Premier League - Berbatov saves United

Eurosport - Tue, 30 Dec 09:47:00 2008

Manchester United continued the defence of their Premier League title with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough at Old Trafford.

FOOTBALL 2008/09 Premier League Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov scores against Middlesbrough - 0

Striker Dimitar Berbatov scored the only goal of the game on 69 minutes to leave United seven points behind league leaders Liverpool with two games in hand.

Berbatov reacted quickly when Michael Carrick's cross rebounded off defender David Wheater to fire into the top corner from the centre of the penalty area to seal the win.

The Bulgarian was starting in place of Carlos Tevez - who has returned to Argentina for what has been described as a "family issue" - and he took a long time to get fully involved in the match

United had plenty of chances to open the scoring throughout the game before the eventual winner, with Rafael da Silva, Park Ji-sung, Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo all missing good chances.

Ronaldo was involved in almost all of the key moments in the first half, but missed half a dozen chances to put his side ahead before the break.

In the final act of the first half, he felt he was obstructed by Emanuel Pogatetz in the penalty area as the pair tussled for a corner kick and the Boro defender appeared to have grabbed the Portuguese around the neck as the ball came in.

However, referee Martin Atkinson did not award the penalty that Ronaldo vehemently appealed for.

United will probably have few games this season as one-sided as this but they were in real danger of stumbling in their bid to close the gap on Liverpool.

Credit must also go to Middlesbrough, especially goalkeeper Ross Turnbull, who put in a disciplined performance which very nearly paid off with a point.

Turnbull was in the action early on turning aside Rooney's 18-yard low curling effort and then palming Ronaldo's resulting cross away from the lurking Berbatov.

Ronaldo sliced horribly wide and Park had a shot deflected for a corner as United continued to dominate against but found Boro's defending resolute.

Then two Ronaldo free-kicks from either side of the pitch went wide and straight at Turnbull.

Midway through the half Afonso Alves' half-hit shot was blocked by Carrick and then shot over after easily turning Vidic to give United a warning they could not afford to switch off.

Ronaldo scuffed Rooney's cross wide with his weaker foot when he should have hit the target with the Portugal winger also forcing another low save out of Turnbull.

Right-back Rafael also got in on the act when he blazed into the side-netting when the goalkeeper palmed Rooney's left-wing cross into his path.

Rooney should have given the hosts the lead when he sprang the offside trap in the 35th minute but inexplicably chose to pass rather than shoot and although they won a corner Vidic headed a good chance wide.

Two minutes before half-time Chris Riggott produced a superbly-timed block inside the penalty area to deny Berbatov just as he was about to shoot.

United were quickly into their stride after the break, although Carrick was caught in two minds as to whether to pass or shoot and ended up scuffing the ball straight to Turnbull.

Boro's determination to keep a clean sheet saw Matthew Bates clatter into Rooney, taking the man and the ball, but Atkinson ruled it a fair challenge.

However, Park was the first to be booked after hacking down Julio Arca in the 53rd minute.

Boro's first chance of the half saw Alves' shot deflect for a corner off Vidic after a quick counter-attack.

Tuncay could have given the visitors a shock lead in the 62nd minute when he dived to meet Bates' cross into the six-yard area but diverted the ball wide.

An indication things were not going United's way was when Park's shot was stopped by Vidic from Rooney's left-wing free-kick.

Moments later the South Korea midfielder was denied again from long range by the outstanding Turnbull, with Ronaldo driving wide on the turn from United's next attack before Berbatov finally made the breakthrough.

Park then produced a contender for miss of the season when he somehow ballooned over from three yards from substitute Gary Neville's cross.

Turnbull again stopped a Ronaldo thunderbolt as United pressed for a second with Carrick curling a 20-yard shot wide.

However, United had done enough to close the gap on Liverpool to seven points with two matches in hand.

