Premier League - United recover to hammer Spurs

Eurosport - Sun, 26 Apr 10:37:00 2009

Manchester United staged a stunning comeback from two goals down to beat Tottenham 5-2 at Old Trafford and reclaim top spot in the Premier League.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Manchester United Wayne Rooney Dimitar Berbatov - 0

The champions were facing defeat after Darren Bent and Luka Modric had taken advantage of yet more shaky United defending to put Spurs two up before half-time.

But a dubious penalty award on 56 minutes sparked an incredible turnaround that saw United score five times in the second half.

Cristiano Ronaldo's expert penalty conversion was followed by a four-minute blitz that yielded a further three goals - another from Ronaldo and two from Wayne Rooney - before Dimitar Berbatov rounded off the scoring on 79 minutes.

The result sent United back to the summit, deposing Liverpool who had kept warm the position for a couple of hours, as the champions took a huge stride towards retaining their title for a third consecutive year. They are three points clear and have five matches remaining to Liverpool's four.

But for all the deserved plaudits for a simply stunning comeback which saw some thrilling attacking football and a virtuoso display from Rooney, focus will inevitably turn on referee Howard Webb's role in proceedings.

The official pointed to the spot after when Heurelho Gomes was adjudged to have brought down Michael Carrick in the box despite replays later showing the Brazilian to have touched the ball before the man.

The decision turned the game, which United appeared to on the verge of losing, totally on its head as Spurs capitulated amid some fine play from the hosts.

Ronaldo's spot-kick seemed to instil belief in United while galvanising a team which had previously looked racked with nerves.

Rooney was the architect, firing through Vedran Corluka's legs to pull United level before playing a magnificent ball through for Ronaldo to register his second with a diving header a minute later.

Rooney then bagged his second of the day after Ronaldo repaid the compliment with a clipped ball through which the England international controlled before firing goalwards - Gomes got something on it, but the ball crept over the line before Jonathan Woodgate scrambled it away.

Berbatov completed the scoring, bundling the ball over the line after Gomes had spilled his initial header on 79 minutes, to repay his manager's faith in him.

Ferguson sent out a strong side, with Berbatov recalled to the starting line-up despite United fans' barracking of the player following his lacklustre penalty miss in last weekend's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Everton.

The former Tottenham man was again targeted by some sections of the crowd, although it was not entirely clear whether he was being booed by Spurs fans or the home faithful.

But the Bulgarian was involved for United soon after kick-off, nearly getting on the end of a cute Darren Fletcher through pass in the second minute as the early exchanges offered plenty of open and entertaining football - from both sides.

Ronaldo provided United's main threat going forward, his 21st-minute free-kick forcing a save out of Gomes before a header flashed wide of the post.

But Spurs winger Aaron Lennon was in particularly dangerous mood, and the England international had the upper hand on Patrice Evra right from the start.

It was the tricky winger's measured cross that led to the game's first real chance, Bent forcing Edwin van der Sar to turn round the post with a back-stick header.

Lennon was again involved as Spurs took the lead on 29 minutes, his pass finding Corluka before the Croat sent a cross into the danger area. Rio Ferdinand failed to deal with it as he rose to challenge Bent and the ball dropped kindly to the Spurs striker, who gleefully lashed home from close range.

With United's back line again looking shaky, despite the presence of both Ferdinand and his central defensive partner Nemanja Vidic, Spurs sensed blood.

And they tasted it again just three minutes later, Lennon again taking on Evra to the by-line before crossing to Modric who controlled on his chest and fired past Van der Sar.

Two-nil down and United started to pour forward in search of the goal that would get them back into the game. Again the hosts looked to Ronaldo for inspiration and the Ballon d'Or winner nearly provided it on 38 minutes.

Only a wonder save from Gomes denied the Portuguese from 25 yards after his initial free-kick had rebounded straight back to him off the wall.

Moments later Gomes was again forced into action, this time to deny Wayne Rooney a sharp turn and shot and there was to be no respite for the Brazilian after the break as United emerged with renewed vigour, and there was nothing he could do about the onslaught which followed.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

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  1. 748 (coryn)
    a) you could cleary see Gomez getting the­ ball first WHEN YOU WATCH THE REPLAY WHICH H WEBB­ DIDN'T SEE. are you forgetting this?
    b) its not the­ refs fault the spurs bottled it? if you lost all­ confidence then thats the fault of your players who­ pocket tens of thousands a week and a manager who­ should be used to refs mistaking mistakes by now
    c) 5­ goals in 22 mins suggest form returned dont you­ think?

    learn how to take responsability for throwing­ away a good first half performance and reacting to a­ ref mistake like a bunch of babies.

    From Dominic, on Wed 29 Apr 10:14AM

  2. post 752 - hahahaha. your forgetting something though­ arn't you? mistakes are made up and down the­ country every weekend but the media only talk about the­ ones that happen in favour of the top 4 - Utd in­ particular. It was a bad decision and it did change the­ game. and what did your little boy yids do? they whined­ and crumbled and let in FOUR MORE GOALS. instead of­ being bigger and better than a refs mistake and fight­ tooth and nail to shore things up. its easy to blame a­ ref that dosn't have any assistance and has to make­ incredibly tough and quick decisions with 76,000 people­ watching and shouting. so keep on bleating like the­ team you support and keep on winning nothing and being­ mediocre every season.

