Saturday March 16, 2013 Day 30 Finished Old Trafford

  1. Premier League - Rooney sends United 15 points clear

    Premier League - Rooney sends United 15 points clear

    Manchester United closed in on their 20th domestic title with a lifeless 1-0 win against Reading at Old Trafford. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Manchester United
    • Reading
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this and every Premier League game from 00:01 on Monday.
    • 90+6' There's the final whistle, as Manchester United go 15 points clear with nine games remaining. It wasn't a great performance, but they are in touching distance of the title.
    • 90+5' Last chance Reading as Morrison fires in a cross from the right. Unconvincing from Smalling but eventually Vidic heads it away.
    • 90+4' Kagawa clips a ball to Van Persie at the penalty spot - he tries a spectacular volley but fires it over.
    • 90+3' United win a succession of throws in the corner. It's quite impressive in a way - but definitely not exciting.
    • 90+2' Giggs goes to the corner flag and is fouled, taking a few more seconds off the clock.
    • 90+1' Five minutes of added time to be played.
    • 90' Robin van Persie clips a cross in from the right, but it does not reach Rooney at the far post.
    • 89' Reading change: Sean Morrison is on for Stephen Kelly. The corner comes to nothing.
    • 88' Shorey wins a corner on the Reading left... and a change coming.
    • 86' Man Utd change: Kagawa comes on for Anderson.
    • 85' Welbeck tees up Rooney who blazes his shot over the bar from the edge of the box.
    • 85' Van Persie is felled 25 yards out - but referee Mason plays a questionable advantage and Smalling wastes it.
    • 84' Good save Taylor! Van Persie plays Giggs in on the right with a deft pass, and his deflected shot is well stopped.
    • 83' United win a corner on the left as the ball goes out off McAnuff.
    • 82' With Aston Villa and Southampton winning today, Reading will be in real trouble if they cannot conjure an equaliser - joint bottom on 23 points.
    • 80' Confusion between Ferdinand and Vidic, who enventually takes the ball out for a throw. They may have been expecting De Gea to come for it...
    • 79' Rooney has moved out to the left following Young's exit, with Carrick bolstering the midfield.
    • 78' Rooney tries an ambitious chip of Taylor, but it's a truly abysmal effort and it sails high over.
    • 77' Van Persie crosses from the left... it's deflected high in the air and Reading clear.
    • 76' United pass the ball around in their own half. It has been desperately timid stuff from them, but they're 15 minutes away from going 15 points clear.
    • 74' Man Utd change: Michael Carrick comes on for Ashley Young.
    • 73' Ashley Young is still suffering after that challenge and it looks like he will be coming off.
    • 72' Reading are virtually camped out in the United half at the moment. They're having a good go at this.
    • 71' Two players down now after a thudding challenge between McCleary and Young. That looks painful on both counts...
    • 69' Reading changes: Adam Le Fondre and Nick Blackman on for Hunt and McCleary.
    • 68' This isn't a bad spell from Reading who are taking advantage of United's lack of vim.
    • 67' Nicky Shorey prepares to deliver a free-kick from the left... United manage to shepherd the ball clear. Good header by Rooney who gets a whack as he goes down.
    • 65' Van Persie has space on the right side of the box... but he is crowded out at the cost of a corner.
    • 64' Van Persie strikes the free-kick, and Taylor dives to his left to beat the ball away! Not too difficult a save, in truth.
    • 63' Here's an opportunity for United - a free-kick maybe 28 yards out, just right of centre. Rooney and Van Persie stand over it.
    • 61' The corner comes to nothing. Dreary stuff. Hunt has a cut lip and has to leave the pitch.
    • 60' Welbeck hits a low, long-range shot that deflects off a defender and goes wide.
    • 59' Robin van Persie fires over from 25 yards... dismal effort from him.
    • 58' Young play the overlapping Buttner in - he fires wide and both he and Karacan stay down after a hefty tackle.
    • 56' Yellow card Stephen Kelly as he goes in with his studs showing on Ashley Young. And a decent free-kick position for United.
    • 55' A really lacklustre display from Manchester United. A quiet crowd and it just feels like a game they are trying to get through with the minimum of incident.
    • 54' This has been quite a goal drought for Robin van Persie - he has not scored in his last 403 minutes of football in all competitions since a 45th minute goal in a 2-0 home win against Everton on February 10th.
    • 53' In the second half. The second half. But still. The visitors enjoying a good spell.
    • 52' Blimey - Reading have enjoyed 76% possession so far.
    • 51' Corner on the Reading left to be taken by McAnuff... too deep and over the man at the far post.
    • 50' Free-kick Reading as Robon-Kanu gets decked by Buttner. The visitors are not at all happy with the referee here...
    • 48' The replay does indeed suggest Vidic pushed Mariappa - the only issue really is what defenders normally get away with, which is quite a lot.
    • 47' Reading want a penalty! Vidic appears to push Mariappa as a corner comes in, the Reading man goes down but Lee Mason says no foul!
    • 46' Second half under way with no personnel changes from either side.
    • 45+1' That's half-time, and what an extraordinarily boring football match this is. United lead, though.
    • 45' One minute of added time to be played at the end of the first half.
    • 44' Welbeck has been good today, but his final ball less so. Again, he delivers a low cross that the first man cuts out.
    • 43' Noel Hunt slides into a challenge with his foot up - and while there's no real contact he cannot be surprised to pick up a yellow card.
    • 42' The rain is really coming down at Old Trafford - it's not helping what has been a pretty ordinary spectacle.
    • 41' McAnuff is allowed to run down the left, but when he takes shot he is closed down and the ball spins out for a goal kick.
    • 40' Giggs finds Welbeck who tries a backheel into the Welshman's path, but he gets it all wrong.
