Rooney's Royal Goal to the rescue

Reading 0 : 2 Man United

Wayne Rooney rescued United from what looked like another slip-up through a smart goal to keep United ahead in the race. Reading surprised everybody by employing an attacking approach all through the match. It had to come from a side managed by an ex-United player, Steve Coppell who seemed to have thought that attack was the best form of defense against United. And it seemed to be working for Reading for much of the 90 minutes.

For a change, United didn't look as potent as they've been lately. Ronaldo and Rooney struggled to take their chances. Ronaldo in particular, with the confidence of a hat-trick behind him, seemed to go for the goal from all angles. But every time he seemed to struggle to hit the target and was evidently getting frustrated with himself. With Reading playing an attacking game, it looked like an end to end encounter and an entertaining one at that too. In fact, Reading seemed to have better chances in the first half - at one instance, they almost scored only to be denied by some desperate defending by Nemanja Vidic. The best chance of the half for United was the Owen Hargreaves strike off a free-kick that almost sneaked into the top corner.

United looked determined to score in the second half. But it was pretty much the same story with their attacks. Ryan Giggs came close to scoring off a parried Hahneman stop, but it wasn't to be. United seemed to be getting frustrated with not taking their chances. The dejection could clearly be felt by looking at Ronaldo who almost seemed to come to tears for wasting the chances - just shows the kind of perfectionist he is! But when the goal did come around the 77th minute, it was such a relief. And it came off the famed right foot of Wayne Rooney - he smartly flicked a Tevez pass past the keeper. You could see from the celebration as to how relieved he was specially as he hadn't been among the goals the past few matches. Later, Ronaldo made amends for all his misses by scoring the second in the dying moments, on a counter attack.


It was a tough victory to say the least and I think much of the credit should go to the United defense for keeping the spirited Reading from scoring. Tough victories such as this, away from home show why United indeed are the title favourites.

EPL Match 22: NewCastle butchered at Old Trafford!

Man United 6 : 0 Newcastle United

United handed Newcastle united their worst drubbing this season. An already beleaguered Newcastle, in the absence of Big Sam, had to face an absolutely brilliant United attack that produced it's best score this season. It was just a perfect night for United with Ronaldo finally scoring his so-far-elusive hat-trick and United looking so good that they could have had a double-figure score.

The first half was all about Rooney going for his shots and not scoring! There was no doubt he had quality on most of his shots but Shay Given just seemed determined not concede a goal against 'Wazza'. Rooney could have had at least 4 goals within the first half! That apart there were 2 strong appeals for penalty from United, both of which looked to be on except that ref. Rob Styles didn't think so. Such was the attacking flair of United in the first half. Yet, not taking the chances seemed to hurt them a little as the first half came to a close.

United were bound to change the equation come second half and that's what we all got to see. Christiano Ronaldo opened the scoring with a smartly taken free-kick, creaming the ball under the jumping Newcastle wall from just outside the penalty box. And suddenly the floodgates were all open. Tevez scored off a gift provided by the erring Newcastle defence. Ronaldo scored his second, when he characteristically cut inside defenders from the right and put it past Given.
Rooney still kept missing the chances that came his way yet created a beautiful chance for Rio Ferdinand to cash in. Then Ronaldo pounced to take his much deserved hat-trick. Tevez finished it all with a second goal, which turned out to be a dubious one though. The hard thing to see though was the sight of ex-United 'Smudge' Smith having to be sent off for arguing over that goal.

As for me, it was United's best display of the season. They just seemed to outrun their opponents and were always there to pounce on anything on offer. Defense looked their usual dogged best and kept another clean sheet. Van Der Saar was hardly made to sweat against a sorry-looking Newcastle. Not much has been said of the defense, but going by the performances and stats, United back four certainly looks to be the best in Europe at this moment.

With a determined Birmingham City, under Alan Mcleish, holding Arsenal to draw at the Emirates, United have regained the top position, courtesy of superior goal difference. And with the team looking as good as it is now, I just think I'm convinced United will retain the crown.
GO UNITED!

EPL Game 21: United 1 : 0 Birmingham

It was very disappointing to know United had conceded the lead to Arsenal over the weekend, courtesy 1-2 defeat at Upton Park. It was all the more shocking to know that Ronaldo missed a penalty there, that eventually lead us to drop all 3 points. Disappointment apart, this season's title race seems to be shaping into a real humdinger for sure.

As for this match, against Birmingham, the scoreline would suggest a close encounter. And close it was but only during the last few minutes! I honestly don't think the score does enough to indicate the United domination. Tevez could easily have scored a brace and Ronaldo his elusive hat-trick and Park, who was making a comeback could have had a couple as well. But then, the finishing somehow lacked the usual sting and sometimes the necessary luck. The goal that was scored came off a beautiful team-work between Tevez and Ronaldo who were the strike pair owing to Rooney's absence.

Lot of people have not been amused at the margin of victory. And it's quite understandable given that we were playing at OT against a bottom of the table team. But then, enough chances were created, specially in the second half and it could so easily have been a goal-fest. Somehow, United lacked quality final touches. And it didn't help that we were missing Rooney due to illness and we had Park playing after a very long lay-off. And the team just got rusty with more and more chances getting spurned. But then, the most important thing was that we won and we're taking the race further on. With FA Cup and later Champions League coming into the equation, I get the feeling the team that can best maintain it's squad and form could well win the title.