Manchester United Top the Table by Blasting Blackburn 2-0
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by Jgiuffra
Mank Yank's Red Review #6
Another big game for Sir Alex’s men and another Big win. United have done what he rest of the Premiership’s elite have not been able to; overcome the skill and tenacity of Mark Hughes’ well prepared troops. Liverpool and Chelsea could only manage nil-nil draws and they beat the ‘mighty’ Manchester City 1-nil. Arsenal fans might remember the late equaliser conceded in a hard fought game at Ewood Park back in August—David Dunn’s seemingly harmless long-range effort was mishandled by the former Arsenal and German #1 Jens Lehmann to gift the home-side parity in a match they looked destined to lose.
There was to be no such heroics—or blunders—at Old Trafford, just a couple of close calls. In fact, Dunne only lasted 53 minutes as he was given his walking papers by Chris Foy after 2 bookable offences. In all honesty, the first yellow wasn’t even really much of a foul. I think he got it because there were a lot of heavy challenges flying in all over the pitch and from the Ref’s view it looked worse than it was. His second challenge gave the Merseyside man in black no other option than to ask him to leave when he flew in late and clumsily on Luis Saha.
It was a scrappy game in the first part of the first half before Ronaldo killed the match with 2 goals in the space of 90 seconds handing Rovers their 1st away defeat in the Prem since their loss at Old Trafford back in March. With the teams they have come up against, it is a very impressive record to say the least.
The game could have been different if Blackburn could have capitalised on some slack defending in the 19th minute. Cristiano Ronaldo was fouled by Dunn but play was waved on by Foy. The ball ran kindly for Chris Samba who crashed a shot off the woodwork. Apart from one other sketchy moment when Patrice Evra had to clear the ball off the line, United controlled the match.
They went ahead on 33 minutes when Giggs sent a beautiful corner kick into the area that Ronaldo headed powerfully past Blackburn's standout keeper Brad Fiedel. Ronaldo scored his second when he started and finished a move less than 2 minutes later. Ronaldo bravely tapped a 50/50 ball into the path of Luis Saha. He fed the ball to Carlos Tevez who surged down the left and cut out the whole Blackburn defence with a curling cross along the ground perfectly weighted for the young Portuguese winger to pounce on. There was little more for him to do but to pick his spot and beat the diving Friedel. Friedel got a hand to it, but it was too powerful for him to keep out.
The second half was open and Ronaldo probably should have picked up the hat-trick but for the outstanding efforts of Blackburn’s #1.
So United sit 3 points clear at the top of table. The Arsenal have 2 games in hand and can recapture the lead if they beat Reading tonight by 2 clear goals.
Notes: Rooney is out for 3 more weeks after he picked up an injury on the training ground last Friday. I think that will cause a bigger problem for England that it will for United.
Liverpool’s standout Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun will miss there crucial Euro 2008 qualifier—crucial to England that is—against Russia due to a groin injury he picked in their 2-0 win over Fulham. As he is the key to the national team, it looks unlikely that they will be able to help England qualify.
We’ll all find out together next week.
