Football Live

Wednesday December 26, 2007 Finished Stadium of Light

Logo 0 - Manchester United 4

Sunderland

Manchester United

  • Rooney 16’
  • Saha 27’, 84’
  • Ronaldo 43’

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Sunderland
    • Manchester United
    • - Thanks for joining me this evening; make sure you stick around for all the latest from the Premier League.
    • 90 ALL OVER! United cruise to a comfortable victory, capped by Saha's late penalty. They go top of the Premier League - if only for a few hours...
    • 88 To their credit, Sunderland are still working hard - they have just been outclassed today by a ruthless United performance.
    • 84 GOAL! Nani is brought down by Collins, who just catches the heels of the winger as he burst into the area; Saha steps up to roll the penalty down the middle and give United a fourth.
    • 81 The match is rather fizzling out, predictably; United haven't really got out of second gear in this half.
    • 78 GOOD CLAIM! Tomasz Kuszczak comes through a crowd to claim an inswinging cross from the left wing. The United understudy keeper has been very solid this afternoon.
    • 74 BAD MISS! Rooney has his head in his hands after firing a first-time shot over from six yards after he had met Nani's low cross from the right.
    • 72 United sub: Gerard Pique comes on for Vidic as Fergie gives the big Serbian a rest for the final twenty minutes or so.
    • 69 GOOD DEFENDING! A nice break from Sunderland is switched from left to right before a dangerous low cross into the middle is superbly cut out at the near post by the long leg of Ferdinand.
    • 63 It's been a more spirited performance from Sunderland in the second half; they just haven't been able to carve out anything decent by way of a chance.
    • 59 SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER! Park slide Nani in inside the area; he is approaching goal at an angle from the left, but should have done better with his shot, which is lifted over the keeper but wide of the far post.
    • 55 Ronaldo is brought off; he is clearly unhappy with the challenge that seemed to catch his ankle. Park is on for his first appearance since his comeback from injury.
    • 54 DECENT EFFORT! Jones spins his marker on the edge of the box before curling a left-foot effort goalwards, Tomasz Kuszczak gets down smartly at his near post to save.
    • 52 Ronaldo is caught on the ankle by a late tackle; he hobbles away, but it is unsure at the moment if the injury is serious enough to see hi withdrawn.
    • 50 Etuhu fires high over the bar from 20 yards after the ball had been rolled into his path on the edge of the penalty area.
    • 48 Keane, who I suspect realises this game is beyond his side now, has made a change at the break, replacing Wallace with Leadbitter.
    • 46 The second half is underway...
    • 45 HALF-TIME: United haven't exactly dominated, but they have been ruthless. Game over at the break.
    • 44 GOAL! CLASSIC RONALDO! The brilliant winger curls a beautiful free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards to give United a three-goal lead. The Champions are strolling here.
    • 39 CLEARANCE! Nani breaks down the left before chipping a dangerous-looking cross into the middle; Gordon decides against coming for it, and Higginbotham heads clear.
    • 37 Wallace brings a save out of Tomasz Kuszczak in the United goal, the keeper forced to tip over a long-range effort.
    • 31 United win a free-kick in a good spot, right-centre, 40-yards out...Ronaldo blasts goalwards, but Gordon punches clear, low at his near post.
    • 27 GOAL! UNITED ARE ON A ROLL! Rooney picks up a good ball down the left from Ronaldo; the striker cuts inside before curling a low cross in to Saha, who sidefoots home from close range.
    • 26 Fletcher is booked for a challenge that leaves Ross Wallace on the turf; very harsh booking from referee Uriah Rennie.
    • 25 Sunderland are going to be in for a long afternoon unless they can find a way to put the shackles on United wingers Nani and Ronaldo.
    • 22 SHAMBOLIC! Sunderland have the chance to test the United keeper when they are handed a free-kick on the edge of the box...only for a misunderstanding between the players taking the set-piece sees the chance disappear!
    • 17 GOAL! ROONEY OPENS THE SCORING! The burly striker beats the off-side trap, gets on to Wes Brown's pass, strolls through an enormous hole in the Sunderland defence before rolling a shot under Gordon.
    • 13 Sunderland have started brightly here; no sign that manager Roy Keane has told his men to try and contain United or play for a draw.
    • 10 ETUHU! The big midfielder manages to get outside his man before before firing in a left-foot effort...six yards wide.
    • 7 Early chance for United to test Gordon in the United goal as Ronaldo lines up a free-kick....Ronaldo blasts it with power, but Gordon punches clear.
    • 5 Plenty of changes for United this afternoon as Sir Alex Ferguson shuffles his pack at the start of the busy festive period.
    • 3 There were an amazing five red cards in the Premier League's three early kick-offs; will the players be able to control themselves here?
    • - Hello, welcome to our coverage of this afternoon's Premiership clash between Manchester United and Sunderland at The Stadium of Light.