    • 39' Ooh, that's a doozy of a stat from Infostrada: "Rio Ferdinand provides just his 2nd career PL assist. His only other assist was for Cristiano Ronaldo in a 1-0 win at Birmingham in September 2007."
    • 37' Karacan plays a neat through ball that McCleary chases... he keeps the ball in play, but cannot find either the net or a team-mate.
    • 36' Welbeck dances around the box and gets a left-foot shot away, but it is blocked.
    • 35' It's another long spell of United possession, but there's no great tempo about their play.
    • 34' Welbeck gets well forward down the left and tries to pull it across goal, but there are plenty of white and blue shirts back.
    • 32' Hal Robson-Kanu! Hits a swerving 25-yarder that beats De Gea and goes just wide of the left-hand post, clipping the stanchion on the way through.
    • 31' Robin van Persie hits a 30-yarder that whips into the arms of Taylor.
    • 30' Giggs forward down the left... his cross takes a deflection and Taylor makes a decent catch.
    • 29' Welbeck nearly dispossesses Mariappa who dawdled on the ball, but it bounces kindly for the Reading man.
    • 27' That's a bit more like it - Rooney strikes a long range shot that bounces into the hands of Taylor.
    • 26' United stroke the ball around confidently but with little intent.
    • 25' Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck all start for the 5th time in the PL this season. United have won all 4 previous matches they’ve all started, scoring 12 goals.
    • 24' Wayne Rooney scores his 12th PL goal of the season and means United have now scored in their last 64 home PL matches. Only Wolves have a longer top-flight record of scoring in consecutive home league games from 1956 to 1959 (75 games).
    • 22' That was just about the first time United have seriously threatened the Reading goal, and that looping deflection gave Stuart Taylor no chance. Will still go down as a Rooney goal as the shot was on target.
    • 21' GOAL! Wayne Rooney gives Manchester United the lead, aided by a huge deflection! Rio Ferdinand romps forward from the back and finds Rooney, whose shot comes off Alex Pearce's heel and loops over Taylor into the net.
    • 20' Stuart Taylor comes out of his box, realises where he is on the pitch and heads the ball to safety!
    • 19' Robin van Persie hits a long range shot, but bobbles it weakly to the feet of a defender.
    • 18' The ball comes out to Welbeck at the edge of the box... high over the bar.
    • 17' Rooney bends in a cross from the right - lovely shape, but he cannot pick out a team-mate.
    • 16' Hal Robson-Kanu goes down inside the box, but referee Lee Mason rightly decides there was no foul by Buttner.
    • 14' Ashley Young! Cuts inside from the left side onto his right foot, and curls the ball just wide. He's not exactly been a standout player for United this season.
    • 13' Oh. the rugby? It's 9-3 to Wales at half-time, and a good game by all accounts.
    • 12' ...genuinely, not a sausage...
    • 11' ....nothing to say, really...
    • 9' United knock the ball around nicely enough - but it's just so sterile.
    • 8' Vidic concedes a throw deep inside United territory, but Reading merely work the ball all the way back into their own half.
    • 6' Eamonn Dolan claps gamely away on the touchline. Won't be unhappy with the first five minutes, in which almost nothing has happened.
    • 5' A rare opportunity for Alex Buttner, who has not exactly set the world alight since joining United. A chance for the left-back to prove his worth here.
    • 3' A slow start here... United bossing possession but it's a bit flat at Old Trafford and the play hasn't yet done anything to lift the mood.
    • 2' Manchester City's defeat at Everton means United can go 15 points clear. And, with just nine games left, that will surely be enough to take their 20th domestic title.
    • 1' Manchester United kick off, playing from left to right in red, white and black. Reading are also in their home strip of white and blu stripes.
    • 17:25 And if you like, you can follow Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich with us. Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich: Live
    • 17:20 Some interesting results in the early games - Arsenal win, Liverpool lose, and Aston Villa beat QPR in a big relegation battle. Premier League scores and scorers
    • 17:15 Eamonn Dolan (caretaker manager) planned to ask Brian McDermott about the team to face United. He said: "He’s asked me to pick the team. He’s spoken about trying to get a result and that’s genuinely all he said.”
    • 17:10 Sir Alex Ferguson: "Brian McDermott has done a good job given the outlay. He spent something like £1.2m and got in £7.4m and got them promoted to the Premier League. He was manager of the month in January - I hope I am not manager of the month this month."
    • 17:05 Manchester City's title bid may just have bitten the dust with defeat at Everton earlier - they went down 2-0 thanks in part to a Leon Osman wonder-strike. Report
    • 17:00 United could end the day 15 points ahead with nine matches to go if they pull off a victory today. And that, surely, would sew up the league title. Reading desperately need points, but it might not happen here. Latest table
    • 16:55 That's one of those Ferguson line-ups that only he can get away with. Let's call it top-heavy, with RVP, Rooney and Welbeck all starting, and the likes of Buttner and Giggs getting opportunities. Reading, with caretaker manager Eamonn Dolan in charge of his first game, don't surprise too many with their line-up, given they are without the likes of Kebe, Pogrebnyak and Federici.
    • 16:50 MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Smalling, Buttner, Ferdinand, Vidic; Anderson, Giggs, Young Welbeck; Rooney, Van Persie - Subs - Evans, Valencia, Lindegaard, Hernandez, Carrick, Powell, Kagawa /// READING: Taylor, Shorey, Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Karacan, Leigertwood, McAnuff, McCleary, Robson-Kanu, Hunt - Subs - McCarthy, Gunter, Harte, Morrison, Akpan, Blackman, Le Fondre
    • 16:45 Hello and welcome to live text commentary from the Premier League, where league leaders Manchester United welcome relegation-threatened Reading to Old Trafford.