Sporting Life / Eurosport

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  1. LIVERPOOL WILL WIN THE PREM THIS YEAR NO PROBS

    From mcmullan.aaron, on Tue 30 Dec 8:15AM

  2. Dimitar Berbatov is doing well at united, you can work­ that out by watching the game last night! when­ manchester United won middlesbrogh. To be honest I­ think it should have been more than 1-0 because they­ had more than 1 good player on the pitch. Fergie still­ trying to win the title with lots of premier league­ games to go. can liverpool stay 1st and win the title?­ can chelsea get past LFC? Manchester United get past­ chelsea and livey. different targets for different­ teams.

    From Nath, on Tue 30 Dec 7:07AM

  3. ray ur talking about kings of england ,europe and­ world.no british has ever done this before.dont be­ childish.united r only seven adrift of liverpool with­ two games in hand.do u remember wt happen last season­ .arsenal lead by 5points at ney year.at the end who won­ it?hahhahaaha

    From nathan_jking, on Tue 30 Dec 6:44AM

  4. ray ur talking about kings of england ,europe and­ world.no british has ever done this before.dont be­ childish.united r only seven adrift of liverpool with­ two games in hand.do u remember wt happen last season­ .arsenal lead by 5points at ney year.at the end who won­ it?hahhahaaha

    From nathan_jking, on Tue 30 Dec 6:44AM

  5. Well I can't say it was a vintage United­ performance but we got the 3 points which is what­ counts at the moment so well done United....

    It's­ times like these that the team need to grind out­ results to get points on the table & hopefully the­ team will come out of this scoring slump because if the­ season comes down to goal difference United might not­ have enough to secure the title in their current form.

    From Dex Genius, on Tue 30 Dec 6:41AM

  6. Ray, tri-mur forget bout Manu players move directly to­ Liverpool we have witness the un-professional attitude­ in the so called best club in europe or now in the­ world maybe????that is when Liverpool fail to landed­ Gabriel Heinze from ManU ...reason I m sure you all­ Liverpool and Manu fans should know...now question is­ why Mikel Selvestre can be allowed to moved directly to­ Arsenal (Rivals of ManU too)...and why ManU have to­ bring this matter to court if one of their player wants­ a move to Liverpool DIRECTLY????If you consider Mr Alex­ Fergie and company is a wise and true professional in­ football business in general, what's wrong with­ losing your player to Liverpool and yet Heinze is out­ of favour at that time...

    From ro, on Tue 30 Dec 6:36AM

  7. United well done... ur d best n its a mission­ impossible 2 chase u guys... u Rock... n dis time­ united gonna get d title n also d champions league...­ coz its all man u, man u & man u "THE ALL TIME­ CHAMPIONS"... SIR ALEX UR D BEST... ROCK­ ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

    From Hardik, on Tue 30 Dec 6:20AM

  8. Die Wahrheit tut schon Weh und aus diesem Grund werden­ meine Kommentaren immer ausgeloscht. Na ja, dann­ schreibe Ich in einer anderen Sprache. Der Scheisskerl­ Silent~screamz soll von diesem Blatt ausgesetzt werden­ und wo moglich seine Zahne reingehammert werden. Es ist­ typisch dass diese verfluchte englische Blatt solches­ Verhalten erlaubt.
    Silent~screamz, Du bist so­ unglaublich perverse, es ist einfach nicht zum fassen.­ Nimm Dich zusammen und erscheine hier nicht mehr.

    From sappercommando25, on Tue 30 Dec 5:55AM

  9. Wenn mein Kritik standig ausgeloscht von diesem Blatt­ wird, dann schreibe Ich was Ich denke uber die scheiss­ Englander auf einer anderen Sprache.

    From Sintija O, on Tue 30 Dec 5:41AM

  10. Silent~screamz, Ich glaube dass Du unter dem kalten­ Wetter leidest. Hat das Wetter einen negativen Einfluss­ auf Dein Gehirn gehabt?

    From Sintija O, on Tue 30 Dec 5:40AM

  11. Silent~screamz, es sieht aus als hattest Du einen­ Minderwertigkeitscomplex mein Freund. Wie alt bist Du­ eigentlich?

