|
Article by Mark Graham, Editor, Record Keeper & Official
Reporter @ MUFCINFO.COM.
Manchester United moved 5 points clear of 2nd place rivals
Liverpool after comfortably beating Fulham 3-0 on Wednesday
night at Old Trafford.
Goals from Paul Scholes, Dimitar Berbatov & as stated in our
preview a returning goal for the White Pele helped United
take the points & push on in the title race.
With many changes to his starting line up against Derby
County SAF shuffled his pack using its muscular depth as
Evra, Vidic, Carrick, Tevez, Berbatov, Scholes & EVDS all
received starts as Old Trafford were treated to a passing
master display from United.
There are many thousands of players come & go all around the
various league in the world of professional football, but
there are never very many in the frame of a Ryan Giggs, Gary
Neville or indeed United's opening goalscorer Paul Scholes.
With careers spanning almost 50 years loyalty to one club
between them the veteran players of United in the twilight
of their careers are still showing after all this time just
why SAF nurtured a golden crop of youngsters which have
carried the club for so long. With Ryan Giggs rested,
it was Paul Scholes's opportunity to demonstrate sublime
form as the Ginger Ninja only short of carrying a laser
guided football placing device showed any midfielder in
world football how to play.
Like in days gone by a corner in past years was whipped into
Scholes standing on the outside of the box by one David
Beckham has now these days been replaced by Michael Carrick
as the Wheels of Time turn & showing a technique so
difficult to master, Manchester United were soon one nil up
as Scholes met a corner ball from Carrick with perfect
execution before Fulham's keeper Mark Schwarzer blocked the
effort, but with the energy of the shot the ball crept over
the line causing even Wayne Rooney to leap out of his seat
grinning & applauding the thunderstrike.
Fulham rarely threatened & could only muster a headed chance
through Bobby Zamora after a decent cross from Pantsil was
met but went wide before as United began to utterly
dominate.
Controlling with no pressure from the visitors United looked
to improve on their lead as Aaron Hughes cleared Dimitar
Berbatov's shot effort off the line after more poor keeping
from Schwarzer after he lost a Cristiano Ronaldo cross.
United soon after found the back of the net when Carlos
Tevez had his goal disallowed for offside after an
exceptional pass from Berbatov however it would soon prove
to be a legitimate goal with the team passing like a slick
well oiled machine & the grass watered to death aiding
United's quick passing game, a second was inevitable.
A header just over the bar from the Bulgarian was followed
up with an extraordinary example of passing football after
23 separate pieces of possession the delicious combination
of a Scholes dink into the path of JOS & a further fine
assist for the Irishman, the Vampire of Bulgarian swept the
ball home from close range with Schwarzer again at fault &
in no mans land.
Continually
attacking the Stretford End in the 1st half (Editor: for
a change) Berbatov almost made it three after a
brilliant weighted pass from Tevez cut Fulham in two but the
poked shot failed to meet the standard of the pass & rolled
wide.
At the end of the
half Paul Scholes hit a low shot after a lay off from Tevez
which Fulham's keeper kept out & saw another goal ruled out
as Ronaldo's free kick on the right was met by an unmarked
Berbatov who nodded in from close range before the Referee
disallowed the goal.
In the second half United again with a rapid exchange of
slick passes on the edge of the Fulham box involving, Evra,
Tevez, Carrick, JSP & Scholes, the latter set up
Berbatov who turning on the ball caused Aussie Keeper
Schwarzer to make a brilliant save at his near post.
UNited subbed Rooney for Berbatov & Fulham's Dempsey briefly
spluttered for the visitors with a poor shot wide of EVDS's
post as with Fulham showing no signs of a revival & United
seemingly on the training pitch, SAF had unleashed his fresh
& impressive weapon in the form of Wayne Rooney and with his
1st touch the White Pele stuck his leg out at a JSP cross
cum shot & the ball high into the East Stand net gave United
all three points without doubt.
In amongst all the action JOS was then taken off with a heel
injury & replaced by Jonny Evans who filled in at right
back.
Fulham's only outlet Bobby Zamora again went close to
breaching the United goal after a ball into United box
resulted in a poked effort missing by a whisker.
SAF seeing the game comfortable & the points in the bag gave
Darron Gibson some experience as he replaced Michael
Carrick.
A scary moment came for EVDS's record after Nemanja Vidic
looked to have gotten an arm in the way of a cross into the
United box, but the referee thought not n& the game
continued.
With offside's galore & poor shooting & free kicks from
especially Ronaldo in the second half, United lacked the
cutting edge of the 1st half as Fulham saw more possession
without troubling the Reds, a poor dive from Bobby Zamora
whilst being shackled by Rio Ferdinand was the only
highlight & example of how well United marshaled Fulham with
the game already won.
EVDS's CLEAN
SHEET RECORD.
Standing @ 1,302 minutes since Nasri scored twice against
the Reds back in the early part of the season if Van der Sar
can keep Blackburn out for 89 minutes on Saturday, he will
beat the European record of keeper Dany Verlinden, who went
1,390 without conceding in 1990 for Club Brugge.
What's your
opinion?.....HAVE YOU'RE SAY BELOW |
Scholes (12 mins), 