    From Dominic, on Wed 29 Apr 10:10AM

  3. I just don't understand why some idiots bring up­­ the 4 other goals, it's like saying 'I stole­­ 100 quid but I worked & earned my other 400­­ quid'. Nobody gives a flying F.CK about 400 quid­­ you legitimately earned - it's all about the 100­­ quid that you stole. If you can't see this,­ I'm­ not even sure we're same species­ 'cause I just­ can't belive that a human being­ can fail to­ understand this simple distinction, i.e.­ unless you are­ a sh.t laying around on the street, you­ should be able­ to understand the difference between­ 'crying about­ the lost match' and the wrong­ penalty decision­ we're talking about here.

    From Yea-Joon, on Tue 28 Apr 2:02AM

  4. sack the ref, joker!!! he wore a united shirt all day­ he was @#$%!!!!

    From gus h, on Mon 27 Apr 10:50AM

  5. This just happens too often at Old Trafford? Howard­ Webb, I understand, is the Premiership's Top­ Referee at the moment and yet he makes such an­ outrageous mistake which undoubtedly had a major effect­ on the game, the one thing you do not want to see. I do­ believe that the FA should investigate this matter­ fully.

    From Suft 26, on Mon 27 Apr 5:01AM

  6. this is what we call comeback of the years...unlike­ liverpool...comeback like drunk man...goal..here goal­ there...finaly draw..lol...glory~glory man united

    From Monkey L, on Mon 27 Apr 3:35AM

  7. if it hadn't been for that stupid penalty....
    i bet­ any man utd fan that if the penalty hadn't happened­ spurs would have at least drawn, if not won.
    you could­ clearly see
    a) Gomes touched the ball before Carrick­ came down falling on his arm
    b) Spurs completely lost­ confidence after that
    c) Man Utd are a great team, no­ denying that, but they just weren't in form.
    the­ only reason they came back with those 4 goals is­ because of the penalty.
    come on you spurs!

    From Coryn, on Mon 27 Apr 2:24AM

  8. My last comment was addressed to the idiots who­ validate comments here for invalidating pefectly­ reasonable comments and processing one in which the­ only word was a**eholes!

    From sparrow, on Mon 27 Apr 1:56AM

  9. Arseholes!!!!!!!!!!

    From sparrow, on Mon 27 Apr 1:54AM

  10. caleb i think you will find that evra was getting­ walloped on his side was because of that lazy toerag­ nani who wasnt chasing back to help out hence why­ fergie took him off and put rooney on the left did­ lennon do much in the second half no cos he was too­ busy chasing rooney nani should be sold he aint a­ united player and wont make it unless he ups his game­ mate

    From dazmanutdtrble1999, on Sun 26 Apr 9:38PM

  11. I refuse to understand a system of play which justifies­ a defender moving backwards towards his goal area­ whenever an attacker is approaching. Patrice Evra used­ to be one of the rocks of Gilbratar at United's­ defence. Aaron Lenon has now turned him into a­ 'customer' to be turned inside out at will. The­ other time it was Gary Neville. If we have to maintain­ our hold on the remaining competitions, something has­ to be done about our casual approach to matches. The­ time to act is now. As to the issue of the penalty, Man­ U's antagonists have forgotten that Mike Riley­ decided not to give us a penalty against Everton during­ the FA Cup Semi-Final match because he was wrongly­ dubbed a Man U fan. In September, 2001 at White Hart­ Lane, Tot were 3 goals up in the first half and Man U­ came back to win the match 3-5. One of the two goals­ scored by Arsenal against Mid'brough today came­ with its own controversy but the goal still stood.­ There was to be a clear penalty against Arsenal but it­ was not given and the result stood. Losers will always­ complain. The struggle continues. 'No retreat, no­ surrender'. Man U 4 Life!

    Caleb Arogundade.

    From Caleb, on Sun 26 Apr 8:34PM

  12. i wonder if Spurs now are top of the league of all time­ collapses. It seems they cant hang onto anything, no­ matter who plays for them. i remember them being 3 up­ and still losing to united a few years back, and i­ think 3 up against 10 men of manchester city and still­ losing. they turned victory into defeat at blackburn a­ couple of weeks back and now this clanger. Some things­ never change. I was hoping Harry would get a striker,­ but i think a defensive coach might be more useful for­ the next few years.

    From lionbeatspanther, on Sun 26 Apr 8:15PM

  13. ukdesigner who asked you to butt in anyone who calls­ themselves ukdesigner as got to be part of the brighton­ posse and the pink pound ha ha ha

    From dazmanutdtrble1999, on Sun 26 Apr 6:04PM

  14. Incredible, what a turn around result. Fans of Chelsea­ and Liverpool were very happy happy while United­ trailed behind Tottenham. They got infuriated as soon­ as the result turned around. We can clearly see that­ Carlos Tevez is one of the driving force we have in the­ club, no reason to keep him on the bench without­ injuries. Bravo United.

    From EmmanuelW, on Sun 26 Apr 5:38PM

  15. enjoy the moment..the gunners will dismantle u at the­ old trafford

    From fr0st, on Sun 26 Apr 5:12PM

  16. who cares what you liverpool fans think thats if you­ know how manchester united are looking down on you­ m.u.f.c. till i die

    From ALAN B, on Sun 26 Apr 4:38PM

  17. it was just a shame that united won soz to all united­ fans

    From smiley123, on Sun 26 Apr 4:24PM

  18. Thank you Howard Webb for winning the game for us.

    From smiley123, on Sun 26 Apr 3:43PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    liverpool the real reds of the north west scum bags

    From PAUL B, on Sun 26 Apr 2:59PM

  20. It was an superup come back on second off from MU'­ Am very happy to hear julasy of LP fans. It was not a­ dession of MU, they got a penality first goal. Still­ you see the Ronney's first goal. This the way MU­ plays.

    From sridhar, on Sun 26 Apr 2:45PM
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