The last time these two met was January 12 2008, 6-0 in favor of Manchester United at Old Trafford. This time Newcastle will host Manchester
Newcastle looked very anxious from the start. It has been 2 weeks since Newcastle last match. Newcastle looked like they had something to prove to their fans and to themselves
Nani was fouled a number of times through out the match. The first came in the 5th minute, and Man U did not take advantage of it, Fletcher rushed the kick and turned it over to Newcastle. Rooney looked pretty upset at Fletcher, telling him to play the ball to his feet!
Yet another challenge on Nani in the 7th minute. A Newcastle player runs into his back and drives an elbow to the back of his head.
For the third time in 10 minutes Nani is hit, this time it’s the elbow to the right side of Nani’s face
An example of Rooneys relentlessness in minute 12. Rooney lost the ball and chased Beye all the way to his corner flag until Untied regained possession, that’s why Manchester United loves Rooney. He is a classic Man U player.
Van der Sar scared me a couple times in times in the 17th and 18th minute. He came out and yelled keep but was not even close to the ball, and left the goal unattended. He was lucky Newcastle players were not in the right place at the right time
Newcastle tactic is classic “If you cant beat them, hit them” They were playing a team that was much better in skill, so they tried to intimidate Manchester United, but that can only get you so far.
In the 24th minute Owen protested a PK, but after reviewing the replay, he should know better then to make such a ridiculous accusation, he swung and missed the ball!
Which only led to a Man Utd goal at the other end, Vidic gave a ball to Ronaldo on the left flank. Ronaldo received the ball perfectly then dribbled and dribbled, near the goal line he cut back with a great move and created plenty of time and space for him to put a ball far post for Rooney, who easily volleyed it in.
A stupid yellow for Newcastle, Faye impeded Van der Sar as he tried to punt it.
Newcastle’s Smith doesn’t know how to play forward; He only makes straight runs never diagonally and never checks for the ball.
A very dirty challenge by Owen, he comes in cleats up and strikes the shin of Vidic, it was late, his leg was raised and he gets booked justifiably
Great play by United in the 38th min Brown plays the ball up into space for Fletcher who puts a ball into the middle and Tevez got a little greedy he had Rooney on his left side and decided to do it himself.
In the 39th minute A ball is played to Wayne Rooney who doesn’t get a good first touch and is forced to play it off to Ronaldo who had a bad angle, and put the ball wide.
In the 40 min Van der Sar for the 3rd time this game comes out uncertain and for the third time doesn’t touch the ball, he was lucky Newcastle had nobody
A Great ball by Nani in the 41st min from the flank, for Carlitos Tevez who puts it wide with a diving header. Nani is becoming very deadly from the flank
A Great through ball in the 45 min. by Fletcher for Ronaldo who finishes with class, he traps and shoots far-post a little off balance and scores.
Fletcher is certainly making an impact and has certainly earned himself a spot amongst the elite at United
Halftime Whistle
The changes for half time;
Harper replacing Given for Newcastle
And O’Shea in for Evra
In the 56th minute Ronaldo received a ball 35 yards out with one defender to beat, the defender comes flying in to make a strong tackle, Ronaldo takes a pause and lets the defender run right past him and trip over his own momentum, and with the 1 v 1 against the keeper, Ronaldo keeps his composure and cuts the ball to his right side as the keeper falls over and leaves an open net for Ronaldo.
The 3rd goal certainly took all the fight out of Newcastle.
Ronaldo reaches 21 goals in the Premier League making him the leading scorer.
67th minute Cristiano came off for Saha
An interesting move by Sir Alex. He has all the faith in the world that his team will maintain this lead. Sir Alex is not holding back, he put on a forward for a midfielder
Toward the end of the match it looked like Rooney and Tevez were playing as mids. They were both chasing players down to their own 18.
Vidic comes off for Scholes. Another offensive player on the pitch for United
The Newcastle goal came off a sloppy corner. A Newcastle forward pushes Vidic in the back and creates enough room to head the ball down to Faye, and Faye cant miss from 2 yards and doesn’t
Right after the Newcastle goal, Manchester is on the attack once again. Nani serves a ball for Scholes who puts a powerful header on frame but the keeper pushes it over the bar, for another Manchester United corner.
In the 80th minute, just when Newcastle looks like they might have some fight in them. Nani serves a corner kick, which Newcastle fails to clear, and unfortunately for them Rooney gets the ball 20 yards out and takes a shot that curls around the players and out of the keepers reach, for a spectacular goal.
With 5 minutes remaining Man U is not finished, a ball that Tevez wins at the top of Newcastle’s 18 and distributes to Saha in the box, who passes it back out to Rooney on the left side and nutmegs a player as he passes the ball back to Saha who takes a toe punt on goal, but the goalie punches it out for another corner
The 5th goal comes in regulation time as Tevez stops an attack by intercepting a ball in his own 18 the ball lands at Scholes’s feet who plays Carrick, Carrick plays Rooney at the center of midfield, who plays Saha first time. Saha puts on his wheels and leaves 3 Newcastle players in his dust. With only Rooney up top, Saha plays him. Rooney carrys the ball to space and pulls 3 defenders while Saha sneaks into the middle of the eighteen, Rooney picks him out and Saha makes no mistake as he slides it past Given to put Man U up by 4
The final whistle blows and Manchester United closes the gap with Arsenal to only 3 points!
