review: FA CUP 3rd Round: Aston villa 0 v 2 MANCHESTER UNITED

Article by Mark Graham, Stats Nerd
Match Review
Aston Villa 0 v 2 Manchester United, Villa Park, Birmingham, 17.15pm, Saturday 5th January 2008.
Goals: Aston Villa: n/a.     Manchester United: Ronaldo (81), Rooney (89).
Attendance: 33,360

Two late goals from Cristiano Ronaldo & Wayne Rooney saw United through to the 4th Round of the FA Cup with late sub Rooney more than responsible for helping Manchester United in the process.  After a cagey Aston Villa approach for the entire game, couple with United's Saha looking increasingly blunt with Ryan Giggs in United's attack the game was nothing spectacular until the White Pele was introduced.

SAF opted for Rooney & Hargreaves on the bench meaning starts for JSP & Michael Carrick in United's midfield & wide areas.

Anderson started well in the game and created one of United's better chances as the Brazilian made a run of 40 yards plus before letting rip with a shot that Villa keeper Scott Carson saved at the second time of asking .

Villa replied with a Petrov shot which was too high & Agbonlahor's shot was blocked by the magnificent Rio Ferdinand.

With a lack of any real guilt edge chances but plenty of possession for each team in midfield, the game was beginning to wear thin on excitement until Ryan Giggs missed a gift wrapped opportunity to open the scoring.  A mistake by Cleator Moor man Scott Carson saw the Villa keeper save poorly from a Ronaldo shot which bounced just before Carson in the penalty box.  Ryan Giggs probably surprised more than anything had an open net staring at him unfortunately resulting in the Welshman missing badly.

The second half began with Carew nodding on a Young pass which went wide, then Michael Carrick set up Anderson for a shot which eventually ended well wide of goal & into the car park. Ronaldo then saw his shot blocked by Petrov & Vidic nodded a Giggs corner onto Martin Laursen who deflected the ball wide.

SAF then brought out his "Ace Card" in Rooney and shortly after Owen Hargreaves was introduced for a hollow performing Saha.

Rooney shortly after coming on almost scored for the Reds after feeding Ronaldo from distance an exchange later saw a shot from the striker go narrowly over the top of the bar as United started to pressurise the Villa defence.

Ryan Giggs won possession after closing down & tackling Villa defender Melburg, after gaining possession deep in the Aston Villa half, Giggs "back heeled" to Rooney who fed Anderson & the Brazilian midfielder then knocked the ball out to Giggs wide on the left who "nutmegged" Curtis Davies with his cross leaving Ronaldo to then ghost around Bouma to tap in one of the United wingers more easier goals.

Carrick then was foiled twice in quick succession by saves from Carson before Giggs, Rooney & Ronaldo finished Villa off with a brilliant pieces of hard working football & a lesson to each and every kid & wannabee footballer.

Not content with that after Villa broke on a counter attack & after only 726 games, Ryan Giggs busting a gut, then tracked the counter attack back arguably 70+ yards at full pace, and with a perfectly executed sliding tackle killed off the Villa attack and passed the ball to Wesley Brown, Brown passed to Rooney on the left who smashed a long ball to Ronaldo whereby he cut inside from the right &  shot at goal only for the ball to deflect off Gareth Barry & into the path of Rooney who converted from distance with a powerful shot to make it 2-0.

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United's Man of the Match
After coming on to give Saha a feckin good shake and a demonstration of how to get involved in a match, Rooney's impact was second to none, a brilliant goal and accurate passing in the build up saw the White Pele completely changed the game for United.

However, as most Sites would give Rooney the MOTM and really its hard to argue, we here at MUFCINFO.COM give the honour to Rio Ferdinand who played a magnificent game.

MUFC.COM's Reaction
Hats off to Ryan Giggs with maximum effort for the two goals, a never give up attitude which had seemingly left Giggs in recent months.
The next round now has matched our paths with Berbatov's Spurs or Coppell's Reading.

Was our prediction correct?
No!! We said 2-1. MUFC INFO 3 v 26 Wrong Predictions.

Milestones
Cristiano Ronaldo' 10th FA Cup goal of his United career & 69th goal overall.
Wayne Rooney's 9th FA Cup goal of his United career & 68th goal overall.

SAF's 66th FA Cup victory.

Ryan Giggs's 61st FA Cup appearance of his United career.
John O'Shea's 270th competitive appearance of his United career.

Ryan Giggs Countdown
Sir Bobby Charlton =753 appearances
Ryan Giggs             =726 appearances

27 competitive Games left to eclipse the All Time Record Set by Sir Bobby Charlton

United's Next Match
Saturday 12th January 2008 against Newcastle United in the Premiership @ Old Trafford with a 17.15pm K.O.

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