  • Summary

    • 90+4' Kagawa clips a ball to Van Persie at the penalty spot - he tries a spectacular volley but fires it over.
    • 85' Welbeck tees up Rooney who blazes his shot over the bar from the edge of the box.
    • 84' Good save Taylor! Van Persie plays Giggs in on the right with a deft pass, and his deflected shot is well stopped.
    • 64' Van Persie strikes the free-kick, and Taylor dives to his left to beat the ball away! Not too difficult a save, in truth.
    • 47' Reading want a penalty! Vidic appears to push Mariappa as a corner comes in, the Reading man goes down but Lee Mason says no foul!
    • 32' Hal Robson-Kanu! Hits a swerving 25-yarder that beats De Gea and goes just wide of the left-hand post, clipping the stanchion on the way through.
    • 31' Robin van Persie hits a 30-yarder that whips into the arms of Taylor.
    • 27' That's a bit more like it - Rooney strikes a long range shot that bounces into the hands of Taylor.
    • 21' GOAL! Wayne Rooney gives Manchester United the lead, aided by a huge deflection! Rio Ferdinand romps forward from the back and finds Rooney, whose shot comes off Alex Pearce's heel and loops over Taylor into the net.
    • 14' Ashley Young! Cuts inside from the left side onto his right foot, and curls the ball just wide. He's not exactly been a standout player for United this season.
    • 16:50 MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Smalling, Buttner, Ferdinand, Vidic; Anderson, Giggs, Young Welbeck; Rooney, Van Persie - Subs - Evans, Valencia, Lindegaard, Hernandez, Carrick, Powell, Kagawa /// READING: Taylor, Shorey, Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Karacan, Leigertwood, McAnuff, McCleary, Robson-Kanu, Hunt - Subs - McCarthy, Gunter, Harte, Morrison, Akpan, Blackman, Le Fondre

