvious every Manu game is controversial, all­ with referee’s decisions in question! What makes me­ wonder is that all decisions give them maximum points.­ The ref started by giving them a corner which wasn’t,­ then a series of favours before he denied Blackburn a­ clear penalty.

    The strange thing is that what happened­ in this game happens in all the matches (Manu) they get­ involved. At the end of the season they will have­ gained more than undeserved 12 points.
    If you take­ these points off them, any top 5 will have more points­ than them, which means if they win the title, they will­ have stolen the championship!!!

    From james, on Sun 22 Feb 8:07AM

  7. I am no Man U supporter. But I believe the ref was­ right both for the Ronaldo booking and Not awarding the­ penalty for Blackburn. Both players tried to con him.­ Pederson was desperate for the slightest contact to­ fall over. Evra didnt pull him it was just a hand on­ the shoulder. If it had happened outside the box he­ would have carried on running.

    From Simon B, on Sun 22 Feb 7:42AM

  8. So what do the FA do about Ronaldo?? I seem to remember­ SWP got suspended for kicking out at a Stoke­ player.........so will the FA do the same for Ronaldo?­ It's not like it's the first time he's­ kicked out at an opponent this season either. I doubt­ anything will happen, as when Rafa pointed out during­ his rant, ManU don't get punished for these types­ of things do they!

    From Lee P, on Sun 22 Feb 7:18AM

  9. 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­ 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­ 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­ 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­ 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS­ CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8­ POINTS CLEAR!!!!­ 8 POINTS CLEAR!!!! 8 POINTS

    From Bali Tenno, on Sun 22 Feb 6:54AM

  10. I think u r wrong (Toby Keel / Eurosport). Rafael coz­ the speculation of the penalti situation instead of­ evra that u mention a red card possible for him.

    e-Bam

    From e-Bam, on Sun 22 Feb 6:53AM

  11. If we turn the clock 2 months back. Liverpoo was on top­ and all Liverpoo fans were talking about winning the PL­ and how easy it is for them this year and how they are­ better than the other teams etc etc.. 2 months later­ and they are 8 points adrift and they are saying the PL­ is not won in Feb and if Liverpoo beats ManU it would­ be a 2-point race etc etc. I am surprised there are not­ many politicians from Liverpoo, cause politicians have­ both the stupidity and audacity to say something and­ then say the opposite while looking at you in the­ eyes..

    From Half A Brain, on Sun 22 Feb 5:06AM

  12. yea ronaldo's father was a submarine captain, his­ vice captain was stevie g's father

    From monyet_beracun, on Sun 22 Feb 4:25AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I wonder if Ronaldo's father was captain of a­ submarine and kept saying dive dive dive.

    From pat., on Sun 22 Feb 3:57AM

  14. hmm
    12 game yet to come.but i'am sure man utd can­ hold the title again for this season..liverpool is a­ good team but united is so much better in­ attacking,defend,possesion even in­ morality..livepool,as i can say a good team but they­ did't have more 'aura' in every game that­ they played.etc:not every game they played that people­ saw can be describe as­ 'entertaining'..eventhough they have a good­ player in camp but as far i look,they can played­ together with 'harmony',for example,you can­ look the game that gerrard did'n played,look at the­ midfield area,look at the way they attacking opponent­ side..is sOOOO bored!!suppostly every player in team­ should played as the always played.because that they­ are always trained and played­ for.hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

    From asraff f, on Sun 22 Feb 3:14AM

  15. the winner has nothing to say to the loser, well the­ loser can talk as much as they like, wont change a­ thing

    From monyet_beracun, on Sun 22 Feb 3:02AM

  16. mcricken,
    still 12 games till the end off.

    From HOVAbyte, on Sun 22 Feb 2:52AM

  17. Liverpool v Man City is no guarantee. City are the sort­ of team who can both excite and exhasperate within­ days. There's no doubt that Liverpool can't­ afford to drop points, like Arsenal did today against­ Sunderland. I know Gerrard is missing, but is Torres­ fit? I think the key will be whether or not City can­ cut his supply lines.
    Kuyte ( excuse possible bad­ spelling ) is one of those players that can be­ frustrating too. He can run all day, but sometimes I­ get the feeling he's like a dog chasing a car, and­ he'd have no idea what to do with it when he­ catches it.

    From David, on Sun 22 Feb 2:48AM

  18. ekykki,
    Your grammar is worse than donneysbeck.

    From HOVAbyte, on Sun 22 Feb 2:45AM

  19. simon7685,
    I believe you may have fallen asleep and be­ dreaming.

    From HOVAbyte, on Sun 22 Feb 2:44AM

  20. Give the wee fellow plenty to drink Donny, try and­ flush it out of him. Good luck with that.

    From David, on Sun 22 Feb 2:43AM
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