review: MANCHESTER UNITED 4 v 1 derby county

Article by Mark Graham, Stats Nerd
Match Review
Manchester United 4 v 1 Derby County, Old Trafford, Manchester, 15.00pm, Saturday 8th December 2007.
Goals: Manchester United: Giggs (40), Tevez (45), (60), Ronaldo (90 pen)     Derby County: Howard (76).
Attendance: 75,725

A quite stubborn Derby County fought & scrapped but most importantly gave into the weight of United just before half time as a record goal from Giggs & a brace in either half from Carlos Tevez helped push the Reds to within one point of Arsenal.

United had lost Owen Hargreaves in the warm up with a thigh strain and Michael Carrick filled in and showed the kind of form he demonstrated last season with a busy & clever performance in awful conditions showing just what the midfielder has to offer and shutting up the clowns who claim he is too much like "Ray Wilkins".

Derby kept United out for almost 45 minutes with a mix of fortune & in particular resilient defending as Jay McEverley, who with a world class tackle foiled Wayne Rooney's early close range effort which would have certainly ended up as a goal as the Rams defender hooked the ball away from United's forward Rooney before he could meet Ronaldo's excellent cross.

Ronaldo forever searching to quench his thirst for his new and fanatical hobby of scoring goals in each and every match then contributed to another score as Bywater was unable to hold onto his stinging shot from the left, up popped Ryan Giggs in the right place at the right time to tap in his 100th league goal of his distinguished career, adding another page in United folklore by becoming only the 11th player to ever score over 100 League goals for United. (see table below)

Giggs in fine form was a threat to the visitors on numerous occasions throughout the game and none more so devastating and picturesque than a long distance arrow like pass to Rooney, tearing the Derby defence apart from Giggs, the United striker sprinted toward goal and the opposing keeper before dinking a chip and beating Derby keeper Bywater only for the entire crowd to rise to their feet to celebrate Rooney unfortunately only striking the woodwork.

Derby found themselves two down shortly after when Tevez poacher like was first to react to the Derby defence struggling to clear a Ronaldo free kick, after two bites at the cherry the Apache converted from close range giving United daylight.

Derby still not lying down gave EVDS a chance to shake off the rain drops when Barnes shot giving the Dutchman work & shortly later Davis tried an acrobatic shot from a corner.

Centurion Giggs then struck a post from contract bandit (Editor: get it signed Wes) Wesley Brown's cross but once again Tevez would deliver a goal, after finding himself space in the box Tevez pulled the trigger beating Bywater for 3-0.

The travelling Derby County fans were then treat with the utmost as a goal from Howard (what the hell was Edwin doing) sent them into a frenzy,  nearly 780 minutes of football had passed without a single goal from Derby County but the Rams scored to make it 3-1 also claming their 1st away goal of the season.

The final highlight of the game was another goal from United & just like Death, Taxes & Reality TV Shows, Ronaldo finished a game with a goal.

Controversial it may have been in the final taking of the spot kick, Ronaldo who was tripped (dived??) in the area, fought off any sort of request from potential hat trick hero Tevez by converting with no problems for 4-1.

Tevez made a point of congratulating the Portuguese star immediately after the penalty with seemingly no hard feelings.

Liverpool, City & Arsenal all losing!!!
Should Tevez have took that penalty????

CARLOS "QUATTRO" TEVEZ & THE DUTCH MANCUNIANS
Landing in Liverpool airport & travelling all the way from Den Hague in Holland on the morning of your reporters Wedding Day, a quick stop off at Carrington on the way up to Cumbria saw Ron, Alex & Stok collect a previously arranged "Wedding Congratulations Card" signed by almost the entire team, Carrick, Tevez, Saha, Rio, Evra, Vidic, O'Shea to name but a few had taken the time to sign a card with Stok telling me the following comical tale.

After speaking to Tevez, the Apache was jokingly told by Stok that I wished he would dedicate a four goal haul to me, upon hearing this ghastly (LOL) suggestion he was shouting "QUATTRO" "QUATTRO" "QUATTRO"????!!!!!!, maybe I score one, but the rest of the team will have to help to score four.

(Editor: The two were fine mate!!!!)

A VERY SPECIAL THANKS also goes to fellow MUFCINFO.COM Readers & top quality friends Mr Steve Rimell & Mr Stuart Blaike who both travelled long distance up the M6 to the Wedding Party.

So a busy weekend with your reporter managing to get hitched, Arsenal & the Bin dippers losing & a rather awesome & very appropriate wedding present from my Wife & some of the finest friends a man could meet, all in the name of Manchester United.

Submit Your Comments & Opinions Below.

United's Man of the Match
Giggs & Anderson was pushing until they were taken off, but Carlos Tevez takes the MUFCINFO.COM MOTM Award.

MUFC.COM's Reaction
By the time this report was written the Bin dippers were beaten by Reading 3-1 & City & Arsenal had both lost, leaving an all-round fantastic weekend of football.

Ronaldo I feel should have not taken the penalty and left it for Tevez, the game was won & United had gotten the three points.

Was our prediction correct?
No!! We said 3-0. MUFC INFO 3 v 19 Wrong Predictions.

Milestones
Ryan Giggs's 95th Premiership goal of his United career & 142nd goal overall.
Carlos Tevez's 5th & 6th Premiership goals of his United career & 7th & 8th goals overall.
Cristiano Ronaldo's 44th Premiership goal of his United career & 64th goal overall.

Ryan Giggs became only the 11th Manchester United player to score 100 or more career League Goal.

SAF's 378th victory of his Premiership career.

Cristiano Ronaldo's 140th League appearance of his United career.

Ryan Giggs Countdown = 32 competitive Games left to eclipse the All Time Record Set by Sir Bobby Charlton.

United's Next Match
Wednesday 12th December 2007 against AS Roma in the UCL at Old Trafford with a 19.45pm K.O.

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