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.2 6
      Defenders
      6.3 6
      6.4 7
      6.9 7
      1.8 6
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out85′ 1.8 6
      6.5 7
      6.5 7
      Substitution Out74′ 1.6 6
      Strikers
      Goal 7.4 7
      6.9 6
      Subs
      Substitution In74′ 5.8 7
      Substitution In85′ 6.5 -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      4.7 -
      Defenders
      Yellow Card Substitution Out88′ 4.4 6
      12 6
      12.2 7
      4.3 7
      Midfielders
      4.4 7
      5 6
      Substitution Out70′ 5.7 7
      5.1 6
      Strikers
      5.6 7
      Yellow Card Substitution Out70′ 4.1 6
      Subs
      Substitution In70′ 6 7
      Substitution In88′ 3.6 -
      Substitution In70′ 3.9 6

Comment 97 - 117 of 117

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  1. Up man united

    From Lekan Adeyemi, on Tue 26 Mar 16:04

  2. I do not know where did you load your english .Dear­ Cijay and Nik :I am Eduardo Villarreal and 70 years­ old. I never go to a meet whjt fair analysis .I am­ mexican and live in Monterrey Mexico.The only use of­ your racional inteligence and forgot the emotional you­ are lost only with a lot of words.The real thing i can­ see is that the best hard work striker is CH14 and he­ is in the bench.How many goals has been scored RVP in­ the last 10 games ???. Just OOOOOOOOOOOOOne ,­ UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUnoa Remember the last two games rvp­ zzzzzzzzzzero goals and Chicharito jus one vs Celsie in­ 45 min. and he did it in the first mins.. Ican speak­ from welbeck and ash. cole because both have only one­ goal in the epl this year. and WR using more minutes­ only 11 goals.This numbers are cold when you analyse­ and help you to decide the better option.soory for my­ english but al less i try to speak english. And the­ royal family do not speak spanish.

    From eduardo, on Mon 18 Mar 22:15

  3. ONLY ONE GOAL thats because redin played a tight­ defence. Pity about the goal or it could of been a very­ good point.

    From Roy, on Mon 18 Mar 11:46

  4. was a very poor game stats are that reading had 4 shots­ and none on target ,when has that happened before ??­ think they set out to starve and strangle united which­ they did very well against lesser sides they will not­ lose . has anyone noticed that when vidic plays we­ very rearly conceed any goals,he didn't play­ against chelsea and look what happened . It's funny­ how United refresh things for the season bring in van­ persie and seem to play a different style for diferent­ games but City have stayed the same and the good­ coached clubs have found them out and they are losing a­ lot of very winable games.Still like to see United play­ 2 widemen especially valencia we seem to create more­ chances with him playing and would like to see the­ stats for when he plays !!!!!!!! any answers ????????

    From steve, on Mon 18 Mar 9:13

  5. You have scored a great goal.

    From , on Sun 17 Mar 16:20

  6. I am not sure which game the expert was marking, he may­ also have fallen asleep and marked them while dreaming,­ and yet again we have to watch Welbeck whilst­ Hernandez is on the bench, Fergie may have to tell us­ how good Danny is next year as well, Hernandez may­ have gone to score for another club, only one goal­ against a very very poor side. From John.

    From , on Sun 17 Mar 13:48

  7. A few weeks ago Fergie said that nearly every time­ Chico plays, he delivers. So why the hell does he keep­ leaving him on the bench in favour of Wellbeck. He­ rarely scores and hardly ever provides an assist.­ Saying that, I don't think RVP has merited his­ inclusion lately either. Chico gets dropped or subbed­ even when he's playing well. I think Wellbeck is­ one extremely lucky boy with all these chances. He­ flatters to deceive. A decent player maybe but does not­ suit UTD.

