City 0 - 1 United
Ronaldo (33)
Was the 2006-07 Premiership title sealed with a penalty kick from Cristiano Ronaldo?
United’s leading striker got the better of Isaakson in the City goal to send United to a victory that was more comprehensive than 1-0 suggests. If Chelsea do not beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow, the title will return to Old Trafford.
United didn’t need to be very good to win at the City of Manchester Stadium and were not. It was Sir Alex’s good fortune to play a team which on the day, as for much of the season, was simply awful.
Old clichés will be trotted out…tense derby atmosphere …passion and commitment of players… earning the right to play…man’s game etc etc, in order to disguise the dismal nature of City’s performance but there should be no escape. A rough house City display from start to finish made for the most dreadful spectacle. On this evidence, if City boss Stuart Pearce gets the boot this summer, it will be no more than he deserves.
City fans sang their hearts out in support of the Blue loons on the pitch but roars of condemnation would have been more appropriate. Pearce has a shocking record in the transfer market and can now stand accused of assembling a team of cloggers, without the wit or attacking invention to score in open play. It was easy to see why City have the worst ever record for home goalscoring in Premiership history.
Evidence of the pitiful match ahead arrived as early as the second minute, when Michael Ball, gang leader of the grotesque, stamped on Ronaldo. Sir Alex was outraged but referee Rob Styles, could not be persuaded. Justice for Ronaldo would arrive later in the half.
Mpenza managed to force a save from Edwin van Der Sar on 15 minutes and then both teams settled down to see which one would commit the worst foul before the referee took action. City led the way but Scholes provided stiff Red competition. It is always good to keep games flowing but referee Styles allowed far too much freedom for thuggery and deserved as poor a review for his performance as the home side.
United, at least tried to win the game. The returning Rio Ferdinand hit a fine long ball to Ronaldo on 19 minutes, to set up the winger for an attempt on the City goal. For once, Ronaldo was guilty of a lack of control. The Portuguese returned the favour three minutes later, heading on a corner, from which Ferdinand headed onto the City bar.
Reward finally came United’s way in the 33 minute. Michael Ball kicked Ronaldo rather than the ball as the winger cut into the box from the right towards goal. Ronaldo, ice cool, made the penalty look easy.
City were marginally brighter in the second half but again were let down by constant fouling from Ireland, Johnson and substitute Dickov, a player with the longest of crime sheets. United looked to preserve their lead as the match wore on and nearly paid the price when Ball, of all players, fell to the ground in the penalty box, under no challenge from Wes Brown on 79 minutes. The referee, acting as though he was going home later to Moss Side, signalled a penalty and United shivered.
Vassell stepped up for City, after delay caused by Edwin Van Der Sar’s time wasting which earned a booking but his spot kick hit the flying Dutchman’s legs and the danger passed.
United closed out the remainder of the game and all thoughts of Milan were gone. The title is coming home.
Team
United: Van Der Sar, Brown, Vidic, Ferdinand, Heinze, Giggs, Carrick, Scholes, Ronaldo, Smith (Fletcher 72), Rooney (O’Shea 86)
Subs: Kuszczak, Solskjaer, Richardson
Post Script
Sir Alex: “What you saw today was human courage. Coming back from Wednesday night, having to come through all that travel, the lack of rest - the players have shown fantastic courage.
“We’re happy with 1-0 I think. We’ve not seen the real Manchester United - there was tiredness there, the pace wasn’t there but derby games can be like that.
“He [Ronaldo] has been fantastic all season. He was absolutely fantastic after he got a bad challenge in the first minute of the game. Rob Styles got into a position but he’s left a lot of things go.”
Stuart Pearce: “We had every opportunity to equalise and push on but we missed it. Sometimes in the game things contrive against you if you don’t take the opportunities in front of you. We’ve not achieved where we’d like to achieve and our Achilles heel has been putting the ball in the net.
“We’ve not hurt teams up front and that’s something we’ll need to address in the summer. Quite often this season when we’ve come out and chased games we’ve conceded more chances. When we’ve come out to chase the game we’ve looked more likely to lose it than win it. We’ve stayed in it for most of the game against - after this result - probably the champions of England.”
