P: Middlesbrough 1 - 2 United
PREVIEW
Last year a legend departed following a game between Middlesborough and United. This year, another arrives.
The euphoria surrounding the signing of Henrik Larsson threatens to upstage a match in which United hope to conquer their hosts and slay the demons arising from the 4-1 hammering last term which provoked the rage and eventual departure of Roy Keane.
“That was a particularly bad moment for us last year,” the manager said. “The team was not playing particularly well at the time and it was a bad performance. But this season we have been exceptionally good away in the League, dropping only two points at Reading and we want to keep that up.”
Middlesborough will be hoping Ferguson returns home disappointed. Despite a place in the Uefa final, Middlesborough have underperformd in the Premiership for two seasons. Impoverished displays didn’t stop Steve McClaren from getting an England call up, leaving his successor Gareth Southgate to inherit a team which rarely plays as it should. On its day, the side can beat Chelsea at the Riverside. Yet, it can also lose to stragglers Watford too. What is not in doubt is that Middlesborough have enough quality to test United’s championship credentials.
Certainly, captain Gary Neville is taking nothing for granted. “We’re in a run of fixtures which saw us slip up badly last year,” he said. “We have started in a decent way. Now we must go up to Boro with the right determination and attitude.”
Sir Alex will impress upon his players that a winning result today will create a six point margin at the top and would constitute the perfect riposte to Mourinho’s mind games.
PREMIERSHIP RESULTS:
Arsenal 3 - 0 Tottenham H. Blackburn R. 2 - 0 Fulham; Portsmouth 2 - 2 Aston Villa; Reading 1 - 0 Bolton; Sheffield U. 2 - 1 Charlton Athletic; Wigan Athletic 0 - 4 Liverpool
MATCH REPORT…
Middlesbrough 1 - 2 United
Morrison (65) / Saha ( pen 18); Fletcher (67)
A composed performance assisted by some generous refereeing put paid to a game but limited Middlesborough and established a six point United lead at the top of the Premiership.
A penalty by Louis Saha and Darren Fletcher’s firm second half header won a game in which United always had the measure of their hosts and rarely needed to reach top gear.
“Consistency is what wins championships and we have got that at the moment,” Sir Alex said. “The lads have shown great resolution and we have got a good result.”
United began determinedly. A downward Saha header from a Giggs free kick was chested off the line by Huth, sounding the first alarm for the Middlesborough fans who hoped the team’s encouraging record against the Premiership’s better sides would be maintained.
Two minutes later, Giggs misdirected his header with only the keeper to beat aer a shot from Ronaldo was parried. United continued to carry the game to Middlesborough with some neat approach play but were lucky indeed to earn a penalty on 18 months when winger Ronaldo tumbled in the penalty area following a challenge from Boro’s keeper Mark Schwarzer. Referee Chris Foy waved away protests and pointed to the spot. Saha converted low to the keeper’s right and wiped away some of the disappointment felt when missing from the spot at Celtic Park.
Television pictures later showed that no foul had been committed against Ronaldo. Middlesborough were right to feel aggrieved. The home team stormed upfield and nearly scored when a header from Xavier from a home side free kick evaded Van Der Sar but hit the post.
In an entertaining contest, United always created the better opportunities through their crisp and penetrative passing and movement. This was never more evident than in the 33rd minute when an incisive move allowed Ronaldo to feed Rooney as he rushed into the penalty area. His shot went agonisingly past the post.
United could afford to miss opportunities so long as the defenders Ferdinand and Vidic kept Christie and Yakubu in their pockets. But Sir Alex will be concerned about his team’s inability to kill off the opposition from a position of utter superiority.
The ghosts of lost and drawn matches past came back to haunt United midway through the second half when an ill-timed lunge by captain Gary Neville on 67 minutes, allowed Boro to find some space on United’s right. A floated centre produced an indecisive clearing header from Heinze which was lashed into goal with glee by James Morrison.
A draw in a game in which United had been on top throughout, would have been an unworthy outcome. Sir Alex saw his team produce another fluent attack which caused havoc in the Middlesborough box. Ronaldo, United’s star man throughout, showed great intelligence to pick out Giggs, when he might have shot at goal from an acute angle. The Welshman, who did not enjoy his best evening’s work, directed a centre onto the head of the oncoming Darren Fletcher and the points were in the bag.
Roll on Benfica.
TEAM
United: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze
Ronaldo (Brown 86), Fletcher (O’Shea 74), Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha
Subs: Kuszczak, Evra; Carrick
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: “I think that our away form has been fantastic. That’s got to be needed because it’s such a tight top of the league with ourselves and Chelsea. Today was a very important result for us. It’s not an easy place to come to, as we’ve experienced in the past. They wanted to win it. That’s important.
“I thought it was a clear pen. He’s trying to evade it but would he have scored? I think he would have.”
Gareth Southgate: “It’s very difficult for the referee because it happens very quickly, but how many times are we going to see it? The lad has got a history of doing it and, in the end, that’s cost us the game. If you go behind to a goal against a team like United, it’s a mountain to climb.
“Our goalkeeper has done everything he can to get out of the way. There was clearly no contact, I did not think so at the time and when you see the replays there is nothing there. For me, it’s never a penalty. I’m not interested in talking about him, really. He plays the way he obviously thinks is the right way. That’s fine, but on the day, that has given us a mountain to climb.”
