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Article by Mark Graham, Editor, Record Keeper & Official
Reporter @ MUFCINFO.COM
Another game, another 1-0 victory & another glut of missed
chances saw United sneak a win again at Old Trafford, with
freezing temperatures "The Vampire of Bulgaria" swooped
first after a goalmouth scramble and dispatched the ball
into the back of the net to finally beat a stubborn
Middlesboro side.
This victory sees the Premiership table at the end of 2008
with United on 38 points & two (home) fixtures in hand on
the bindippers, who currently have 45 points.
Jesus H Christ the temperature was something else as before
kick off SAF rang in the changes as Anderson, Nani, Carlos
Tevez were all given Christmas off and didn't feature &
instead starting positions for Berbatov, Rafael, Park & the
Two Jonnies. United's manager also had a weaker
looking bench with Neville, Giggs, Scholes
Manchester United
kept up the pressure on Liverpool and Chelsea as Dimitar
Berbatov's third league goal for the club saw off a spirited
Middlesbrough.
Though United had better chances, the brave visitors
defended manfully and could have taken the lead when Tuncay
headed just wide in the 61st minute.
But substitute Paul Scholes steadied the ship and Dimitar
Berbatov blasted in from close range six minutes later.
United move seven points behind leaders Liverpool with two
games in hand.
Though Middlesbrough looked nothing like a side sat just
above the Premier League relegation zone, that is where they
remain after a run of eight games without a win.
United, meanwhile, look to be gelling and have dismissed any
notion of a hangover from their exploits in the Club World
Cup on the other side of the world just before Christmas.
Despite having to wait to break the deadlock, they pushed
forward constantly and maintained an exciting tempo
throughout the match.
Middlesbrough's Jeremie Aliadiere, under pressure from
Nemanja Vidic and John O'Shea, had a second-minute penalty
appeal turned down before Michael Carrick - in outstanding
form of late - began probing with his simple but effective
range of passing.
Title will be a three-way battle - Rooney
United set about creating a series of early openings but
could fashion nothing clear-cut.
Rooney, full of wit and invention, had a decent shot pushed
aside by Boro keeper Ross Turnbull but European Player of
the Year Cristiano Ronaldo badly miscued after being set up
by Ji-Sung Park.
United did most of the pressing, but they had to be alert to
block an Afonso Alves shot after good work from Stewart
Downing.
Instinctive link-up play between Berbatov and Rooney after
22 minutes saw the latter cut the ball back across the
penalty area for Ronaldo to screw a left-foot shot just wide
of the post when he should have scored.
Downing then flashed a vicious 30th-minute shot just wide
before Ronaldo tested Turnbull with a low shot from 12
yards.
As the action intensified, Turnbull had to push Rooney's
clever floated cross-shot away from his goal before young
Brazilian right-back Rafael crashed the rebound into the
side-netting.
United were partly guilty of trying to walk the ball into
the net but Boro were impressive when they had possession
and defended in numbers brilliantly when other teams could
have crumbled.
Sir Alex Ferguson's team went closest to taking the lead
when they chose to go direct just before half-time. 606:
DEBATE
I was quite encouraged with our performance and if Boro go
into the next few games with the same attitude we can expect
to pick up some valuable points...
Borogully
Darren Fletcher pumped a long ball forward for Ronaldo to
glance a header into the path of Rooney - who fired a
brilliant first-time half-volley with the outside of his
left boot, forcing Turnbull to tip acrobatically over his
bar.
Ronaldo's increasing frustration with Middlesbrough's
aggression and, perhaps, his own stuttering form, became
increasingly obvious when he clashed with Emanuel Pogatetz
before and after half-time.
No personnel changes were made at the break after which
United defender Vidic soon had to be at full stretch to
deflect a decent Alves effort behind for a corner after the
visitors had broken well.
The need for the hosts to break the deadlock became more
evident as Middlesbrough embarked on a dominant spell of
possession.
They nearly took the lead in the 61st minute when Matthew
Bates, an influential presence all evening, pinged a
bouncing cross in from the right for Tuncay to nod just past
Edwin Van der Sar's post.
But when Paul Scholes replaced Darren Fletcher in United's
midfield, the flow of play swung back into United's favour
almost immediately.
Southgate takes heart from Boro display
And they duly broke the deadlock in the 68th minute when,
from a swift, swarming attack, Carrick whipped in a cross
that David Wheater could only deflect into the path of
Berbatov, who volleyed home from eight yards.
From that point on it was one-way traffic as a flurry of
decent attempts from the lung-busting Park and determined
Ronaldo threatened to seal the three points for United, now
relaxed and rampant.
The reigning champions managed to hold out when Boro rallied
late on and they now turn their attention to the domestic
cup competitions with a trip to Southampton in the FA Cup on
Sunday followed by the first leg of their Carling Cup
semi-final with Derby on 7 January
What's your
opinion?.....HAVE YOU'RE SAY BELOW |
Berbatov (69 mins)