  • Team Stats

    Sunderland Stats Manchester United
    41% Possession 59%
    12 Shots 19
    2 Shots on target 10
    1 Saves 0
    4 Corners 3
    12 Fouls 14
    0 Offsides 4
    2 Yellow cards 1
    0 Red cards 0
    31 Tackles 29
    249 Accurate passes 371
    53 Bad passes 62

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Sunderland
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Craig Gordon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0
      6 Paul McShane 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 11 2 1
      14 Danny Higginbotham 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 11 3 4
      15 Danny Collins 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 26 17 4
      4 Dickson Etuhu 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 27 3 2
      19 Dwight Yorke 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 34 7 1
      39 Martin Waghorn 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 19 8 1
      8 Dean Whitehead 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 27 0 8
      33 Ross Wallace 0 3 1 2 1 0 0 13 8 0
      17 Kenwyne Jones 0 3 1 0 2 0 0 21 1 1
      16 Michael Chopra 0 1 0 2 3 0 0 15 1 0
      18 Grant Leadbitter 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 22 1 8
      13 Darren Ward 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      10 Kieran Richardson 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 14 2 1
      23 Roy O'Donovan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
      20 Andy Cole 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    • Manchester United
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      29 Tomasz Kuszczak 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 0
      5 Rio Ferdinand 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 30 0 0
      22 John O'Shea 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 28 11 7
      6 Wes Brown 0 2 1 0 3 0 1 27 1 5
      15 Nemanja Vidic 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 22 2 1
      24 Darren Fletcher 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 51 10 2
      16 Michael Carrick 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 52 3 3
      17 Luís Almeida da Cunha 0 4 2 0 2 1 0 30 7 2
      7 Cristiano Ronaldo 1 3 3 1 1 0 0 27 4 3
      10 Wayne Rooney 1 4 2 1 1 2 1 46 9 1
      9 Louis Saha 2 5 2 2 1 1 0 30 7 4
      19 Gerard Pique 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 1 0
      13 Ji-sung Park 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 16 5 1
      3 Patrice Evra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      38 Tom Heaton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      32 Carlos Tevez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

  • Summary

    • 84 GOAL! Nani is brought down by Collins, who just catches the heels of the winger as he burst into the area; Saha steps up to roll the penalty down the middle and give United a fourth.
    • 74 BAD MISS! Rooney has his head in his hands after firing a first-time shot over from six yards after he had met Nani's low cross from the right.
    • 69 GOOD DEFENDING! A nice break from Sunderland is switched from left to right before a dangerous low cross into the middle is superbly cut out at the near post by the long leg of Ferdinand.
    • 59 SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER! Park slide Nani in inside the area; he is approaching goal at an angle from the left, but should have done better with his shot, which is lifted over the keeper but wide of the far post.
    • 54 DECENT EFFORT! Jones spins his marker on the edge of the box before curling a left-foot effort goalwards, Tomasz Kuszczak gets down smartly at his near post to save.
    • 44 GOAL! CLASSIC RONALDO! The brilliant winger curls a beautiful free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards to give United a three-goal lead. The Champions are strolling here.
    • 27 GOAL! UNITED ARE ON A ROLL! Rooney picks up a good ball down the left from Ronaldo; the striker cuts inside before curling a low cross in to Saha, who sidefoots home from close range.
    • 17 GOAL! ROONEY OPENS THE SCORING! The burly striker beats the off-side trap, gets on to Wes Brown's pass, strolls through an enormous hole in the Sunderland defence before rolling a shot under Gordon.
    • 10 ETUHU! The big midfielder manages to get outside his man before before firing in a left-foot effort...six yards wide.
    • 7 Early chance for United to test Gordon in the United goal as Ronaldo lines up a free-kick....Ronaldo blasts it with power, but Gordon punches clear.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Uriah Rennie

  • Sunderland

    Manager: Roy Keane

    Captain: Dean Whitehead

    On the Field

    • Gordon
    • Whitehead
    • McShane
    • Higginbotham
    • Collins
    • Etuhu
    • Yorke
    • Waghorn
    • Wallace
    • Chopra
    • Jones

    Subs

    • Cole
    • Ward
    • Richardson
    • Leadbitter
    • O'Donovan

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Manchester United

    Manager: Alex Ferguson

    On the Field

    • Kuszczak
    • Brown
    • Ferdinand
    • Vidic
    • O'Shea
    • Ronaldo Goal Substitution Out (56′)
    • Carrick
    • Fletcher Yellow Card
    • Nani
    • Rooney Goal
    • Saha Goals×2

    Subs

    • Evra
    • Tevez
    • Heaton
    • Park Substitution In56′
    • Pique

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None