    From Sintija O, on Tue 30 Dec 5:38AM

  12. Silent~screamz, Vielleicht bist Du einer.

    From Sintija O, on Tue 30 Dec 5:37AM

  13. Silent~screamz lololololololololololololololololol

    From Sintija O, on Tue 30 Dec 5:36AM

  14. Lampard and Ballack v's Scholes and Giggs.

    Do not­ make us all laugh Ray. Even with their zimmer frames­ Scholes and Giggs could run ring around those two.

    How­ about a trophy count... Which pair has won the most­ trophy's?

    How about a friendly wager. Which pair­ will win the most trophy's this season?

    The­ problem with Chelsea fans is that you've had so­ little success over the years that you think winning a­ trophy or 2 makes you the best team in the country.­ However, consistency is the true measure of success and­ from that point of view you are way behind United,­ Arsenal and if we take into account their recent­ European record then even Liverpool.

    Do try watching­ some more football Ray.

    Here's a prediction for­ you. Chelsea come close but win nothing this year. Then­ off course it's time for a new manager. Chelsea is­ the only club in the premier league that would sack­ it's manager after he had taken then to seconds­ away from winning the Champions League. And that is why­ you will fail!

    Can't wait to see the Red devils­ eat you alive at Old Trafford this year!

    From tri_mur, on Tue 30 Dec 5:23AM

  15. Wekk done Man Utd, I would love to see you second if we­ can carry on to win it YNWA

    From Dave, on Tue 30 Dec 4:27AM

  16. Gaban - Mau U are the bastion of english football­ heritage then? How many englishmen were in the starting­ eleven tonight? Would it be two? Anyway, take off your­ xenophobic hat for just a moment and answer the­ question I asked. This is why Man U are going down the­ pan. The sooner you glory hunters recognise this and­ get back to supporting your local teams such as Luton,­ Reading and Brighton the better for all of us. And the­ scotsman can finally go home to Aberdeen and finish his­ fish gutting apprenticeship.

    From Ray, on Tue 30 Dec 4:04AM

  17. Get real Ray. You're talking about Liverpool? They­ are Spanish club, mate! Who's non-foreign Liverpool­ player other big clubs wants to buy? Only Gerrard,­ mate. As for Man U, yeah we're lucky to won treble­ last year (plus World Club Cup). But Liverpool will be­ extremely lucky if they can win EPL this season. If Man­ U utilize their 2 games in hand, only 1 point below,­ dude.

    From gaban76, on Tue 30 Dec 3:48AM

  18. tri-mur - please enlighten me - who other then the­ players named would be of interest to either Liverpool­ or Chelsea? Giggs, Scholes or Neville (would we have to­ pay extra for the zimmer frames?) Tevez or Berbatov?­ (instead of Torres , Drogba, Anelka or Keane?) Van Der­ Sar? (hehehehe you are having a laugh) Carrick,­ Hargreaves, Nani, Park, O'Shea, Fletcher (think­ Gerrard, Lampard, Ballack, Alonso, Deco,­ Mascherano).
    Granted that Vidic and Brown could­ continue to make a living playing football - but not at­ a top club.

    The glory days are over for another 25­ years - move over and be quiet.

    From Ray, on Tue 30 Dec 3:40AM

  19. Ray why don't you change your name to Richard. You­ are obviously a bit of a Richard. United have already­ been crowned world cup champions this season. So­ that's one piece of silverware in the cupboard­ already. Try watching the game and then your comments­ won't be sound quite so retarded.

    Best of luck­ with getting your brain to start working

    From tri_mur, on Tue 30 Dec 3:27AM

  20. Time to wake up and smell the coffee you mancs - you­ were lucky to win anything last year and will be even­ luckier if the cupboard isnt completely bare next may.­ Ask yourselves this simple question - if the whole­ united squad was put up for sale tomorrow how many­ would liverpool or chelsea be interested in buying? The­ answer is two, three or maybe four depending on your­ perspective - Rooney and Ronaldo definitely, maybe­ Ferdinand (but neither team really need him) and Evra­ if Liverpool felt they needed him. The rest of them­ could head for Bolton, Blackburn or Newcastle (or­ similar).

    From Ray, on Tue 30 Dec 3:16AM
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