    From RICHARD, on Sun 17 Mar 13:26

  8. Jack C, you are talking absolute TOSS. The likes of you­ should be euthanised at birth.

    From Vidic wasn't offside, on Sun 17 Mar 12:54

  9. About as convincing and genuine as a Hulk Hogan win at­ Wrestlemania

    From Nathan, on Sun 17 Mar 12:08

  10. WE got all the statistical data to write a bible, but­ we are given the name of the referee who directed this­ match.

    From Jack C, on Sun 17 Mar 12:08

  11. Could anyone with open mind think that a lesser known­ team and manger will ever win a championship season in­ EPL? In my opinion and unless someone or group steps­ in the remove biases, favoritism, ref denial of their­ mistakes proportionally in favor of one team or­ another, it is nearly impossible. Reading as bad as­ they are were rubbed by the central referee. If­ pushing, holding and denying access to football­ (Vicdic) is nit a fault, what constitutes a fault? ­ Maybe EPL has a different set of rules. It is not­ hate, jealousy or bias to admit that the team lack­ character and moral to come here citing that those who­ saw ManU get away with some many unsanctioned­ infractions (Rio, Vicdic, Rooney, VPC) are only­ supporters of opponents of the club. It is not right­ that just because a team is 15 miles points ahead, thei­ faults on opponents should be ignore. That is not­ winning but a coronation.

    From Jack C, on Sun 17 Mar 11:52

  12. They all thought it was over....well it is NOW

    From Politician Stole My Money, on Sun 17 Mar 11:10

  13. We may have seen today the cumulative declining of EPL­ as judged from the quality of football between clubs­ from both ends of the table. If ManU could win and the­ opponent apparently being unable to stage a challenge,­ it could be concluded that EPL is not as good are we­ are told. A leader with 15 points should be able to­ entertain the fans. Rooney, the hero may never be­ allowed to leave as VPC's output is declining.

    From Jack C, on Sun 17 Mar 1:27

  14. SUPERMAN Its me guys and gals and I have to say that­ the display against Reading was diabolical and not­ deserving a win , even the goal was accidental with a­ miskick by Shrek who fired at the goalie and it­ deflected of a defenders foot ! Give as a break you­ lot , and do admit that your masterfull United were­ limited today and playing against the bottom side is­ embarrassing and even putting Giggs on did not inspire­ the rest of the team , perhaps only Ferdinando's­ run inside the Reading half before his dribbling run­ created the chance for Dino Rooney ith a mihit shot­ that luckily went in? DID THE REF. HAVE ANYTHING TO DO­ WITH THAT WIN , I WONDER ?

    From Stanislaw, on Sat 16 Mar 23:44

  15. terrible game ! the calibre of football of a team­ that`s leading by 15 points is very poor, which means­ EPL is loosing ground against Spain and Germany­ leadues. Didn`t Fergie say the other day that he wants­ his tema to start winning big ? and yet he plays­ Welbeck over Hernadez, go figure. Unhappy Man U­ supporter.

    From Jim Kirou, on Sat 16 Mar 21:31

  16. Oh snabaw... I would rather be RVP having a lean spell­ than Suarez who liverpool fans say is the best striker­ in the world yet who are a clear 29 points behind!!!­ still .... thats better than last season i suppose!

    From robert, on Sat 16 Mar 20:41

  17. Elizabeth I am not a losssser I am 70 years old and­ when you go to the same age you are going to control­ your emotions and see the real things in your life.I am­ Eduardo Villarreal Solis and born and live in­ Monterrey,Mexico.

    From eduardo, on Sat 16 Mar 20:04

  18. The win is great, the jealous comments from the­ ridiculous ABU's, priceless.

    From JAMES, on Sat 16 Mar 19:50

  19. Eduardo [ LOOOOOOOSSSSSERRRRRR ]

    From ELIZABETH, on Sat 16 Mar 19:43

  20. Poor game Really United should have done much better­ but Reading were just content with damage­ limitation.The Reds just did not have the ability to­ prize open the Reading defense,Still a win is a win and­ a 15 point lead will do very nicely thank you

    From PETER, on Sat 16 Mar 19:40
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